You can add former Duke center Mason Plumlee and German point guard Dennis Schroeder to the list of 2013 NBA Draft prospects who have worked out for the Boston Celtics.
Northeastern guard Jonathan Lee, who has now worked out for the Celtics twice, tweeted that he was joined in doing so Tuesday by Plumlee, Miami center Reggie Johnson and Belmont guard Ian Clark. During an interview with the Boston Herald, Lee added that Schroeder was also among the prospects in attendance. And just in case you were wondering, yes, Lee said head coach Doc Rivers watched the workout.
Of this latest crop of players to audition for the Celtics, Plumlee and Schroeder are easily the most highly-touted. Both are projected in the late-lottery or mid-first round, while the others would be happy to get drafted at all.
Boston was actually rumored to have offered Schroeder a draft guarantee, but the 6-foot-1 guard and his agent both denied reports that any team promised to select him. Either way, Schroeder could very well be off the board by the time the Celtics pick at No. 16 -- the latest projections from experts suggest that the 19-year old is threatening to move into the lottery.
Former Duke center Mason Plumlee could be an option for the Boston Celtics with the 16th pick in the upcoming NBA Draft.
If Boston decides to go big with its first-round selection instead, Plumlee could be an option. Projected to get drafted in the middle of the first round, the 7-footer is intriguing at the NBA level because of his run-and-jump athleticism. A four-year contributor at Duke, the 23-year old established a reputation as a good rebounder and productive scorer near the rim, but still hasn't mastered the fine art of pick-and-roll defense.
As the terrific draft resource DraftExpress.com noted: "He tends to give quite a bit of room to ball handlers on the pick and roll, as he struggles to get back to his man if he doesn't. In the NBA, with improved pick and roll play and the big men he'll be asked to defend, this is going to be a concern.
"Duke was attacked mercilessly at times on the pick and roll this season, and Plumlee was a major target of opposing coaches due to his inability to step outside of the paint. He's also not a prolific shot blocker, so it remains to be seen how effective of a rim protector he will be inside the paint."
For more on Schroeder and Plumlee, check out their DraftExpress profiles.