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Your Morning Dump… Where talent is nothing without desire

John - Red's Army (@RedsArmy_John) July 17, 2016 James Young, The Morning Dump 33 Comments

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

If James Young does not make it in the NBA, the problem will likely not be his latent ability to play the game but rather his desire to do so.

Young’s talent comes in flashes, but, even as he approaches his 21st birthday, there is the strong belief the 6-foot-6 wing should be further along in his development two years after being drafted.

[…] Still, there are some who question just how important basketball is to him, and, unfortunately, this is not an unheard of situation among certain young players in this league.

Herald: Talent needs desire to succeed in the NBA

This is actually one of my favorite topics to discuss because it really gets to the heart of how tough it is to actually make it in the NBA.

I actually get into this a little in the next Locked On Celtics podcast (posting tonight), and it’s something I’ve said on this site before, but the worst player in the NBA would be the greatest player you’ve ever seen in your life if he walked into your men’s league at the YMCA.

The level of talent necessary to be the worst player in the NBA is unfathomable.

The level of dedication to become even a serviceable NBA player is something else entirely.

I’ve often said that there are plenty of players who are as, or even more gifted athletically as Kobe Bryant. They can beat prime Kobe in a foot race and out-dunk him even in his dunk contest days. But they could never out-desire him. They couldn’t ever match his mentality or work ethic. The same goes for all the greats. From the wild ones like Kevin Garnett to the quiet ones like Tim Duncan, the legends all had brains that matched their physical gifts.

Looking at a guy like James Young, you see a lot of the physical ability. He can probably hit 90 out of 100 3’s in a drill. He can be the main option on a D-League team and dominate, but there’s something preventing him from getting it on the NBA level.

Some players make it to the NBA and don’t stick because their talent level isn’t high enough to get them to the next phase of professional basketball. They are good enough to make it but not good enough to stick.

But others, and I believe James Young falls into this category, are talented enough to make it… they just don’t think they have to do the extra things necessary to do it. They think they’re working hard enough, but they’re not.

Maybe someday reality will slap him in the face. Until then, he’ll probably have to go elsewhere to make money playing basketball.

Related links: ESPN Boston: Rumor Central: Is time up for James Young?

Page 2: Ainge can’t give up BOTH Brooklyn picks

NBA.com’s Ian Thomsen joins in the “I spoke to a bunch of high-ranking executives” parade and the people he spoke to suggest the Celtics stand pat right now and go into next summer with a top-5 pick in a draft that’s expected to be historically loaded, and then get a max free agent to pair along with him.

I know we’re all lathered up after all the recent rumors, but Thomsen flat out says “they cannot give up the two Brooklyn picks no matter what”… something they might have to do if Blake Griffin or Russell Westbrook come to town this summer.

Personally, I think Ainge is in a position of power, and he can exert pressure on the Clippers and, more so, the Thunder, by waiting. The pressure is on those other teams to make moves to accomplish their goals. Ainge is perfectly willing to stand pat having upgraded his team already and knowing he’s armed with the necessary pieces to do it again either by trade or draft/free agency a year from now.

So the strategy seems to be simple: low-ball those other teams until they crack. If they don’t, that’s on them. The Clippers can try to run it back with a team that’s failed time and time again, and the Thunder can sit back and watch two superstars leave for nothing.

We know that Oklahoma City doesn’t want that. The Clippers… well… who the hell knows what Doc Rivers is thinking other than “maybe leaving Boston wasn’t such a great idea after all.” But there’s no reason for Ainge to give up the farm when he’s got other palatable options.

And Finally…

… speaking of Doc… he pulled off another purely Doc Rivers move… signing Brandon Bass to a veteran minimum deal. So if you’ve ever played for, or had a great game against, Doc Rivers… there is a spot waiting for you on his team.

It sucks that the game has completely left Brandon Bass in the dust. He used to be a very reliable guy whose mid-range game was huge for Boston. Now being a mid-range big can be the death of your career.

The rest of the links:

CSNNE: Thomsen: no team has financial pressure on them | Report: Rival GM’s warn of injury concern in rumored Griffin deal

WEEI: 5 takeaways from Summer League

Herald: Stars have commissioner’s backing in anti-violence message… to a degree | Celtics don’t get many answers this summer | Jaylen Brown truly a student of the game

AC3

Young = The roster spot Paul Pierce needs to take. Get ‘er done Danny! Truth style swan song – he deserves to go out green.
- NE_Celt
  
  This would be EPIC!
  - Gina Stevens
    
    <<o. ✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤✤:::::::!ja468s:….,…
RedsLoveChild

Giving up any of the Brooklyn picks—-for Westbrook AND Griffin—would require extreme stupidity on Boston`s part.

RW and BG have both undergone multiple surgeries in very recent times, both play frenetically and have significant mileage, both are now entering what will be their declining years. They would produce zero banners here, to go along with the zero banners they produced in OKC, LAC. Under the circumstances that exists today, keeping every Brooklyn pick is the only logical option.

The only downside or wild card is the “drafting skills” of Ainge.
DA is a guy who just might have selected Neal Walk over Lew Alcindor in 1969!
- zippittyay
  
  You want to give me one single GM who has found more quality players late in the draft than has Mr Ainge?
  - RedsLoveChild
    
    Late in the draft?!?
    
    “Late-in-the-draft” players do NOT lead you to banners. They lead to the occasional “feel good” story, of an overachiever eking out a marginal NBA career.
    
    Besides, name all the desirable “quality” players Dumb Ass has plucked late-in-the-draft.
    
    For those who actually care about victory parades….making the most of Top 5 and Top 10 picks are the key to winning rings!
    - zippittyay
      
      Like Golden State Warriors passing on Andre Drummond to take Harrison Barnes, whom they got nothing for at all?
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        So, you no more talk about Ainge???
        
        You`ve decided not to provide a list of his awesome late-in-the-draft selections???
      - zippittyay
        
        Sure….
        2003. Got a starting NBA Center for a championship team from a 27th pick.
        2004. Got an all NBA Defensive first team starting guard from a 25th pick.
        2004. Got a 20 and 10 All NBA center from a 15th pick.
        2005. Got a starting forward from a 50th pick.
        2006. Got an NBA All Star point guard from a 21st pick.
        2007. Got screwed by the lottery and took those wise draft choices and parlayed them into an NBA championship that 29 other teams didn’t win that year.
        2008. While JR Giddens didn’t work out at #30, Semi Erden was better than the dozen guys that were selected just in front of him.
        2009. Lester Hudson was a good pick for 58th. The two guys picked after him never played a minute in the NBA.
        2010. Got an All-NBA first team defensive starting guard with the 19th pick.
        2011. While Marshon Brooks or JJJ didn’t work out at 25th, E’Twan Moore was the best find late in the draft at 58.
        2012. Sully was a great pick at 21st. So Fab Melo didn’t work out… One out of two is outstanding that late in the draft.
        2013. Kelly was not one of my favorite picks, but he is still better than 75% of those drafted after him in the first round.
        2014. Marcus Smart has proven to be worthy of his selection at 6th.
        2015. Everyone thought Rozier was a ‘reach’ at 16. Now, it’s starting to look a like a genius pick.
        
        Once again… I DO MY WORK.
        
        Who has a better drafting record?? I’ll give you that there is probably a very small number of teams that have had extraordinary luck in the draft and I have even previously listed those teams just to make your work easier for you. To refer to Danny Ainge as “The world’s shittiest draft picker” is somewhere between delusional and complete denial of reality.
        
        Good job, Danny.
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Are you serious or are you effing with me?!?
        
        You`re actually bringing up names such as L Hudson, E Moore, S Erden, etc……to demonstrate how adeptly idiot Ainge drafts talent?
        
        The same guy who tanked a season to draft Marcus Smart.
        
        Just admit it….if Ainge drafts a guy with a pulse, you will praise it!
      - zippittyay
        
        Just admit you really enjoy being so wrong.
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        2008 was nearly a decade ago.
        
        It might be time for you to sober up from the parade celebration.
      - zippittyay
        
        And with your avg yahoo picking what the draft boards tell them to, it would be another 2 decades until we would be due to win another. What part of math do you find so hard?
      - zippittyay
        
        Maybe you still believe in leprechaun magic or something….
      - zippittyay
        
        Is it me or does it seem like I have all the answers and you have…..
        “Fab Melo!! I knew he was a bust from looking at his teeth!”
      - KGino
        
        Zip, you’re arguing with THE notorious “topic changer”/”question dodger” on this site.
        
        You’re arguing with a guy who keeps track of the date in which I upvoted myself. Think about that. And that was me proving to him I don’t give a sh** about up votes because every time I abuse his takes with facts all he can do is talk about up votes. It’s sad really. He actually kept the date, LOL! Guy is a complete pessimist & loser if you haven’t already figured it out (I think you have).
        
        Time to up vote myself, this was a damn good comment.
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Another 2 decades we should expect to wait?
        
        So, if the next ring arrives in 2036, that would be just fine with you! All because your meticulous research tells you that would be considered the norm.
        
        ONE f**king ring between 1986 to 2035 {49 years}.
        
        Maybe your great-great-great grandchild will live long enough to get to see banner 18.
      - zippittyay
        
        Yeah, that’s how life really is. You might have to wait 86 years like the Red Sox fans did.
      - zippittyay
        
        Hudson, Moore and Erden is exactly what you get to pick from late in the draft… So who picks better?
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        How many banners have these clowns brought us?
      - zippittyay
        
        Exactly one MORE than 80% of all the other GMs in the league. As many or better than 90% of all the other GMs in the league. Any more stupid questions?
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Hudson, Moore, Erden brought us a title??
        When did this happen?
      - zippittyay
        
        Is this a ‘change the topic’ thing or were we still discussing how to find players late in the draft better than most any other GM?
      - zippittyay
        
        Once again, you have no answer……………
    - zippittyay
      
      I’m sure you can’t wait for me to produce another list that refutes your notions. Wait, I’ve done that already. This is the fourth request for you to come up with your list of people who draft better than Mr. Ainge does. Your difficulty in complying with that request is understandable.
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Your choice to change the topic is not only understandable…it`s very predictable of you!
      - zippittyay
        
        It’s not changing the topic at all. When you claim that Ainge is the “World’s shittiest draft picker”, the logical inferral is that there must be many who do it much better than he does, agree?
  - KGino
    
    Yea Zip, don’t you know late in the draft players never lead you to banners? Just ask Draymond (35) Tony Parker (28) or Manu Ginobli (57) about that!
    
    No no… Danny needs to hit on those top 5 picks, of which he’s had TWO in his 13 years as GM! (one of which he traded for Ray Allen, and you know the rest of that story… Let’s also not forget he was going to draft Durant over Oden and would have been one of the few GM’s in the league to make that “ballsy” pick at the time). And the jury’s still out on this year’s #3.
    
    So to recap, 2 top 5 picks… One turned into a championship, and the other is a promising rookie. Yup, danny is ruining us!
    
    And don’t you even think about missing on your #1 pick and still winning a ring! Anthony Bennett was HUGE in this year’s Finals!
    - zippittyay
      
      Or Taking Isaiah Thomas at #60! Those Sacramento Kings must be some kind of geniuses, eh? Oh wait, they took Jimmer Fredette over Klay Thompson. You knew that Draymond Green was the Warriors *second pick* that year right? They KNEW Festus Ezili was going to be a better player!
    - RedsLoveChild
      
      Is that why Ainge is has been putting so many banners up in the rafters for us, dickhead?
      
      Now, go “upvote yourself” as you`ve done in the past…3/31/16 comes to mind.
      - zippittyay
        
        How many do you expect there to be? You realize there are quite a bit more than 8 teams in the league these days, right?
        
        Refresh my memory…. What that the post where my exhaustive statistical analysis revealed that having Danny Ainge pick for you is the rough equivalent of moving up 5.1 spaces in the draft?
      - KGino
        
        Awww my logic hurting your feelings again RLC?
        
        Keep calling me names and talking about up votes while I dominate you in the art of debate. I can’t get enough of your tears.
        
        How do you expect Ainge to put up so many banners for us when top 5 picks are the key and he’s only had two? (One of which hasn’t played a NBA game yet?) Duh!!
        
        Also, let’s completely neglect his cunning in trades, which is exactly what got us said top 5 picks. You are just the worst.
        
        It’s like your parents brought you to the zoo, and you didn’t get to see the lion because he was sleeping. So you bitch and complain to your parents about the lion. But you’re the type of person who forgets it was your parents that brought you to the zoo and even gave you a chance to see the lion in the first place. Be grateful bud, it’s a key to life.
      - RedsLoveChild
        
        Looks like you fine-tuned your “debate skills” at the zoo…by observing the Gorilla grunt while pounding his chest.