Welcome to the Celtics Dillon Mitchell

[Donoghus]

I can't keep track of what the college rules are anymore.  It's the wild west right now.

I actually feel for the NCAA on this one.  They tried to cut down on the Wild West of waivers and exemptions and made a bright-line rule after the college seasons were over and players could move on with their lives.  And then the courts have come through and told them they must apply that rule retroactively, but maybe only to some players, and the Wild West has started up again.

And we were just digging out of the Covid eligibility mess too.

[slamtheking]

wouldn't be surprised if this ends up impacting how teams draft in the second round knowing they could be stuck offering a guaranteed contract or lose control over a draftee that can return to college instead. 

[Celtics2021]

wouldn't be surprised if this ends up impacting how teams draft in the second round knowing they could be stuck offering a guaranteed contract or lose control over a draftee that can return to college instead.

This will probably be a one-year issue.  The rule was going to apply for all those currently in school.  It is the recent graduates who are affected.

[Roy H.]

I can't keep track of what the college rules are anymore.  It's the wild west right now.

I actually feel for the NCAA on this one.  They tried to cut down on the Wild West of waivers and exemptions and made a bright-line rule after the college seasons were over and players could move on with their lives.  And then the courts have come through and told them they must apply that rule retroactively, but maybe only to some players, and the Wild West has started up again.

Yeah, this is an example of the court sticking its nose where it has no business sticking it.  It's fair if the court enforces existing rules, but it really should stay out of decisions about what the rules *should* be (such as this or the Sorsby case).

[Vermont Green]

Larry Bird went back and played in college after the Celtics drafted him back in the day.  I don't see this as a terrible thing if he wants to go back to college but the Celtics keep his draft rights.  They just sign him right after the college season is over.

He is probably going to play most of the season in Portland anyway, with the Celtics paying him, maybe even on a 2-way deal.  I can see how it would be better for him take the NIL money and play in College.

[Celtics2021]

Larry Bird went back and played in college after the Celtics drafted him back in the day.  I don't see this as a terrible thing if he wants to go back to college but the Celtics keep his draft rights.  They just sign him right after the college season is over.

He is probably going to play most of the season in Portland anyway, with the Celtics paying him, maybe even on a 2-way deal.  I can see how it would be better for him take the NIL money and play in College.

The downside for the Celtics is he goes back to school, blows up like he is capable of, and then re-enters the draft with a first-round grade, because the Celtics are limited in how much they can offer him this year.  The Celtics do not hold his draft rights forever, but only until the next draft.

I think if the Celtics truly believe in him (like, were actually willing to trade up and not just the thing you say to make your pick sound good), they need to sign him to a guaranteed NBA deal this year, and maybe even one that guarantees for next year as well (which is the requirement if the Celtics sign him to a four-year deal).  The draft class is pretty weak next year, and if he gets a first-round grade he would be better off re-entering.

[Roy H.]

Larry Bird went back and played in college after the Celtics drafted him back in the day.  I don't see this as a terrible thing if he wants to go back to college but the Celtics keep his draft rights.  They just sign him right after the college season is over.

He is probably going to play most of the season in Portland anyway, with the Celtics paying him, maybe even on a 2-way deal.  I can see how it would be better for him take the NIL money and play in College.

I think the two detriments are 1) he's not being developed by the Celtics, who most likely have a specific plan for him that presumably conflicts with St. John's, and 2) there's at least a theoretical chance that he could significantly improve his game and decide to stay in next year's draft, costing us his rights completely.

As an aside, imagine if we'd drafted Bird, he went back to college, and then decided not to sign with the Celts and was redrafted #1 or #2 overall in 1979?  Larry would have been a Laker or a Bull, and we would have been screwed.

Compounding matters was that we'd traded the 3rd, 9th and 21st picks in 1979 for Bob McAdoo.   We could have come out of the 1978 and 1979 drafts (in which we'd had five #1s combined) with Freeman Williams and a declining McAdoo.

Instead, Bird signed, and we ended up exchanging McAdoo for two future #1s (one of which turned out to be #1 overall) which Red parlayed into McHale and Parish.

[jambr380]

Larry Bird went back and played in college after the Celtics drafted him back in the day.  I don't see this as a terrible thing if he wants to go back to college but the Celtics keep his draft rights.  They just sign him right after the college season is over.

He is probably going to play most of the season in Portland anyway, with the Celtics paying him, maybe even on a 2-way deal.  I can see how it would be better for him take the NIL money and play in College.

I think the two detriments are 1) he's not being developed by the Celtics, who most likely have a specific plan for him that presumably conflicts with St. John's, and 2) there's at least a theoretical chance that he could significantly improve his game and decide to stay in next year's draft, costing us his rights completely.

As an aside, imagine if we'd drafted Bird, he went back to college, and then decided not to sign with the Celts and was redrafted #1 or #2 overall in 1979?  Larry would have been a Laker or a Bull, and we would have been screwed.

Compounding matters was that we'd traded the 3rd, 9th and 21st picks in 1979 for Bob McAdoo.   We could have come out of the 1978 and 1979 drafts (in which we'd had five #1s combined) with Freeman Williams and a declining McAdoo.

Instead, Bird signed, and we ended up exchanging McAdoo for two future #1s (one of which turned out to be #1 overall) which Red parlayed into McHale and Parish.

I can't imagine they would let these players re-enter the draft. If it's not a rule already, then it'll become one. Teams drafted these players with the idea that they could sign them and develop them in their system. They don't want to let them go. There's no reason they couldn't make it work similarly to draft and stash situations. Yam Madar and Juhann Begarin aren't coming over any time soon, but if they did, we'd have the right to sign them first.

[Vermont Green]

Yeah, I get it.  There is risk for BOS but also for the player should he suffer a serious injury.  It seem like the main thing here is that this is providing leverage for the player.  He likely will not take a 2-way deal if he can go back to college and make $1M.  It kind of forces BOS to at least offer him a regular roster spot.

He is looking at $1M to play in college, is that correct?  I believe that BOS could pay him up to about $2.4M to start and up to 3 or 4 years.  To beat this by $1M or more, he would have to go in the top 20 or so in the next draft.  I suspect that BOS does not want to pay him that much this season so he may well go back to college.  He may end up reentering the draft but BOS will still have a chance to sign him after the college season.  Maybe even have him on the playoff roster.

The going back to college part is not so bad, but if they are not able to sign him, then yes, it is a wasted pick for BOS.  He will be 23 by the start of this season.  He also needs to be careful that he does not let his opportunity slip by.

One thing I don't understand.  Why does BOS retain the draft rights to players who play in Europe after being drafted but Mitchell can reenter the draft after going back to college?

[Vermont Green]

Did my own research, the difference is that a player cannot sign a contract with any professional organization:

If the team makes the required tender and the player chooses not to sign an NBA deal, and does not sign or play with any other professional basketball league outside the NBA, the player becomes eligible for the next year's draft, which is deemed their Subsequent Draft

So if you play in Europe, that is deemed "signing or playing with another professional basketball league".  But if you go back to college and take NIL money, that is not considered playing for a professional league.  Hmmmm.

[Donoghus]

Did my own research, the difference is that a player cannot sign a contract with any professional organization:

If the team makes the required tender and the player chooses not to sign an NBA deal, and does not sign or play with any other professional basketball league outside the NBA, the player becomes eligible for the next year's draft, which is deemed their Subsequent Draft

So if you play in Europe, that is deemed "signing or playing with another professional basketball league".  But if you go back to college and take NIL money, that is not considered playing for a professional league.  Hmmmm.

Because, technically, college athletes are not getting paid for their athletic participation while professionals overseas are.

[radiohead]

So Mitchell can go back to college and could potentially be a first round pick next year? Where does this leave Boston? It would be like they threw away a second round pick if they don?t offer Mitchell an NBA contract?

[wiley]

please sign him now Boston.   Trade another wing if need be, but sign him...

[Celtics2021]

So Mitchell can go back to college and could potentially be a first round pick next year? Where does this leave Boston? It would be like they threw away a second round pick if they don?t offer Mitchell an NBA contract?

They would certainly risk that, yes.  And to be clear, they will offer him some sort of contract by September 6th, which is the deadline to retain his rights, but if he has a million or so offer to go to back to college he will need a guaranteed NBA offer to stay, and not a 2-way or non-guaranteed offer.

The NCAA has appealed, and the Celtics and Mitchell will certainly wait a few weeks to see how the lawsuit progresses, as it is possible this is reversed, or the NCAA gets the judge to agree that playing in Summer League made him and the others ineligible.  But if it the status quo does not change, the Celtics risk him re-entering the draft next year if he ups his draft stock.  If he does not re-enter the draft, after the college season is over the Celtics could add him to the 15-man roster in March or early April if they still have room, but that strategy runs a risk.

[Vermont Green]

It seems to me that the fair and reasonable thing is to let him return to college and take NIL money if he doesn?t want to take a two-way contract. But in that case, let the Celtics keep his draft rights. No re-entering the draft. Lawyers are involved so it won?t be that simple. Of course. But to an engineer, this seems like a simple solution.