Draft City/Bill Walker-overseas? (Merged)

[Jason330032]

Draft City is reporting that Ainge might be shopping Bill Walker to play overseas next season:

Boston Celtics

Picks: J.R. Giddens (#30), traded cash considerations to Washington for draft rights to Bill Walker (#47)

B

Giddens makes a lot of sense here, as he surely has the talent and athleticism to warrant being drafted this high, granted he realizes how blessed he was to get a second opportunity. Playing alongside warriors like Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, Giddens should fall right in line. He needed the security of a two year contract to give him a cushion until he’s truly ready to contribute anything more than spot-defensive minutes, so it will be interesting to see how well he takes advantage of this opportunity.

Bill Walker slipped deep into the second round due to concerns regarding his knee. He has a good deal of talent, but doesn’t look very close to being able to contribute at this point in time. It will be interesting to see if the Celtics hold on to him for long enough to see whether he was worth the cash they gave the Wizards for his rights. They are reportedly shopping him overseas at the moment, trying to get him to play in Europe next season and then try and make their team next year.

[Evantime34]

Bill Walker going overseas for one year might be the best thing to happen to the C's. We probably don't have enough room on the team for two rookies, and he should be completely health by next year. I'm not sure though how willing he will be to go overseas though? Also I think they will wait to make a decision on sending him overseas until they find out how free agency shapes out (especially with Tony Allen).

[Who]

I'm not sure though how willing he will be to go overseas though?

Me either

Does anyone else think that Bill Walker isn't the type to warm up to overseas idea and that he wants to play in the NBA right now?

He could have stayed in college an extra year and improved his draft stock. He clearly wanted to be in the NBA.

Not sure how he gets a good offer on a short term contract from abroad while recovering from a serious knee surgery either.

Seems like pie in the sky thinking to me

[johnnyrondo]

Maybe he really needed the money and was scared that another injury while in college might totally kill his NBA future. I'm sure he thought he'd go first round and get guaranteed money, but overseas you still get more than you would in college (unless you're OJ Mayo of course).

[timepiece33]

Maybe he really needed the money and was scared that another injury while in college might totally kill his NBA future. I'm sure he thought he'd go first round and get guaranteed money, but overseas you still get more than you would in college (unless you're OJ Mayo of course).

Why not just let the guy take Gabe Pruitt's spot in the developmental league?

[johnnyrondo]

Maybe he really needed the money and was scared that another injury while in college might totally kill his NBA future. I'm sure he thought he'd go first round and get guaranteed money, but overseas you still get more than you would in college (unless you're OJ Mayo of course).

Why not just let the guy take Gabe Pruitt's spot in the developmental league?

B/c maybe Ainge doesn't want to pay him for a year.

[bigtyc55]

isn't this exactly what the NBDL is for, when you have too many guys and want to get them playing so they just dont sit their stagnant not developing their game as much as they possibly could. Gabe lit it up down there and was playing a lot, might as well give walker the shot as well, as said above, i dont see him wanting to go overseas.

[banner17]

I just read this on Draftexpress.com I thought it was interesting:

"Bill Walker slipped deep into the second round due to concerns regarding his knee. He has a good deal of talent, but doesn’t look very close to being able to contribute at this point in time. It will be interesting to see if the Celtics hold on to him for long enough to see whether he was worth the cash they gave the Wizards for his rights. They are reportedly shopping him overseas at the moment, trying to get him to play in Europe next season and then try and make their team next year."


This way he won't use a roster spot, that he would if the C's sent him to the D league.

[BudweiserCeltic]

isn't this exactly what the NBDL is for, when you have too many guys and want to get them playing so they just dont sit their stagnant not developing their game as much as they possibly could. Gabe lit it up down there and was playing a lot, might as well give walker the shot as well, as said above, i dont see him wanting to go overseas.

You don't have to pay him, and he doesn't take a roster spot if he goes overseas... it's extremely beneficial to the Celtics if they're able to do this.

[MaineBleedsGreen]

that's pretty interesting. Doc's comments seemed to suggest he thought Walker would contribute before Giddens.

[TripleOT]

The lighter schedule and the enhanced playing time might serve Walker well, especially if he knows that the Cs will have a contract waiting for him when he gets back to the states in a year.  I'm guessing the guy needs a paycheck, and if he has confidence in his considerable talent, and is willing to put in the work, there's no reason he can't carve out a solid NBA career, as Leon Powe has done. 

If Powe had joined the team after a championship year, chances are he would still be glued to the bench, one step away from being out of the league.  He needed to be on a roster of a lousy team to get minutes.  Walker needs to find minutes somewhere if he's ever going to get a seven figure contract some day.   

[cordobes]

I think it's a good decision - particularly because I'm convinced Walker is nowhere near ready to play in the NBA - but I see two problems:

- as others have stated, Walker doesn't look the kind of player who'll accept to be stashed overseas. OTH, if he accepts the deal, he'll show that he's fully determined and has character.

- the second problem I see is finding an international team that suits him. He's very raw and there's a risk he spends most of the time riding the bench. But he needs good coaching and good medical care. I think a good team in a bad league with a tradition of playing youngsters, like LeMans, is the ideal .

(I don't think a player like Walker would improve much in the D-League. They play too much and practice too little and players are more interested in casting themselves than in winning games. Walker doesn't need playing time against weak competition, he had plenty of that last years. He needs to improve his fundamentals and learn to play within himself and with the team. In the NBDL nothing would stop him of having more of those 0-12 games. Overseas, he would be benched after the 5 missed shots. Also, he'll be drilled more in individual fundamentals and team schemes, as well as he'll face harder competition. The fact that he won't be able to rely in his athleticism so much, hence having to learn to play smarter is also a plus.)

[johnnyrondo]

I echo the thought that not only is it financially better for us if he's overseas versus being in the NBDL, but it will be better for him. I haven't been that impressed with the NBDL with regards to helping the Celtics that have gone there. Anyone have a list (it would be short) of Celtics that have played in the NBDL, while under contract to the C's?

[Andy Jick]

that's all speculation from draft express...sounds contrary to what ainge is saying.  i believe he WILL be on boston's roster next season and will make a contribution to this team.

[cordobes]

Merge?
Merged, thanks
-IP