Doc Rivers comments on Austin on WEEI

[Donoghus]

I really hope this situation doesn't come up and that Austin is already off the board by the time the Celtics pick. 

Personally, I think Austin has some growing up to do on the court and am not really sure what his ceiling would be.  Right now, my gut tells me a volume scorer on a bad team without really making the team around him much better.

[KG_ended_Bias]

I really hope this situation doesn't come up and that Austin is already off the board by the time the Celtics pick. 

Personally, I think Austin has some growing up to do on the court and am not really sure what his ceiling would be.  Right now, my gut tells me a volume scorer on a bad team without really making the team around him much better.

Not fair! Most good players are drafted to bad teams. Micheal Jordan was a volume scorer on a bad team for years! Bottomline alot players get a bad rap because they gotta do more to compensate for the bad talent that's around them. Remember Paul Pierce had that bad rap for years & couldn't shed it until he won. I remember they blamed PP for that Summer World Games debacle when I clearly thought he was the best player on that team.

[Fafnir]

The biggest issue with drafting Rivers is that we already have two players whose best position in the NBA is PG defensively.

Rivers looks to be a combo guard or PG in my eyes, though maybe he could be a true 2.

[thestackshow]

I see Austin Rivers ceiling as a better version of Stephen Curry.

In other words a star in the making.

Hes WAYYY more athletic then Curry, hes faster, and hes a great scorer and shooter.

Dude is a star in the making, if hes available you pick him.

[KG_ended_Bias]

The biggest issue with drafting Rivers is that we already have two players whose best position in the NBA is PG defensively.

Rivers looks to be a combo guard or PG in my eyes, though maybe he could be a true 2.

Understandable from your stand point, but! Remember a Bradley-Rivers combo works better than a Rondo-Rivers combo because the PG in Bradley can gaurd a 2 & the starting 2 in Rivers could gaurd the opposing PG. And with that said I truly believe we are seeing Rajon's last year as a Celtic fair or not. Rondo may be packaged with a pick on draft night or to another team in the offseason.

[Fafnir]

The biggest issue with drafting Rivers is that we already have two players whose best position in the NBA is PG defensively.

Rivers looks to be a combo guard or PG in my eyes, though maybe he could be a true 2.

Understandable from your stand point, but! Remember a Bradley-Rivers combo works better than a Rondo-Rivers combo because the PG in Bradley can gaurd a 2 & the starting 2 in Rivers could gaurd the opposing PG. And with that said I truly believe we are seeing Rajon's last year as a Celtic fair or not. Rondo may be packaged with a pick on draft night or to another team in the offseason.

Unless we're getting an all-nba caliber talent/prospect for Rondo I think that'd be a huge mistake by Ainge.

[Donoghus]

I really hope this situation doesn't come up and that Austin is already off the board by the time the Celtics pick. 

Personally, I think Austin has some growing up to do on the court and am not really sure what his ceiling would be.  Right now, my gut tells me a volume scorer on a bad team without really making the team around him much better.

Not fair! Most good players are drafted to bad teams. Micheal Jordan was a volume scorer on a bad team for years! Bottomline alot players get a bad rap because they gotta do more to compensate for the bad talent that's around them. Remember Paul Pierce had that bad rap for years & couldn't shed it until he won. I remember they blamed PP for that Summer World Games debacle when I clearly thought he was the best player on that team.

Why is it not fair?  It's true in several cases.  Its not alway the system's fault.

[SHAQATTACK]

Hummmfrom this ..I thunkkkkkk ...."IF" Austin happens to be available when the "C's " pick (slim chance).  Danny will take him,  with input from Doc on wether to do so or not.

  If DA is waffling on another player and Austin is available , I think DA takes AR based on these comments from Doc.  
 
 I just don't know enought about the top 50 picks in the Draft to know if it is the right choice for the Celtics , given where we are the weakest ....the "5" spot .

    

[Who]

I don't want him on the Celtics.

I think Rivers needs to be developed as a PG and the Celtics cannot do that with Rondo here. He'll be forced to play the SG position where Rivers is currently much more comfortable but has low end potential due to severe limitations as a defender/rebounder.

Not only would I expect Rivers to be a minimal contributor to the Celtics but I also think they'd be awful for his own development and would do serious damage to his career. An awful fit for both player and team. I don't want him here.

[CFAN38]

I don't want him on the Celtics.

I think Rivers needs to be developed as a PG and the Celtics cannot do that with Rondo here. He'll be forced to play the SG position where Rivers is currently much more comfortable but has low end potential due to severe limitations as a defender/rebounder.

Rivers is a SG, he maybe able to play limited minutes at the point but his true position is SG. At Durant skill academy he was measure to be 6'5 in shoes with a 6'7 wingspan and weighed 200lbs these measurements make him an average to slightly below average sized SG .   

[Yogi]

Everybody wants to trade Rondo except Doc Rivers, Danny Ainge, Tommy Heinsohn, Bob Cousy, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen... Those silly legends and Hall-of-Famers.  What do they know?

[paintitgreen]

I do think it depends on where he falls. Doc makes a fantastic point in that there are not a lot of guys who can create their own offense in the NBA. Look at the Celtics now - Pierce can. Garnett really can't, Ray can't anymore, Bass, Green, Pietrus, Bradley, etc. - none of them can create their own offense. With Rondo, it's arguable he can create his own offense, but it may just be that he can only create for others (if it's one or the other, I'd say creating for others is somewhat more valuable).  

Thing is, if you're picking in the late teens and you can get a guy who can not just score, but create his own offense, that's probably more valuable than anything else you can get.

The temptation, if you got Rivers, would be to trade him to Indy, say in a sign and trade for Hibbert and the rights to Indy's first rounder and/or a side deal bringing Collison to Boston. Collison-Ray/Pietrus-Pierce-KG-Hibbert to start, Bradley-Rivers-Green-Bass-Stiemsma off the bench.

But like I said, if the choice is a guy who creates only his own offense or a guy who creates for others, I prefer the guy who creates for others. KG, Hibbert, and Ray/Pietrus are a lot less effective if they don't have a true playmaker setting them up. And Pierce can't be expected to continue doing that - his offense is going to become more limited in the next two years.

So if you're gonna take Austin, I'd rather keep Rondo. Green becomes a viable starting small forward option next to those two in the next couple of years, since when Austin can move into the starting lineup, he and Rondo will handle the ball all the time. A guy like Green who gives you good perimeter defense without needing the ball in his hands becomes more effective. In the short term, I'd think Doc would want to keep Ray here to mentor Austin, and to have that veteran crew in place to avoid the locker room getting poisoned by notions of favoritism toward his son (the possibility of locker room conflict stemming from that weighs in favor of trading Rondo, but could be mitigated if Ray and KG are still here). You run out a starting five of Rondo, Ray, Pierce, KG and another big - you'll have to hope you can get somebody with the MLE, and bring Bradley, Austin, Green, maybe Bass and Stiemsma off the bench. You still have Jajuan, Moore and whoever else was drafted (a first and a second rounder) on the deep bench.

I think it can work. If he is the best player available. And given that he has the talent to create his own shot - even if that talent still needs to be developed along with his defense (not that I think his career will reach their levels, but Jordan, Kobe and Lebron were all poor defenders coming into the league and became elite on that end) - I can't imagine he wouldn't be the best player available if he slips to the 17-20 range.

[snively]

I don't want him on the Celtics.

I think Rivers needs to be developed as a PG and the Celtics cannot do that with Rondo here. He'll be forced to play the SG position where Rivers is currently much more comfortable but has low end potential due to severe limitations as a defender/rebounder.

Not only would I expect Rivers to be a minimal contributor to the Celtics but I also think they'd be awful for his own development and would do serious damage to his career. An awful fit for both player and team. I don't want him here.

For a late teens pick, why not draft and develop him to be a high-quality back-up PG who sees spot minutes at the 2? 

With the cost controls of a rookie scale and the place where we'd be picking, I don't see a lot of downside to developing an over-qualified back-up PG, if he's the best player available.

Th

[Who]

I don't want him on the Celtics.

I think Rivers needs to be developed as a PG and the Celtics cannot do that with Rondo here. He'll be forced to play the SG position where Rivers is currently much more comfortable but has low end potential due to severe limitations as a defender/rebounder.

Not only would I expect Rivers to be a minimal contributor to the Celtics but I also think they'd be awful for his own development and would do serious damage to his career. An awful fit for both player and team. I don't want him here.

For a late teens pick, why not draft and develop him to be a high-quality back-up PG who sees spot minutes at the 2? 

With the cost controls of a rookie scale and the place where we'd be picking, I don't see a lot of downside to developing an over-qualified back-up PG, if he's the best player available.

Th

Can't develop him as a PG with Rondo here playing 36mpg. Not enough court time.

Austin Rivers will become a combo guard gunner off the bench in the mold of a Jamal Crawford.

[alley oop]

I understand that Kobe Bryant was drafted by Charlotte, refused to sign, and they traded him to the only team he wanted to play for, the Lakers. Can Austin do the same and play for who he wants?

My guess is that Doc would rather coach his son than have to coach against him and be unable at times to enjoy his sons success and share in his joy. Imagine what that would be like for a father.