Better for Mickey's development. Maine vs LSU

[KG Living Legend]

 Say the Celtics could decide to send him back for his junior year at LSU and he joined forces with Ben Simmons. LSU really lacks leadership, and Mickey would have been the undisputed leader of that team, with Jarell Martin leaving for the NBA.

 Simmons desperately needs a player on that team to get in his face and challenge him and that would have been Mickey.

 So the Question is, in a world where the Celtics could actually do this, what would make Mickey a better player. Getting a head start on some scheme's and concepts with Maine. Or playing with the best prospect this year who needed his leadership, not to mention he needed his talent on the court! Mickey is a much better shooter than SImmons lol.

 

[KG Living Legend]

 It's hard to argue that playing for Maine was better for his development IMO.

[Eddie20]

Simmons desperately needs a player on that team to get in his face and challenge him and that would have been Mickey.

Can you please elaborate?

[Evantime34]

Since Maine plays under NBA rules, I think Maine would develop his NBA game more than college would.

The skills Mickey might have focused on improving in his sophomore season at LSU probably be the same as the areas the Celtics want him to develop, because different styles are effective in college and the NBA.

My main point is that if you want a player to develop his NBA skills, he should be playing an NBA game with NBA rules.

Sure he would be a better NBA player in his rookie year if he came out after 2 years instead of one, but in terms of overall development by age I think he's much better off in the NBA. Plus he's probably getting paid more in the NBA than he did at LSU.

[BitterJim]

 It's hard to argue that playing for Maine was better for his development IMO.

Maine might not be, but practicing (and occasionally playing) with Boston is

[hwangjini_1]

 It's hard to argue that playing for Maine was better for his development IMO.

why? i mean it. without some sort of rationale or explanation this statement doesnt carry the weight you intend it to carry.

it just seems to me that the dleague pits players against other players who were generally above average in college ball. the level of talent throughout the league is more consistent than college ball, night in, night out. they have all graduated beyond college to make the dleague.

in maine, mickey also is coached by members of the celtics, people who can help him fit in with the celitcs.

[KG Living Legend]

Simmons desperately needs a player on that team to get in his face and challenge him and that would have been Mickey.

Can you please elaborate?

 Sure Eddie, after watching all the games televized this year, numerous comments have been made about LSU's lack of leadership.
 Simmons does not look like any type of leader at this Point. They have one senior in the starting five in Hornsby, but he and everyone else has never challenged Simmons.

 It even seems like the coaches are scared to challenge him. He's very Lebron esque in that he's to cool to be coached up. He's kind of a wierd guy IMO.

[Eja117]

I believe it is possible that Maine plays a higher level of basketball and certainly the Celtics...Stevens is the best coach on this planet after Coach K, but he wasn't around Stevens much.

I think arguably this year is better for him basketballwise. He is likely to be a better player next year than he would have been.

However...personwise...I think college would have been better.  I think generally overall the extra time in college is better. Better for your body and better for your brain.  He would have possibly learned more leadership.

There are some possible exceptions. I'm not so sure how much the Kentucky staff really focuses on development. Their entire strategy seems based on one and done. I don't think you go there to develop as a player. I think you go there to get drafted based somewhat on hype (although obviously not entirely). 

I think it also matters what NBA team you go to. If you do the Celtics that's good. If you go to a dysfunctional team with a culture of losing it's not good. Hence Nik Stauskas is probably the most messed up player in the league right now.  The best thing in the past 5 years basketballwise was Michigan and Team Canada and that is sad.

[Roy H.]

His job isn't to mentor Simmons, it's to become a useful NBA player. Developing in the Celtics system will help with that.

[KeepRondo]

If he can win more playing time on this team then being on this team is the answer.

[CelticSooner]

Playing on that underachieving team would do nothing for his development. Johnny Jones is one of the worst coaches in college basketball.

He's getting accustomed to the NBA this season. Another year in that system would just be a waste of time.

[Csfan1984]

Being at LSU another year means classes and studying commitments  that take time away from working on his game. Do hope he still takes two or three online classes per semester to still get his degree in 3 or so years. Education/Knowledge is important in life no just for yourself finacially but for those you interact with. You want to be a mentor and to have awareness on how's things around you work.

[jambr380]

I'll agree with those who have said Maine.

I also think that it's finally time that each NBA team had a D-League affiliate and all players from a franchise's team should be able to be called up and sent back down during the season. It is awkward right now with only some players being the property of an NBA team and some NBA teams sharing a D-League affiliate. Expand the draft to 4-5 rounds and give each NBA team more to work with. If this were the case, there would be no doubt where Mickey would have gained better experience.

[Csfan1984]

I'll agree with those who have said Maine.

I also think that it's finally time that each NBA team had a D-League affiliate and all players from a franchise's team should be able to be called up and sent back down during the season. It is awkward right now with only some players being the property of an NBA team and some NBA teams sharing a D-League affiliate. Expand the draft to 4-5 rounds and give each NBA team more to work with. If this were the case, there would be no doubt where Mickey would have gained better experience.

+1 to every team having a d-league team. And I'm for a 3rd round draft.  4 and 5 is too much. And expand teams' roster to 17 but have it as 2 d-league call up players only. Can't be all vets only D-league viable players can count as 16 and 17th roster men.

[guava_wrench]

I don't see how returning to LSU and playing with and against inferior players would be helpful.

Being a full time basketball player is better. Better competition is better. Better teammates is better.