Celtics may not need to move up : Moe Harkless and Will Barton

[arambone]

I think Melo has some natural jump shooting touch that we didn't really get to see much because he hardly ever got to shoot. Expect him to impress at the Combine. I guess he's lost even more weight and is moving significantly better than he was in his much improved sophomore season.

The biggest question for me is can he keep his weight down, but I think he'll be solid and able to hit his share of 15 ft jumpers, in addition to being an instinctive defender and long shot blocker.

The true big man may not be as common in the NBA now, but if they have any offensive skill, they can be tough for the undersized centers to handle.

Melo's new to the game, and it takes big men longer to develop anyway. I wouldn't bet against this guy, especially since he improved so much last year.

It's not every year that you stumble upon a Stiemsma or even a Hollins on the scrap heap. Usually it's even slimmer pickings, and passing on Melo could be cause for much regret in the future.

But if he shows anything at all at the Combine, he's going top 20.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K-EKA_vwOU

[celticinorlando]

i think leonard is a project like johnson..i really think boston needs wing shooting....not a PG...but a shooting 2 and def. and shooting 3. they need to get their future set up on the wings

i will be very disappointed if we package our picks for leonard. Watched him all year and just never saw much in him

As for melo...i just think he is another big that will be a bust.

[arambone]

Quincy Miller is looking much stronger, probably up to 220 pounds now. Wonder how the knee is doing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_KmYPR116Y&feature=related

[clover]

i think leonard is a project like johnson..i really think boston needs wing shooting....not a PG...but a shooting 2 and def. and shooting 3. they need to get their future set up on the wings

i will be very disappointed if we package our picks for leonard. Watched him all year and just never saw much in him

As for melo...i just think he is another big that will be a bust.

If you were watching Leonard, you were watching a 7' 19yo who's shown he can shoot and block and rebound.

[arambone]

I think Leonard could be a decent over-sized 4 for a few years.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

If we don't land Barton or Harlkless I'd like to have Khris Middleton. Khris Middleton could be the steal of the draft. While not as athletic, he has excellent mid range game and a good scoring mentality. He does exert effort on defense but his lateral quickness is a problem.

But hey, a scorer off the bench isn't so bad.

But I really hope we get a big out of the two 1st. Melo or Nicholson plus either Barton (preferred, this dude can ball), Harlkless or Middleton is a draft day gone good. (then steal either Robert Sacre or Jae Crowder in the 2nd round)

[hardlyyardley]

Middleton would be a second round steal, worth moving up for....might've been lottery if not for knee injury

If not....Hummel would give us three Boilermakers

[snively]

Isn't Barton going to be too weak and skinny to defend against Wade and James, and if so of limited use to the Celtics?

He's got the same skeletal frame that Corey Brewer, Marquis Daniels, Josh Howard, Ricky Davis, Tay Prince and Rip Hamilton came into the league with (and have retained for the majority of their careers).

Extreme skinniness is far less of a problem at the 2-guard than it is for centers and combo forwards (like our JJJ and guys like Austin Daye).  Quickness and length can make up for bulk on the perimeter a lot more readily than in the paint.

[celticinorlando]

i think leonard is a project like johnson..i really think boston needs wing shooting....not a PG...but a shooting 2 and def. and shooting 3. they need to get their future set up on the wings

i will be very disappointed if we package our picks for leonard. Watched him all year and just never saw much in him

As for melo...i just think he is another big that will be a bust.

If you were watching Leonard, you were watching a 7' 19yo who's shown he can shoot and block and rebound.

living in big ten country, i watch leonard disappear more than he showed up. I saw him loaf and quit on his team time and time again.

[Celtics4ever]

He's got the same skeletal frame that Corey Brewer, Marquis Daniels, Josh Howard, Ricky Davis, Tay Prince and Rip Hamilton came into the league with (and have retained for the majority of their careers).

These guys all have broader shoulders than their waist not narrow shoulders narrow waist.   Guys with narrow shoulders are not strong.

[Tr1boy]

He's got the same skeletal frame that Corey Brewer, Marquis Daniels, Josh Howard, Ricky Davis, Tay Prince and Rip Hamilton came into the league with (and have retained for the majority of their careers).

These guys all have broader shoulders than their waist not narrow shoulders narrow waist.   Guys with narrow shoulders are not strong.

Michael Jordan had narrow shoulders. Just saying

Like someone else mentioned, its alot harder for guys like JJJ to get bigger. And he needs the strength bc that is the nature of his positions. Most pg/sg do not post up majority of the game. Barton would have length advantage right off the bat

[clover]

i think leonard is a project like johnson..i really think boston needs wing shooting....not a PG...but a shooting 2 and def. and shooting 3. they need to get their future set up on the wings

i will be very disappointed if we package our picks for leonard. Watched him all year and just never saw much in him

As for melo...i just think he is another big that will be a bust.

If you were watching Leonard, you were watching a 7' 19yo who's shown he can shoot and block and rebound.

living in big ten country, i watch leonard disappear more than he showed up. I saw him loaf and quit on his team time and time again.

I haven't really watched him play, so you've got the better perspective, but I read posts here all the time accusing Rondo of exactly the same--and I'm quite sure Rondo's working as hard as any Celtic out there.

[arambone]

"Michael Jordan had narrow shoulders."

No he didn't.

"its alot harder for guys like JJJ to get bigger."

It's about the same, as Barton and JJJ both have very narrow shoulders.

Narrow shoulders means the pecs, trapezius, and lat muscles are smaller/less wide, and don't have much potential for addition weight gains in those areas. It also usually means smaller bone structure, which means even muscles in the extremities have limited room to grow.

But yeah, less of a concern for a 2 guard with high skill level.

[Tr1boy]

Toronto looking to trade their 8th pick for a young vet

http://www.hoopsworld.com/toronto-raptors-looking-to-trade-draft-picks

hoopsworld sometimes have invalid info, but this ones sounds legit.

Its really too bad though that , the only thing we could give the raps is our 1st two round picks unless we can make a creative three way trade somehow.

Again, i wouldn't mind just waiting and picking barton instead, but if we can somehow snatch , Harrison Barnes at the 5-8 range, wow, i would do that in a heartbeat. Kid is a manchild and can really shoot. Like a lebron but not as good driving and finishing around the basket. Much more consistent shooter though

** interesting to see that hoopshype has Celts picking Fab Melo and Will Barton. I would be happy with these two picks. Especially barton of course.

[Celts Fan 92]

i personally hope we package the 2 picks and move up for one legit impact player instead of 2 guys that might not ever do anything (we have that already with johnson and moore....)

i don't want 2 rookies and 2 VERY marginal guys in moore and johnson taking up 4 roster spots when they need a legit bench next year.

let them get consistent playin time before you make dis assessment from the small samples i seen this year I think Moore will be a steal nd betta then Johnson let them get minutes before we label them as busts