Could Boston draft Hibbert or draft a foreign player

[campybatman]

According to an NBA source, the Celtics and other teams picking late in the first round of the draft are strongly considering trading their pick or getting a prospect they can develop overseas. Memphis, for one, is trying to trade the 28th overall pick. Don't be surprised if the Celtics are interested in such international players as French forward Nicolas Batum, Congo forward/center Serge Ibaka, French center Alexis Ajinca, Turkish center Omer Asik, and Montenegro forward/center Nikola Pekovic. The source said Batum's stock is dropping dramatically because of heart concerns, for which his workout in Toronto was canceled. Boston Globe

On Georgetown center Roy Hibbert's draft stock, one NBA scout said, "Hibbert is going to need a parachute on draft day. The young centers have passed him in the eyes of teams. His stock is just plummeting, when last year he could have been a top-10 pick. Guys were able to really get a good look at him last season, and more questions were answered by his performance last year." The scout also said the 7-foot-2-inch, 278-pounder, an Associated Press second-team All-America selection, would likely be available when the Celtics pick 30th. Keep in mind that Doc Rivers knows Hibbert very well, since his son, Jeremiah, played at Georgetown the past two seasons before transferring to Indiana. Boston Globe

[campybatman]

Oh, the only thing is... Utah supposedly like Hibbert with the twenty-third pick from what I'd read. Still, I concur, I see him sliding too. But, not out of the first round. I prefer that the Celtics sign a free agent center but Ray could work with Hibbert and see where he best could help the team next season.

[Andrew McCeltic]

We're finally gonna go Euro? I hope we follow in the path of other winning teams and land a key contributor (e.g. Josh Howard, Ginobili) in the 1st or 2nd round

[UGA Hayes]

Well I hope we keep the pick, I don't want to do what San Antonio or even Detroit did and rest on its laurels, shun guys like Luis Scola, give priority to older guys who couldn't cut it anymore and basically dare father time. We need to be transitioning younger whether through the draft or FA.

[campybatman]

See, this doesn't make a lot of sense for Boston. If that foreign prospect that supposedly Ainge would want to develop overseas is indeed a center. With no depth behind Perkins, why would you do this? Also, if Ainge were to trade the first round pick it would likely be to pick up another second round pick or a future pick.



According to an NBA source, the Celtics and other teams picking late in the first round of the draft are strongly considering trading their pick or getting a prospect they can develop overseas.

[sully00]

I think this is a little baiting the hook. Boston is sitting at the bottom of the first round trying to get teams with multiple picks early in the second to bite on a trading up. So if you are one of those teams and you had hopes of using your 2nd round pick to snag somebody's draft rights and hold onto them you may have to think about swapping late into the first.

Frankly the European basketball market has been a disaster, I don't know why any team would consider using a 1st round pick on these players it is simply not and equitable system and frankly at this point you are simply setting the players value for his contract negotiations overseas.

[Dogen]

I'm slightly intrigued to see how Hibbert would develop at the Cliff Ray/KG boot camp. Just slightly. Still don't think much of his game, but he's 7'2" with legit college experience. we'd have to consider him if he fell to 30, which seems quite unlikely.

[sully00]

Like I said in the other thread I don't like Hibbert as a lottery pick at all but at 30 he would be great.

And for reference to what I said about baiting the hook 3 young Euro's are listed at the top of the board in the second round.

[U2larkin04]

I think Cliff could really do wonders on Hibbert... I'd honestly trade down a couple spots to get him if I had to... KG would definitely also have a huge impact. The things that keep Hibbert from being a really good player, and what I think a great starter aren't something that can't be fixed and if coached properly, can't be turned around. So I would definitely love Hibbert. As for a foreigner, I don't think Danny drafts them, haha...

[Tenbomber]

If we had a shot at getting Hibbert, I hope we do that...

I agree with an earlier poster.... we need to add young players....and we should take advantage of Clifford Ray's ability to help young bigs learn their trade....

Lets not forget, having KG as a role model is also bound to help that process!

I love Perk!...but he can't play the center spot all 48 minutes...We need another "enforcer" underneath!.....

I firmly believe when Perk is in there, it helps KG's game!....

[buckner1976]

According to an NBA source, the Celtics and other teams picking late in the first round of the draft are strongly considering trading their pick or getting a prospect they can develop overseas. Memphis, for one, is trying to trade the 28th overall pick. Don't be surprised if the Celtics are interested in such international players as French forward Nicolas Batum, Congo forward/center Serge Ibaka, French center Alexis Ajinca, Turkish center Omer Asik, and Montenegro forward/center Nikola Pekovic. The source said Batum's stock is dropping dramatically because of heart concerns, for which his workout in Toronto was canceled. Boston Globe

On Georgetown center Roy Hibbert's draft stock, one NBA scout said, "Hibbert is going to need a parachute on draft day. The young centers have passed him in the eyes of teams. His stock is just plummeting, when last year he could have been a top-10 pick. Guys were able to really get a good look at him last season, and more questions were answered by his performance last year." The scout also said the 7-foot-2-inch, 278-pounder, an Associated Press second-team All-America selection, would likely be available when the Celtics pick 30th. Keep in mind that Doc Rivers knows Hibbert very well, since his son, Jeremiah, played at Georgetown the past two seasons before transferring to Indiana. Boston Globe

god i hope not. considering what we just saw in la, a european big man is not what we need here. considering our team is about toughness and physical defense i just dont see value in the ante tomics and pekovics of the world.

on hibbert he just has "stiff" written all over him IMO. he can pass a little but he made a huge mistake not coming out last year. this year he woefully underformed. id much rather perk be the slower moving, decent passing big man here.

[GreenGrizz]

I don't know what AInge is thining at #30. He never drafts this low before. He may play like a spider waiting for a projected first rounder to land on his web. He won't give any promises. He may trade the pick for a veteran. I really don't see Hibbert go past 25. I mean he is 7'2" from a competitive team. I am eyeing Courtney Lee. He may be the steal of the draft.

[GuyClinch]

Almost every year we are supposed to draft a european. <g> It might happen but I put zero stock in these reports. People are too hung up on the 80's Cs and think we lust after white guys. I know that's racist but every year its the same damn thing..

You can never know for sure what Danny's up to.. but I imagine he will stick with his trend and get the best american available. The thing is their is usually a guy who is a college stud but drops because he doesn't perfectly fit a position or is undersized or just not a real needs spot like SG..
I think we will get one of those guys.

Pete

[ParticleMan]

Ainge likes to draft guys in later picks who are very productive in college, and who are strong defenders/rebounders.

That's why I'd be surprised if we went for Hibbert or Hardin. For all the talent and skills, they just weren't very productive.

Last couple of years it's been undersized PFs who fit the mold. But hopefully this year it'll be a true big or a SF.

I don't think we can rest on our laurels. We have to keep improving our bench with youth, like the Pistons have done. We've got Smilin Gabe, I think he's going to be a factor this year. And we've got Powe and Baby, one of whom will probably get traded. We need to round out the youth.

[CeltsfaninDC]

Hibbert doesn't last until 30....
If he did it would be a no-brainer to take him. John Thompson has a talk show on sports radio here in DC and talked about Roy last week. He made an excellent point that Hibbert had a great year when he was paired up with JGreen. Without Green this year he was not as productive. He still has the same skills and you can't teach size. He is remarkably agile for a big man and works hard. I think he'd be a great fit for the Cs at 30.

[campybatman]

Charlotte's interest in Hibbert is worth following.

A team like Boston could decide to pick Serge Ibaka at 30 and stash him in Spain next season, which would help them with their problematic luxury tax situation. That’s one of the reasons Boston is heavily considering moving their pick, as they are “not in love with anyone in that range” according to one source with knowledge of the situation. DraftExpress.com

Don’t be surprised if the Charlotte Bobcats acquire an extra first-round pick and use it to draft Georgetown center Roy Hibbert. A source with another NBA team hears the Bobcats have checked around for a pick in the late teens or early 20s. That same source hears Hibbert might be the Bobcats’ target if they make such a deal (not that it’s a given Hibbert would still be around then). Charlotte Observer

Even Hibbert himself doesn't seem to believe he'll be a lottery pick — which is why the second trip to Sacramento admittedly has him a bit baffled. "Maybe (the Kings) can't find anybody else to work out against some of the (other) guys they're looking at," he joked. "My agent was telling me 'be prepared not to go to the draft (in New York),"' Hibbert added, "so that means I'm probably gonna end up in the late teens or 20s." Ask O'Connor if he expects Hibbert to still be on the board at 23, and the Jazz GM simply laughs and shrugs his shoulders. "I've got no idea on that one," he said. "I mean, I can tell you now I don't think (projected No. 1 or No. 2 pick Derrick Rose) is gonna be there at 23. "Obviously," O'Connor added, "if (Hibbert) came in to work out (in Utah) a second time, I think he's covering his bases — and so are we." Deseret Morning News

[Kefa461]

Doc probably knows him better then any coach in the Nba....if that helps.....

[Rocky5000]

At first I was down on Hibbert, but after some thought, I think he might be alright on our team. He's not Greg Oden by any means, but he is 7'2" with a soft touch, good hands, and some nice passing skills. At Georgetown he was double and tripled teamed constantly, he won't see that kind of coverage in the NBA. He may very well end up a better player than Perkins at the NBA level because of his size and agile non-robotic movements. Remember Perk was the 27th pick, and David Lee went 30 in 2005, so it is perfectly reasonable to find a player we can develop into a starting center in this range.

As far as drafting a Euro a keeping him overseas, that's a bad move at this point in time. Look at what happened to the the Spurs and their gamble on Splitter last year: he just signed a 4 year contract in Spain. With the Euro gaining on the dollar, you can make much more playing in the Euroleague than as an NBA rookie.

[Bad-Thoma]

No way Hibbert lasts until 30, maybe he wasn't great this year, but 7'2 centers with experience are a premium, someone else will take a chance on him. I'd be surprised if he gets past 20, even if he doesn't deserve to go that high.

[SonicYouth34]

I don't think DA will draft a Euro, he never has. I doubt Hibbert lasts, like everyone else is saying, but it'd be interesting to see what Clifford Ray could do with him.