OT: Would you think BJ Mullens is on Ainge's radar?

campybatman · Post #1 » by **campybatman** » Sat May 23, 2009 3:41 pm

Some questions come to mind... Interestingly, Mullens will enter the NBA draft after one year at Ohio State like Greg Oden. He's compared to Chris Kaman. His draft range at the moment seems to be late teens to mid twenties.

Could he have a better NBA career than Oden? In a weak draft for centers, is he as good of a young center prospect as Hasheem Thabeet? And is he a center you could see Ainge having an interest in trading into the first round to select?

I know Celtics fans in general don't like to invest their interest in players who could be a project. However, Mullens seemingly has a NBA ready body (7'0'' 275 - nbadraft dot net) already and sounds like he's working out diligently to get stronger.

I mentioned before that Ainge must develop another young talent to build upon going forward with Rondo. Could this next talent be Mullens?

It seems like a difficult task to add depth at center to your team whether via a trade (price too high) or a free agent signing (perhaps, not worth it) that it becomes easier to just draft and develop your own players. And who knows when Semih Erden will ever join Boston.

Lastly, is this Hoopshype video clip of Mullens. He doesn't lack confidence in himself which is a good thing. I just wonder are his comparisons of himself to current NBA players legitimate, or should we expect him to struggle early on like a Brendan Haywood. I think he'll either contribute immediately as a rookie (depending on which team selects him) like Brook Lopez or play sparingly to moderately like Roy Hibbert.

BJ Mullens: “I can get compared to Garnett, Nowitzki or Amare”

http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/videos ... -or-amare/

GreenMachine · Post #2 » by **GreenMachine** » Sat May 23, 2009 4:06 pm

bonsaiflipflops wrote: In a weak draft for centers, is he as good of a young center prospect as Hasheem Thabeet?

Um... hu? If he was as good as Thabeet wouldn't he be the 2nd pick in the draft? Being that he is as good as Thabeet, younger, and its 'a week draft class'.

This make zero sense.

Bad-Thoma · Post #3 » by **Bad-Thoma** » Sat May 23, 2009 4:41 pm

It sounds to like some time with Clifford Ray would be great for Mullens but Mullens wouldn't be great for the Celtics. He seems like a project and a gamble, neither of which I'd like to see taking up spots on our roster while the window is open for the big 3. Plus, as he is a big with great athletisicm I doubt he makes it past 15 in a weak draft whether he is ready or not, 7'-ers with that kind of upside potential usually get taken earlier than projected. For the C's though, it seems to me that production is going to out weigh potential when trying to retool the bench.

Rocky5000 · Post #4 » by **Rocky5000** » Sat May 23, 2009 5:04 pm

He'd be a project, not an immediate contributor, in the lower end of the draft Ainge seems to look for guys who are ready to play at the NBA level. Leon and Big Baby's college numbers put Mullens to shame. Same for Walker and Giddens. I'm not saying that Mullens can't develop into a player, after all he was a top HS recruit, but he'll probably develop along the Perkins or worse the POB arc.

Parasite · Post #5 » by **Parasite** » Sat May 23, 2009 5:06 pm

Huge Buckeye fan here. Mullens is horrible right now. Terrible. It will take him a good 3 years to even resemble an NBA player. Pass.

campybatman · Post #6 » by **campybatman** » Sat May 23, 2009 5:53 pm

Parasite wrote:Huge Buckeye fan here. Mullens is horrible right now. Terrible. It will take him a good 3 years to even resemble an NBA player. Pass.

Thanks. I was hoping for a Ohio State fan to reply. Yeah, from what I'd read, Mullens was more or less a disappointment as a Freshman. I remember when I first read about him as a high school player, he was projected as a possible top overall pick. But, then the same was written about Adam Morrison in early mocks.

Do you know if Mullens even considered remaining another year or so? I feel like the NBA and players' union must redo the age requirement rule again. These one and done players aren't ready for the NBA level. Why go to school? Interestingly, things didn't work out for Brandon Jennings who didn't even bother with school, but wanted to be payed in the meantime.

campybatman · Post #7 » by **campybatman** » Sat May 23, 2009 5:55 pm

Rocky5000 wrote:He'd be a project, not an immediate contributor, in the lower end of the draft Ainge seems to look for guys who are ready to play at the NBA level.

But, Giddens was selected at the end of the first round and he wasn't NBA ready at all. I think Ainge would take a fly on Mullens for sure if he was projected more as a second round pick.

Colossus · Post #8 » by **Colossus** » Sat May 23, 2009 6:24 pm

bonsaiflipflops wrote:
Rocky5000 wrote:He'd be a project, not an immediate contributor, in the lower end of the draft Ainge seems to look for guys who are ready to play at the NBA level.

But, Giddens was selected at the end of the first round and he wasn't NBA ready at all. I think Ainge would take a fly on Mullens for sure if he was projected more as a second round pick.

Um, the whole thing about Giddens was how NBA ready he was, after 4 years of college and all.

BillessuR6 · Post #9 » by **BillessuR6** » Sat May 23, 2009 10:08 pm

He looks like a bust! Reminds me of POB...

campybatman · Post #10 » by **campybatman** » Sat May 23, 2009 11:03 pm

I'm not saying he's a sure thing, but unless he goes in the top five. I can't say for sure he'll be a bust. That distinction is reserved for a top three or five pick.

I say Ainge has to look through the draft for another center. If not in the first round, then in the second round. Maybe he selects another foreign center.

http://www.draftexpress.com/rankings/Draft-Eligible-Cs/

GuyClinch · Post #11 » by **GuyClinch** » Sun May 24, 2009 2:06 am

Will he be better then Aaron Gray? That's the real question. Kaman is something that's out of the ordinary..

campybatman · Post #12 » by **campybatman** » Sun May 24, 2009 5:07 am

More interesting information... One reservation, he reads more like a power forward than a true center.

HOOPSWORLD recently spent the day with B.J. while he was training in Las Vegas under the guidance of noted NBA trainer Joe Abunassar at Impact Basketball. Joe has trained the likes of Kevin Garnett, Chauncey Billups and Paul Pierce, so B.J. is training daily with one of the best in the business.

To be fair, a lot of criticism came from us when B.J. announced his entry into the 2009 NBA Draft. After all, he had an underwhelming season at Ohio State and was far from the impact player he was projected to be coming into the college basketball season, but there is a reason.

B.J.'s college career was far from impressive, mainly because of the system head coach Thad Motta runs, in which B.J. was used as a more back-to-the-basket player and was relegated to shooting hook shots in the paint. Here is the problem: that's not B.J.'s game at all. B.J. is more of a face-up player with range out to 20 feet – more of a hybrid scoring big man, like an early Dirk Nowitzki or a more athletic Rasho Nesterovic – his trainers say almost Pau Gasol-esque. That image of a 7-foot stiff is the furthest from the truth.

Now those are some pretty proven names, but think back to when those guys were just coming into the league – that's Byron James Mullens, a seven-footer who can face up and shoot the ball, but also has enough size and power to back you in and score over you.

In an era of superstars with entitlement and ego issues, B.J. is a very humble, casual guy. He likes to talk basketball, he loves to be in the gym and the kid can flat out shoot the basketball. He's got a great demeanor and really works hard at his craft.

"From here on out it's just how hard I work," Mullens said. "I'm going to go to these workouts and do my best, work as hard as I can."

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12709

Zin5 · Post #13 » by **Zin5** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:19 am

Mullens is in the same exact situation Jordan was last year. Hyped as a top three pick before the draft due to his size and athleticism, then showed little intuition for playing the position in college (neither's teams/coaches helped tbh), still declared, and dropped in the draft.

I see no reason why Ainge would try to dive back into the first round of this draft for Mullens when he passed up Jordan last year when he was available at our pick.

The Rondo Show · Post #14 » by **The Rondo Show** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:53 am

If Ainge deals/buys his way back into the first round, I want Darren Collison (or Ty Lawson, I think the PG's are the value of this draft since it's such a deep PG class). He's pretty similar to Chalmers, who I wanted a lot last year. Both were experienced Seniors on winning programs, great defenders, could/can shoot and were/are ready to come in and contribute right away.

His upside might be a bit limited, but late in the 1st round, I'll gladly take a great role player if I can get one and I think he's exactly that.

campybatman · Post #15 » by **campybatman** » Sun May 24, 2009 8:46 am

I rather trade for a backup point guard. Say, trade with Portland for Blake. Because a rookie point guard will play behind Rondo, House and Pruitt (if the team option is exercised). The off-season priority is to add depth behind Perkins, in my opinion.

Dave_From_NB · Post #16 » by **Dave_From_NB** » Sun May 24, 2009 2:51 pm

Off topic - I had to laugh, I was browsing the rankings on NBADraft.net, and they make a comment for Jerome Jordan - "Athletic big in the mold of Patrick O'Bryant." Oops.

I think if the Celtics are looking for true project guys, they'll just draft someone in Europe. He could stay there at no salary or roster cost until ready, and if never ready then they've lost little. Similar to the Edren pick. Hopefully if they acquire a first round pick it'll be for someone who would appear to be closer to a contributor than Mullens would seem to be.

return2glory · Post #17 » by **return2glory** » Sun May 24, 2009 6:07 pm

There is a good chance he will be a good NBA player one day. His got basketball skills and sounds like a gym rat. A great combination. He is nothing like Kaman. More like Dirk. He can shoot the ball. He is a face up player more than a back to the basket player.

It will take time, but he can be a very good player in this league.

gocelts · Post #18 » by **gocelts** » Sun May 24, 2009 7:28 pm

I will be VERY suprised if the back-up center that Doc and Ainge covet for next year, will come from this years draft. With that said, I also dont think that Ainge will trade into the first for a developmental player either. Given our luxury tax threshold, if we were to trade into this draft, it will be to address a need with an experienced upperclassmen ready to contribute by replacing someone (who actually played) on our bench. Im thinking players like Dejuan Blair or Tyler Hansbrough to help offset the loss of Powe or Davis, and even Scal is he's traded. Ainge's draft history has enough evidence to prove that he has done an outstanding job at identifying value at the power forward position.

Parasite · Post #19 » by **Parasite** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:48 am

bonsaiflipflops wrote:
Parasite wrote:Huge Buckeye fan here. Mullens is horrible right now. Terrible. It will take him a good 3 years to even resemble an NBA player. Pass.

Thanks. I was hoping for a Ohio State fan to reply. Yeah, from what I'd read, Mullens was more or less a disappointment as a Freshman. I remember when I first read about him as a high school player, he was projected as a possible top overall pick. But, then the same was written about Adam Morrison in early mocks.

Do you know if Mullens even considered remaining another year or so? I feel like the NBA and players' union must redo the age requirement rule again. These one and done players aren't ready for the NBA level. Why go to school? Interestingly, things didn't work out for Brandon Jennings who didn't even bother with school, but wanted to be payed in the meantime.

If he considered it, he didn't consider it long. His family is pretty poor and he has an exaggerated view of his game. Combining both of these together, and he was going to declare.

Parasite · Post #20 » by **Parasite** » Mon May 25, 2009 11:51 am

return2glory wrote:There is a good chance he will be a good NBA player one day. His got basketball skills and sounds like a gym rat. A great combination. He is nothing like Kaman. More like Dirk. He can shoot the ball. He is a face up player more than a back to the basket player.

It will take time, but he can be a very good player in this league.

You will have to quantify what you consider to be "very good player" but depending on what that is, I will bet you any amount of money you wish that he won't be.

He is soft, his basketball iq is non-existant, he has very little low-post game, his defense is terrible, and his outside shot is average.

Now, if he becomes a more aggressive player, studies the game better, learns a few low-post moves and perfects them, works majorly on his defense, and upgrades his outside shot, sure.....he could be "very good".

Oh, he also didn't hustle while on the floor a good portion of the time. Not good.