Celtics making promise to Royce White at 21? (rumor)

[mctyson]

One thing I'd like to throw out there:  the Celtics used both traditional scouting techniques and advanced stats to evaluate players.

I'd love to see the advanced stats on this year's draft class.  I bet Royce White is way up there.

[Fafnir]

Even if Royce doesn't have a great first step if he can come in and get a lot of boards, pass the ball well and lighten the ball handling load isn't he worth the 21st pick?

Assuming he's able to defend a a reasonable level if his passing and rebounding translate sure.

But that's the question, you can be a good rebounder and college and not have it translate, it usually does but not always. And rebounding alone isn't enough to earn you minutes, we need more whether its defense/shooting/passing/etc...

[sofutomygaha]

Rondohondo- Great post, Tommy point.

I just watched all of the game tape from this season, though, and every single one of those buckets would have been rejected in the NBA. They were all right on the margin. When he uses an NBA ball, he won't be able to lay it in like that with either hand because of how they are designed differently. Also, none of those easy dunks in traffic would have cleared the rim if the basket was at NBA height. You also have to keep in mind that when they meet again in the NBA next year, Anthony Davis will be an NBA Defender, complete with the standard issue swatting-paddle. White won't be able to get by NBA Anthony Davis, and when he shoves NBA Anthony Davis he will bounce off of him like a superball.

This is why translating college stats is such risky business. We should probably all give up immediately.

[Chris]

Sam Amick, who has seemed to have connections with the C's in the past, says a source tells him the C's have NOT made a promise to White.

Combined with the fact that Danny has loved leaking false (or convenient) info through Ford in the past, and I am breathing a sigh of relief. 

[mctyson]

Actually here are the advanced stats, not sure how these rank against the field:

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/royce-white-1.html

But according to Hollinger's NBA stats this year, Royce White would project to rank in the following order, among all NBA players, for these key stats:

Rebound Rate - 30th
Off Reb Rate - 65th
Def Reb Rate - 21st

True Shooting % - 143rd
Assist % - 10th

So my guess is that if the Celts are using these data to scout White, they have clearly pegged him as a top-notch defensive rebounder and an astoundingly good passer for a forward.

[Chris]

Actually here are the advanced stats, not sure how these rank against the field:

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/royce-white-1.html

But according to Hollinger's NBA stats this year, Royce White would project to rank in the following order, among all NBA players, for these key stats:

Rebound Rate - 30th
Off Reb Rate - 65th
Def Reb Rate - 21st

True Shooting % - 143rd
Assist % - 10th

So my guess is that if the Celts are using these data to scout White, they have clearly pegged him as a top-notch defensive rebounder and an astoundingly good passer for a forward.

This is a bit of a tangent, but from what I have heard, real NBA statisticians would mock most of those stats if someone referred to them as "advanced stats".  They have much more advanced stuff that the teams use.

[Fafnir]

Sam Amick, who has seemed to have connections with the C's in the past, says a source tells him the C's have NOT made a promise to White.

Combined with the fact that Danny has loved leaking false (or convenient) info through Ford in the past, and I am breathing a sigh of relief. 

Its is entirely possible that White has a promise from another team and Danny is leaking that its him either as a favor to said mystery team or to obscure the C's intentions.

[Donoghus]

Kid looks awfully slow in the halfcourt. 

[chambers]

Rondohondo- Great post, Tommy point.

I just watched all of the game tape from this season, though, and every single one of those buckets would have been rejected in the NBA. They were all right on the margin. When he uses an NBA ball, he won't be able to lay it in like that with either hand because of how they are designed differently. Also, none of those easy dunks in traffic would have cleared the rim if the basket was at NBA height. You also have to keep in mind that when they meet again in the NBA next year, Anthony Davis will be an NBA Defender, complete with the standard issue swatting-paddle. White won't be able to get by NBA Anthony Davis, and when he shoves NBA Anthony Davis he will bounce off of him like a superball.

This is why translating college stats is such risky business. We should probably all give up immediately.

I doubt you've watched any NBA combine footage of him taking it to the hole using an NBA ball. Same moves, same result. Ball is a ball lol. Half of those dunks he isn't throwing it down as hard as he can because he has soft touch and knows he's getting it through. Watch him play against Kansas this year- download the game. Plenty of other games where he throws it down HARD and high.

[SHAQATTACK]

At least he isn't another shooting guard .    I feel like shooting somebody   if we take more stupid guards.

KG don't want to play with a bunch of 165 lb midgets

[Chris]

Sam Amick, who has seemed to have connections with the C's in the past, says a source tells him the C's have NOT made a promise to White.

Combined with the fact that Danny has loved leaking false (or convenient) info through Ford in the past, and I am breathing a sigh of relief. 

Its is entirely possible that White has a promise from another team and Danny is leaking that its him either as a favor to said mystery team or to obscure the C's intentions.

Or, back to my theory, he does has a promise at the C's PICK.  But, it is not actually from the C's.

Danny has hinted (and there have been other rumors) that the C's are looking to trade up 4 or 5 slots.

For a team like say, Houston, it would make a ton of sense for them to trade down if they think White will be there, and he's their man (and White is a total Houston type player...they love stat stuffers who are "undervalued").

[mctyson]

Actually here are the advanced stats, not sure how these rank against the field:

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/royce-white-1.html

But according to Hollinger's NBA stats this year, Royce White would project to rank in the following order, among all NBA players, for these key stats:

Rebound Rate - 30th
Off Reb Rate - 65th
Def Reb Rate - 21st

True Shooting % - 143rd
Assist % - 10th

So my guess is that if the Celts are using these data to scout White, they have clearly pegged him as a top-notch defensive rebounder and an astoundingly good passer for a forward.

This is a bit of a tangent, but from what I have heard, real NBA statisticians would mock most of those stats if someone referred to them as "advanced stats".  They have much more advanced stuff that the teams use.

You know what I am getting at.  I agree the Celtics probably have lots of stuff we don't even know about.

[snively]

I am hoping that the promise to White is from the C's pick...but the pick will be from another team (Houston?) that is trading down to get White. 

I can see White as a Danny guy, because he is a classic "I am smarter than all of you idiots" pick.  But, I really hope he isn't. 

He is one of those guys with just enough of a combination of size, athleticism and skill to be a good college player, but he is not strong enough in any of those categories to be good in the NBA.  Those guys can be nice sleepers in the second round, if they are also character guys (Ryan Gomes types), but when they have red flags on their personality, and are guaranteed money, it is just bad times. 

When he is unable to create any space for himself off the dribble, unable to get clean shots up, and unable to grab rebounds over the bigger, more athletic guys, it will just be a countdown until he is out of the league.

Are you confusing Royce White with Draymond Green?

White is a very impressive athlete. His blend of power, agility, length and leaping ability is remarkable for a guy with his frame.  We're talking about a Leon Powe type of athlete with Big Baby's frame and Boris Diaw's skill level.

[Evantime34]

Even if Royce doesn't have a great first step if he can come in and get a lot of boards, pass the ball well and lighten the ball handling load isn't he worth the 21st pick?

Assuming he's able to defend a a reasonable level if his passing and rebounding translate sure.

But that's the question, you can be a good rebounder and college and not have it translate, it usually does but not always. And rebounding alone isn't enough to earn you minutes, we need more whether its defense/shooting/passing/etc...

I think it will translate since he's more of a position rebounder than a leaper.

[Fafnir]

Even if Royce doesn't have a great first step if he can come in and get a lot of boards, pass the ball well and lighten the ball handling load isn't he worth the 21st pick?

Assuming he's able to defend a a reasonable level if his passing and rebounding translate sure.

But that's the question, you can be a good rebounder and college and not have it translate, it usually does but not always. And rebounding alone isn't enough to earn you minutes, we need more whether its defense/shooting/passing/etc...

I think it will translate since he's more of a position rebounder than a leaper.

So was Glen Davis.