The silence of Royce White

[sofutomygaha]

Quoting Chad Ford:

Analysis: According to sources, White pulled out of all his remaining workouts Thursday and has gone silent. He's not injured, and sources claim he's received a coveted first-round promise from a team. Promises are notoriously hard to pin down, but two sources are pointing in the direction of the Celtics. As long as coach Doc Rivers can buy into what White is (a ballhandling power forward) and figure out how to play him, he could be a steal at this point in the draft.

This is nice and all, but I'm confused. Does the White camp going "silent" mean that he doesn't want to be drafted before pick 21? It doesn't seem to me like he has much control over whether he gets drafted there or not. Is this supposed to send out the signal to other teams that says "I don't want to play for you?" If you're the Magic, does this make you less interested in White?

I've been beating the Royce White drum for a while, and I'm thrilled by this possibility. I don't think I've heard of another guy receiving a promise this far down into the draft though. Have you guys?

[35Lewis]

Perkins had a promise later than this and Orien Greene had that notorious second round promise that Danny tried getting out of when Amir Johnson (?) was available.

The promises hold provisions that the prospect won't talk or work out for other teams. It's a gamble by the prospect and the team but it's one of those "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush".

I like this. Ecause it's low risk for celtics since they have two picks  ack to back and if a guy slips then they still get him.

[jdub1660]

Sorry but I'm getting the JR Giddens feeling on this one
With Ray leaving most likely, I'd rather get a shooter like John Jenkins.
KG wants to go to PF again so we need a C, Fab Melo is best option there at 22

[Tr1boy]

Dallas, Minny, Orl, Denver could all use a versatile forward like white.

Its super hard to predict what exactly will happen from picks 11 to 20. Even after 6 , nobody is sure.

Even if white goes 7, i won`t be all that surprised.

White is fine with what he is doing. He knows he will get chosen in the 1st round one way or the other (he doesn`t seem like he cares how high) plus doesn`t like flying.

Celts with a depleting  lineup plus pp either on his way out or onto the bench in a few years, white will be in a great situation in Bos.

[Boris Badenov]

Quoting Chad Ford:

Analysis: According to sources, White pulled out of all his remaining workouts Thursday and has gone silent. He's not injured, and sources claim he's received a coveted first-round promise from a team. Promises are notoriously hard to pin down, but two sources are pointing in the direction of the Celtics. As long as coach Doc Rivers can buy into what White is (a ballhandling power forward) and figure out how to play him, he could be a steal at this point in the draft.

This is nice and all, but I'm confused. Does the White camp going "silent" mean that he doesn't want to be drafted before pick 21? It doesn't seem to me like he has much control over whether he gets drafted there or not. Is this supposed to send out the signal to other teams that says "I don't want to play for you?" If you're the Magic, does this make you less interested in White?

I've been beating the Royce White drum for a while, and I'm thrilled by this possibility. I don't think I've heard of another guy receiving a promise this far down into the draft though. Have you guys?

I think the idea is that team X gives a guy a promise because he bowled them over in workouts.

Team X doesn't want a higher-picking team to see the same things, so it offers a guarantee in exchange for the player shutting down workouts.

In return, the player gets guaranteed money - which for a borderline 1st round pick is very, very important.

White is probably particularly concerned about this. His anxiety is exactly the kind of thing that might lead to a big slip in the draft.

[sofutomygaha]

On the blog comments, businessbmw pointed out that we promised Reggie Jackson last year at pick 25. We never got to find out how that would turn out, because the Thunder grabbed him at 24.

If we want White and he wants us, it certainly makes sense for him to cancel workouts. With his question marks, a lot of teams are probably already nervous about him and would be even more nervous without getting to work him out.

However, a lot can happen in 20 picks. Chances are if we like him this much then somebody else does too. He could be a great fit for the Magic or the Mavericks, for example. After this news, I'm actually more inclined to think that White rises above our slot.

[sofutomygaha]

Another odd element of this is that Royce White has not worked out for the Celtics as far as any of us know.

[jyyzzoel]

i dont buy it.

DANNY IS NOT DRAFTING ROYCE WHITE FOR US.

1.
danny never has drafted a guy in the first round with us who's been so poor at defense (except maybe jefferson, but he was 18 years old with much more room to grow, royce is 21)

2.
royce has never worked out for the celtics, even when we had all those guys who were projected to go in the early 20's in - moe harkless, quincy miller, fab melo... royce wasnt there.


3.
if the idea of trading with houston is legit, that makes much more sense with danny drafting royce at 21 for houston, and houston drafting sullinger at 16 for us. who is houstons small forward???  and yes royce will be a combo forward in the nba.

4.
danny ainges nephew erik ainge has had problems with mental illness... he would know how difficult it can be to live a normal life - even if the meds work (i speak from experience).

5. either that or this is all just a smokescreen. there is no way royce white will be a celtic next year. i may be wrong, but i highly doubt it. i would suggest ainge would more likely go with harkless who has much more upside at only 18 years old.

after all danny did say on weei recently that you draft on potential, not how good a guy is now.

HOWEVER royce does have some attributes like a big wingspan and big hands that danny likes historically (rondo)...

[Boris Badenov]

If we haven't worked him out, then this seems unlikely, unless we will draft him as part of a trade.

I will say that it makes a lot of sense for Danny to offer at least one promise.

The nightmare scenario ordinarily is that someone really good slips, and you have to (a) pass on that guy, or (b) break the promise.

With two picks, that is not a problem.

[mctyson]

We have 2 picks.  I don't see why we would need to promise anyone anything considering we could move up or down, though I don't think Danny wants to trade those 2 picks to move up 5 spots.

If it was us, I am wondering if Danny is trying to force the issue for a team that really loves Royce White.  Say a team picking at 24 or 25.  By committing to him, maybe the C's force this other team to make a deal?  

Just not sure what making a promise does for us here.

[jyyzzoel]

We have 2 picks.  I don't see why we would need to promise anyone anything considering we could move up or down, though I don't think Danny wants to trade those 2 picks to move up 5 spots.

If it was us, I am wondering if Danny is trying to force the issue for a team that really loves Royce White.  Say a team picking at 24 or 25.  By committing to him, maybe the C's force this other team to make a deal?  

Just not sure what making a promise does for us here.

danny is a crafy guy 

[celticinorlando]

i expect option 1 is for boston to trade up to grab someone if possible

the next option I think will be for Danny to draft a wing and a big (I still think it will be harkins and fab melo that they end up with)

I don't like anything about Fab Melo. Just is a lazy player. But maybe Danny takes him for defense and addresses more offense in FA

[LooseCannon]

Does the White camp going "silent" mean that he doesn't want to be drafted before pick 21?

It means he doesn't want to be drafted after pick 21, which is pretty good for a player who some believe could slip out of the first round.  For the Celtics, if there is an agreement, it means that Ainge is worried that someone might fall in love with White and draft him before #21, so a promise makes it less likely that will occur.

[csfansince60s]

Does the White camp going "silent" mean that he doesn't want to be drafted before pick 21?

It means he doesn't want to be drafted after pick 21, which is pretty good for a player who some believe could slip out of the first round.  For the Celtics, if there is an agreement, it means that Ainge is worried that someone might fall in love with White and draft him before #21, so a promise makes it less likely that will occur.

Succinctly put....

It also doesn't preclude a team drafting befeore #21 who has already worked him out to have made the promise.

White must have already worked out for teams ahead of us in the draft.

Anybody know for sure?

[Snakehead]

On the blog comments, businessbmw pointed out that we promised Reggie Jackson last year at pick 25. We never got to find out how that would turn out, because the Thunder grabbed him at 24.

Hmm I thought it was in fact OKC that promised him?  Could be wrong though, was going to post that to the "have their been late promises" question.