Pawsitive Press

A brief note passed along by Clemson hoops SID Philip Sikes …

Sophomore center Catalin Baciu, otherwise known as “Bobo,” had arthroscopic surgery June 22 on his right shoulder.

The surgery/injury aren’t expected to hinder Baciu into next season; he’s merely expected to be limited for 2-3 weeks as he recovers.

In other hoops news or non-news … departed senior wing K.C. Rivers is mulling multiple offers for whom to play with in the NBA summer league in Las Vegas, which runs July 10-19.

I’d bet his decision has as much to do, if not more, with who else plays his position on a team’s roster than which team he’d join. Some franchises, such as your own Charlotte Bobcats, aren’t fielding teams this summer in order to save money. So other franchises are letting those teams’ young players on their summer rosters as favors (or maybe for a little cash, I don’t know for sure), probably seeing as most of the roster players have no shot at making the final cut anyhow.

FYI, ‘08 forward James Mays — who was tearing up the defense-less NBDL before tearing his ACL — does not appear to be on any summer league rosters either. I’d expect his recovery would at least carry through the summer.

And, by the way, all four incoming freshmen have, well, come in. That includes 6-6 shooter Noel Johnson, who just signed with the Tigers last week. I think I’d want more than 10 days between the time I chose a college and enrolled … but maybe that’s why I wasn’t a major college athlete (OK, a lack of athleticism and strength might have played a role, too).

The NBA’s free agency period began Wednesday, and a name worth keeping an eye on is former Clemson point guard Terrell McIntyre.

McIntyre made first-team all-Euroleague for the second straight year (the only American on the first- or second-teams) and carried his Italian league team to a championship last month as well.

But McIntyre, 31, is a free agent, and recently returned to the U.S. to take care of some business, as I’m told. That business, I believe, revolves around giving the NBA one last shot.

His size (5-9) will assuredly turn some teams away, as might a veteran’s price tag in this economy. But I can see a veteran team — say, San Antonio — bringing him to be provide punch and poise off the bench. A recent article by NBADraftExpress.com said there are rumors Cleveland and Portland are interested, too (I’m skeptical of Portland because of their roster glut, but the more fodder, the better, I say).

Here’s betting Trevor Booker is glad he never followed in Terrence Oglesby’s footsteps and initiated the trendy move overseas to European basketball.

By the looks of the box scores from the three exhibitions Team USA has played, Booker’s game is built exclusively for American power basketball.

In particular, his defense (or, oftentimes, lack thereof).

Booker was one of 12 college juniors and seniors to make the U.S.’s Men’s World University Games rosters in tryouts two weeks ago.

The last we heard of him, ESPN college hoops reporter Andy Katz was raving how the 6-foot-7 senior power forward from Union High had been the man among boys at the tryouts in Colorado.

But international basketball is a different game than the product we cultivate here – in the rules and how those rules are administered by the officials.

The U.S. team spent the weekend playing a three-game exhibition tournament in Serbia in preparation for the World University Games, held Thursday through July 12.

And so far, Booker has appeared anything but dominant.

In fact, it seems reminiscent of his sophomore season at Clemson, when Booker lived in perpetual foul trouble (for a multitude of reasons – insufficient conditioning, inexperienced decision-making, sometimes just pure laziness and the fact he was forced to deal with two-on-ones at the back end of the Tigers’ press).

Team USA went 2-1 in those scrimmages, and Booker’s numbers ranged from modest to irrelevant.

Here are his lines:
Saturday – USA 85, Canada 81

7 pts, 3-8 FG, 1-3 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 foul in 17 minutes

Sunday – Serbia 98, USA 82

3 pts, 1-1 FG, 1-1 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls in 17 minutes (as a starter)

Monday – USA 67, Russia 63

2 pts, 1-2 FG, 0-0 FT, 1 rebound, 4 fouls in 7 minutes

That’s an average of 4.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and a foul every 4.5 minutes.

To be fair, the only U.S. post player faring much better has been UNC power forward Deon Thompson, who scored in double digits two of three games. Villanova guard Corey Fisher and West Virginia small forward DeSean Butler have been the team’s top performers. And in the Serbia game, everyone was whistled; there were 59 combined fouls (31 by the U.S., leading to 46 Serbia free throws).

But it underscores perhaps the main area Booker must improve his game in order to help the Tigers. He avoided foul trouble most of last year, but it’s fair to say there were plenty of times Booker gave up uncontested layups/dunks because Clemson couldn’t afford for him to land in foul trouble. And Booker has yet to master the subtleties of defending without committing cheap or needless fouls.

Team USA begins its preliminary round of pool play Friday afternoon against Finland. It will be interesting to monitor whether Booker develops a better feel for the finesse crafty international post game as the tourney unfolds.

Here by popular request — and I’ll define popular as a suggestion from reader Seahwawks92 — here is my annual mock NBA draft, admittedly hastily thrown together while the ninos are napping between beach stints.

As I look over the caliber of prospects going after the top 15 picks, makes me wonder where Clemson forward Trevor Booker would have gone had he declared for the draft. He’s a ‘tweener, to be sure — a interior player with a small forward’s height — but guys like that have a place in the league, too.  I stand by my comparison to Clarence Weatherspoon, who carved a 12-year career with the same body (albeit no neck) and less explosion than Booker.

Perhaps Booker could have excelled in workouts and crept into the bottom half of the first round. But I think he made the right call in taking the safe bet and returning to school.

Onto the mock:

1. L.A. Clippers            PF Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

With fine, upstanding vets such Zack Randolph and Ricky Davis showing Griffin the rookie ropes, how can he or the Clippers fail? The only question is with which team Griffin will be signing his lucrative second contract.

2. Memphis            C Hasheem Thabeet, UConn

For someone believed likely to go in the top three, Thabeet sure has generated zero buzz. There aren’t many givens in this draft anyhow, but Thabeet qualifies as the most likely bust relative to his draft position. Yeah, he blocks shots when allowed to station under the basket. But he’s gonna become a liability the very first time he’s forced to play screen-and-roll defense. And that should occur by about the third possession of his first game. Ultimately, I wonder if a team isn’t going to trade to this spot to snag Rubio. But it wouldn’t stun me if the Grizzlies keep it and take Thabeet because GM Chris Wallace is among the league’s worst, and the team has a track record for ridiculous decisions.

3. Oklahoma City      G Stephen Curry, Davidson

I’ve never viewed Curry as more than a 6^th man combo guard because of his height and slight, wiry frame, but Curry has supposedly nixed concerns about his athleticism during workouts. No one has said a bad word about the guy throughout the evaluation process, which leads me to believe he’ll be value GM Sam Presti (a former Spurs guy) covets. Plus Curry matches well with Russell Westbrook in the backcourt.

There is lots of praise for Presti in this blog. But all the love goes out the window if reports are true that the Thunder will take Thabeet if available at No. 3.

4. Sacramento            PG Ricky Rubio, Spain

Lord knows Rubio could simply be the European version to Jason Williams (the one who had a mediocre NBA career; not the Dukee who wrecked his career with a motorcycle crash). Except that Rubio can’t shoot a lick. But the 18-year-old is a phenomenal ball-handler and passer, and that in and of itself should breathe some life into this stale franchise.

5. Minnesota (from Washington)            G Tyreke Evans, Memphis

Can’t blame the T’wolves for trading Randy Foye if only to shake up the roster. Although this roster needs a wrecking ball, not a simple jostling (how did picks such as Corey Brewer and Rashad McCants work out for ‘em?). But Evans does nothing for me. I agree with the comparison of Evans to Jerry Stackhouse (the older version, in my opinion). Evans is unselfish and gets the ball to the hole. But he plays below the rim and has always had success because he was bigger and stronger than folks his age. That won’t work at the pro level unless he adds some semblance of a shot.

6. Minnesota            PG Jonny Flynn, Syracuse

Great leadership, superlative quickness. But what separates Flynn from Brevin Knight? Plus Syracuse guys have no idea how to play man defense. Think Flynn will have a 10-year career, but he’s better suited to come off the bench.

7. Golden State            PF Jordan Hill, Arizona

Trevor Booker’s mom flew to New York for what might be Hill’s NBA eulogy. OK, banishment to my Warriors merely sets a big man back about five years, but 1) Don Nelson despises rookies; 2) the Warriors have stockpiled 4s in Anthony Randolph (who played sparingly last year) and Brandan Wright (Nelson doghouse resident), and; 3) Nelson doesn’t play bigs, opting to use thick guards such as 6-4 Kelenna Azibuike as his power forward half the time. At least the equivalent to Todd Fuller isn’t available here again. Sadly, it appears the Warriors think that trading for Atlanta reserves Acie Law and Speedy Claxton solves their point guard problems. Oy.

8. N.Y. Knicks            G Jrue Holiday, UCLA

(Updated Wednesday night) OK, I had PG Brandon Jennings in this spot because Mike D’Antoni’s a sucker for anyone with ties to the European game. But Jennings has said he won’t be going to New York, and the Knicks will get their man: Stephen Curry. So you can probably take the first part to the bank, although we’ll have to see if N.Y. has the firepower to land Curry. I’ll bet it takes moving up to at least No. 5. (Some reports suggest the Thunder wants James Harden at No. 3). I’m not buying that Holiday is a mirror image of Russell Westbrook, whom Holiday followed at UCLA and likewise an athlete who would have to be transformed into a point.

9. Toronto            SG James Harden, Arizona State

Most mocks have Harden as a top-five prospect. I think he slides for no other reason than how the top picks shake out. I think he SHOULD slide because you should be leery of any shooting guard who can’t shoot. But you can see why he’s been tagged with Oklahoma State at the No. 3 spot; Presti was around when the Spurs once groomed another lefty (Manu Ginobili) who could only drive left but always reached the rim, even though defenders needn’t honor his shot.

10. Milwaukee             PG Brandon Jennings, Italy

The Bucks shamelessly traded their best player, Richard Jefferson, in their latest move to get rid of both payroll and talent. So they take the best remaining point guard on their board in case Myrtle Beach’s own Ramon Sessions bolts in free agency. This selection brought to you by the folks who coveted both Yi Jianlian and Joe Alexander as small forwards.

11. New Jersey Nets     G/F Terrence Williams, Louisville

Williams is a point-forward whose skills far exceed his collegiate production on a consistent basis. That alone should be the red flag. But this cat is so nuts that he might be the only player in this draft who would thrive under my boy Nelly in Oakland. This from Sports Illustrated:

The last line of Williams’ pregame monologue is a request for all his dead relatives — his father, Edgar; his grandparents Mary Jackson and Bobby Perkins; and two cousins — to “watch over me as I have fun.” Their names are tattooed on his left arm and concealed by a compression sleeve that he says he wears to keep connected to them, spiritually. Williams may well be the only player to wear a sleeve solely for that reason, but he has always been sartorially idiosyncratic. He often wears custom-made photo T-shirts as tributes to teammates and coaches (his Pitino shirt has a shot of his coach playing point guard at UMass in the early ’70s), and he sometimes shows up for practice wearing two different-colored shoes. At Seattle’s Rainier Beach High he would wear socks emblazoned with childhood icons (from Barney to Big Bird to SpongeBob) during games and carry his books in a Barbie backpack, just to be different. He wore a rotation of Mitchell & Ness throwback basketball jerseys that were in vogue then, but he would add his own curious touch by printing a picture of the player from the Internet and Scotch-taping it over the number on the front.

12. Charlotte            SG Gerald Henderson, Duke

I thought heck had frozen over when Charlotte was given another crack at an NBA franchise in the first place. But it became official when MJ and Larry Brown took a Duke player when a handful of Tar Heels were still available. Speaking of which … in retrospect, taking Sean May to improve ticket sales doesn’t appear to have worked out as planned. A reminder for all those looking at the hometown hero (see Memphis and Tyreke Evans).

13. Indiana            PF DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh

Blair can be a poor man’s Elton Brand if he hires Alton Brown and watches those pounds. Plus the Pacers can afford an undersized 4 when they’ve got rangy Danny Granger at the 3.

14. Phoenix            PF Earl Clark, Louisville

When are teams going to learn not to hire former players as general managers? Especially white shooting guards (see the Suns’ Steve Kerr as well as Denver’s Rex Chapman, Boston’s Danny Ainge and Chicago’s Jim Paxson).

15. Detroit            F Austin Daye, Gonzaga

Joe Dumars’ credibility has plummeted as fast as his roster grew old. Daye is little more than a workout warrior. Lotsa potential that doesn’t translate into helping his team win.

16. Chicago            G DeMar DeRozan, USC

Gerald Green, anyone? I wouldn’t be surprised if Toronto took him, either. They will have owned the whole set of Vince Carter/T-Mac/G. Green/DeRozan types.

17. Philadelphia            PG Ty Lawson, UNC

Lawson is one guy I can’t put my finger on as far as his pro potential, especially since he appears to have learned how to shoot. True, he fits best in Roy Williams’ up-tempo system (which the pros don’t use), but Lawson won’t be as uninspiring as Raymond Felton. I envision him being Jamaal Tinsley – with fewer moods swings, but just as fragile.

18. Minnesota            C B.J. Mullens, Ohio State

If the Buckeyes didn’t trust Mullens enough to play him for most of their NCAA tournament loss, then I don’t trust he’ll amount to more than Josh McRoberts. Which is a splendid reason why Mullens and the T’wolves are perfect match.

19. Atlanta            G Jeff Teague, Wake Forest

Your roster is already packed with guys who only show interest on the offensive end. Why not top it off with Teague, whom scouts compared to Devin Harris before the Demon Deacons mirrored his temperamental nature and caved in at the end of last season. That said, Teague has the offensive skills to make teams regret taking Jennings and Holiday in about two years. Worth the risk here, especially when you’re plagued by the memory of passing over PGs Chris Paul and Deron Williams in the past.

20. Utah            F James Johnson, Wake Forest

The craftiness and versatility Johnson flashed at Wake Forest works both for and against him; scouts love the tools, but the guy has yet to show the drive to maximize those skills and take over games. If there’s a coach who can tap into that, it’s Jerry Sloan. Beyond Johnson, you just can’t escape the feeling the Jazz would be the ideal match for Tyler Hansbrough.

21. New Orleans            F Sam Young, Pittsburgh

The Hornets cannot stockpile enough 3-point shooting wings.

22. Portland            F Omri Casspi, Spain

(Updated Wednesday night). Portland swapped the No. 24 pick to move up two spots Wednesday night, and it’s presumed it did so to nab the guy I had going to Sacramento at No. 23: F Omri Casspi of Spain. The Trail Blazers don’t need any young’uns right now, so it will be interesting to see whether the European they invariably take in this spot comes overseas immediately or three years down the road. The book on Casspi: He’s another Andres Nocioni, although his cock-a-mayme shot is reminiscent of Shawn Marion’s shot-put.

23. Sacramento SF Jonas Jerebko, Spain

(Updated Wednesday night) So I simply move Portland’s pick from No. 24 up to Sacramento’s at No. 23. Because the Kings also want someone they can either stash overseas to avoid a second guaranteed rookie contract.

24. Dallas     PG Eric Maynor, Virginia Commonwealth

(Updated Wednesday night) Dallas makes this trade because neither Sacramento nor Portland is going to touch the point guard I had them pegged for. If Maynor’s available, there is no better time to snatch the heir apparent for when Jason Kidd’s wheels finally fall off. Maynor isn’t flashy, but I love his game and think he’s probably the steal of the draft if he’s still around in the 20s.

25. Oklahoma City      PF Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

Have I mentioned that I loathe/am jealous of the Spurs? The Thunder’s GM is an extension of them, and they (like the similarly despised New England Patriots) simply do an amazing job of assessing value. Of course, I’ll qualify that by saying I don’t think Kevin Durant possesses the all-around game to be a top-flight star and take his team deep into the NBA playoffs. Sure, Hansbrough will never be a star. But if you can find an effort guy late in the first round who can contribute in an eight-man rotation, you take him.

26. Chicago            PF Derrick Brown, Xavier

See that last sentence. Expect Brown has athleticism to go with his motor. Should be a top-20 pick.

27. Memphis            PF Jeff Pendergraph, Arizona State

Classic pick-and-pop guy with the makings of a lengthy career as a reserve. Which is more than I would say for the Grizzlies’ starting center, the amazingly overpaid Darko Milicic.

28. Minnesota            F Nick Calathes, Florida/Greece

Few seem to realize Calathes has continued working out for teams despite signing with a team in Greece. There’s still a chance the team that drafts him could go ahead and pay the $500,000 buyout for his overseas contract now, although odds favor him going to Greece for at least one year. As an aside, there’s no way the T’wolves keep all four first-rounders, is there?

29. L.A. Lakers  G/F Chase Budinger, Arizona

Standard Phil Jackson fare. A guy you could plug into any of the wing spots around Kobe and make work in the Triangle offense.

30. Cleveland            G/F Danny Green, UNC

I could see the Cavs going for either Kentucky G Jodie Meeks (think Denver’s J.R. Smith, because Denver supposedly does with the fourth pick in the second round) or Missouri F DeMare Carroll (this year’s Ben Wallace wannabe). But I think Green would be an intriguing pick for them. He can play the 2 or the 3 offensively and defensively, and he’s gotta be a better offensive creator than Wally or Pavlovic.

An update on what former Clemson wing K.C. Rivers has been doing leading up to Thursday’s NBA Draft.

Rivers has worked out for at least five teams: Chicago (Saturday), Houston, Indiana, hometown Charlotte and my beloved Golden State.

None of the NBA scouts I spoke to during the season thought Rivers would be drafted, although I suppose there’s a chance he could go in the second round if he caught someone’s eye in a workout.

ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford ranks Rivers as the No. 78 available prospect.

Sixty guys are drafted, and the second round has sadly turned into merely a medium for teams to pick a European player they have no intention of trying to sign for another four years.

However, I do think the volume of workouts are a good sign for Rivers. His chance will come via the NBA summer leagues, and the more NBA organizations that want you on their roster, the better I suppose.

Rivers says he’s declining interview requests until after the draft – you’re guess why is as good as mine – so we’ll have to wait and see what Rivers believes his future holds.

Barring the unexpected, Rivers figures to eventually face the choice of playing in either the NBDL or overseas. And I’m curious to hear which route he chooses and why.

Leave ya with a quick and shameless plug – check out Thursday’s paper for what I believe is a neat Clemson tie to this year’s draft. Taking a little time off this week, so the blog grinds to a halt (unless I succumb to an inevitable desire to generate the Strelow draft board and/or toss a mock draft up here).

Anyway, a Happy Father’s Day to all the other dads out there (as well as a happy anniversary to my wife, my parents and my in-laws)!

I don’t buy this suggestion out there on message boards that Terrence Oglesby’s departure was addition by subtraction for Clemson’s basketball team.

But because the Tigers did lose Oglesby, I don’t think they could have found+lucked into a more ideal situation in filling T.O.’s shoes.

Clemson gained the commitment Friday evening of Noel Johnson, listed as a 6-7, 185-pound wing from Fayetteville, Ga. Because he’s listed at 6-7, I automatically assume he’s 6-6, as I can’t recall the last recruit in football or basketball who didn’t fudge his height.

But regardless, the available film highlights of Johnson online confirm that he’s tall and lanky relative to your stereotypical wing.

He had signed with Southern California over the likes of Georgia Tech and Louisville, but he and two other USC signees were granted releases from the letters of intent three weeks ago when the pooh finally hit the fan for coach Tim Floyd, who has since resigned.

Fortunately for Clemson, there aren’t a ton of big-name programs out there with scholarships to give out who could offer what they could: 1) A chance to now stay close to home; 2) A chance to play in the ACC; and 3) Playing time and the privilege of hoisting quite a few 3s.

Johnson brings streaky 3-point shooting to the table, which is just the threat the Tigers sacrificed when the 6-2 Oglesby abruptly packed his bags for Italy last month.

There are going to be plenty of folks who automatically believe Clemson instantly upgrades its shooting guard position by plugging Johnson in there.

That may bear out in the next few years, but I think it’s quite premature to make that supposition.

For all his faults, I’m not sure you can pinpoint one game Oglesby lost mostly single-handedly (the NCAA tourney 1^st-rounder might be the closest one). But you can pull out a handful of games during his career in which he mostly single-handedly carried Clemson to victory with a 3-point hot streak.

Yes, there were going to be players on next year’s team capable of hitting 3s. But none commanded nearly the defensive attention that Oglesby would have, and certainly the Tigers don’t yet have anyone else who has proven viable at curling off a screen and draining a contested 3; Clemson’s top remaining jump-shooters, backup point Andre Young and senior swingman David Potter, are infinitely better from a stationary location.

Furthermore, Oglesby remained about an 85 percent free-throw shooter both seasons, far and away Clemson’s most attractive option to go to the line and ice victories in close contests.

Now power forward Trevor Booker (70.7) and Potter (75.6) are the only returnees who shot above a meager 70 percent clip last year. Ugh.

Johnson, for what it’s worth, shot just 68.7 percent as a high school senior.

It’s easy to look at Johnson’s measureables and recruiting ranking (No. 53 by Rivals, No. 56 by Scout) and think this trade-off already favors Clemson.

And it very well could … in the long run. But I don’t feel it will next season.

Here’s betting Johnson will struggle as a freshman not only with strength, but with the lateral quickness necessary to handle ACC-caliber wings. That, and most newcomers with a high recruiting billing haven’t the slightest clue how to play defense because they’ve been coddled (for their own egos) and protected (because no prep coach wants his star fouling out) throughout their careers.

Johnson possesses the length to be incrementally superior in Oliver Purnell’s presses than Oglesby, and Johnson said his team pressed substantially. But for the first year, I think the difference between Johnson and Oglesby defensively will be negligible.

If I had to project Johnson to someone, I’d initially cast him as in-between  Anthony Morrow, a sharpshooter who finished his career at Georgia Tech a year ago, and former Stanford wing/NBA veteran Josh Childress.

Johnson doesn’t look to be a great athlete, but he’s a smooth shooter who can put the ball on the floor. I was surprised to see how fluid and natural his scoring touch was when put in situations beyond merely jump-shooting. But, for a guy with that length, he doesn’t really play that tall offensively; doesn’t get much extension on either his jump-shot or runners in the lane against traffic. The word is he’s an unselfish player, too.

Johnson’s rebounding numbers suggest he could provide far more than Oglesby on the defensive end, but it’s often not a wise idea to pay much attention to subjective high school stats such as rebounds, assists and oftentimes rushing yards, passing yards, tackles, et cetera. A HS team like his could just stick Johnson under the basket and allow his height to corral a fair share of boards; that’s not happening at the next level.

An aside: I wonder how this signing was embraced by shooting guard and defensive specialist Donte Hill, one of the three original signees in this class. No doubt this likely reduces his role some next season.

It will be interesting to follow how Clemson’s lineup shakes out over the course of next season.

No way in the world Purnell initially starts three freshmen (Milton Jennings, Devin Booker and Johnson). That would incite a locker room revolt with so many other veteran returnees.

My thought is that Jennings starts from the get-go at the forward spot adjacent Trevor Booker. And I don’t think you can peg it as the small forward because I believe it all depends on the match-up; I actually feel Trevor is better suited than Jennings to guard the superior scorer of the opposing 3/4s, whether he’s a quicker perimeter player or a strong post player.

Junior Jerai Grant likely gets the initial nod at center, but if he doesn’t shed his tendency of folding into a 5-11 turtle when he receives the ball under the basket, there are those inside the program who believe Devin to already rank as one of the five best players on the roster.

As for Oglesby’s shooting guard spot … Purnell could go in so many different directions there, and methinks he’ll give several lineups a shot each game, then settle on a preferred match-up down the stretch of contests.

But I’m really curious about what he is looking for from his shooting guard out of the gate. While they’ll undoubtedly see time together now, it would be foolhardy for Purnell to use both of his (only) point guards – Demontez Stitt and Young – in the starting lineup.

Sophomore Tanner Smith is the closest fit to the mold, but his greatest asset last year was the energy he provided off the bench. Potter played mostly as an undersized power forward a year ago, but I can’t see him getting prolonged run at the 2 spot because of his conditioning/penchant for foul trouble. With so many bigs at Purnell’s disposal now, I wonder if Potter’s days as the preferred pick-and-pop option in a small lineup are over.

Hill is raw offensively, so that leaves Johnson, whom I can envision netting 20-25 minutes per game, mostly at the 2, but a handful of minutes at the 3.

Regardless, the depth chart just got a lot more interesting. Purnell does have some versatile parts at his disposal.

PG: Demontez Stitt or Andre Young

SG: Noel Johnson/Tanner Smith/David Potter, Donte Hill, sometimes the other PG

F: Milton Jennings/Trevor Booker/Potter, maybe Smith or Johnson

F: Jennings/Booker, Devin Booker, Potter or Bryan Narcisse

C: Jerai Grant, D. Booker, Bobo Baciu

It’s shaping up to be a long summer of waiting and hoping for Clemson’s baseball coaches.

By the looks of it, all three players whose futures remain in question – rising sophomore pitcher Chris Dwyer (4^th-round pick, Kansas City), incoming freshman pitcher Madison Younginer (7^th, Boston) and rising redshirt junior pitcher Graham Stoneburner (14^th, N.Y. Yankees) – are expecting their negotiations to last the duration of the summer.

On the one hand, that can be taken as good news for the Tigers, because it appears that at least Dwyer and Younginer are planning to stick to their guns on their signing bonus price tags.

On the other hand, their decisions are coming down to a bottom line – a mere matter of money. And the teams those three pitchers are dealing with haven’t been afraid to spend it when desired.

Two independent sources have told me Dwyer’s price tag is at least $1 million, explaining why a lot of teams passed on him in the second and third rounds (that figure is above “slot money” for picks in those rounds; or, in other words, higher than what Major League Baseball wants teams with those picks to spend).

Dwyer reportedly turned down offers from slot money as early as the sandwich picks after the first round.

It’s going to be interesting just how much cash Kansas City throws around after spending more than $11 million – a record – in draft bonuses last year. Third-rounder Will Myers, a USC recruit and catcher from North Carolina, has set a $2 million tag. The Royals do perhaps benefit, though, from not having a sandwich or second-round pick to have to pay.

Dwyer’s father, Paul, has said Dwyer will pitch for Cotuit in the Cape Cod League this summer as they await a conclusion to negotiations.

I, for one, can’t understand why he would put himself at such risk – either by hurting his value or because of injury. Of course, Dwyer has yet to appear for Cotuit, so we’ll see.

Next is Younginer, who also commands a $1 million bonus, according to his father.

Based on the feedback I’ve gotten, both sides are prepared to ride out the summer and get serious about talks closer to the Aug. 17 deadline.

Boston picked a few guys in the opening 10 rounds whose stock dropped because of signability, and it seems they’re going to pick-and-choose which ones to pursue upon further evaluation this summer. (As well, I assume, while seeing if any of those prospects will lower their prices).

Finally, there’s Stoneburner. Based on this interview with a reporter who evidently has access to a Yankees’ scout’s Rolodex, New York’s approach appears to be that the Yankees will watch Stoneburner a few times this summer and assess his value thereafter.

Now, I don’t know where Stoneburner is expected to play this summer – he’s not on any Cape rosters – but Stoneburner’s answers hardly seem as if he is leaning toward returning at this stage. That can change, obviously, and only time will tell.

The Yankees just signed USC junior OF DeAngelo Mack, picked one round (13^th) before Stoneburner, and supposedly gave Mack eighth-round money. That was the round Stoneburner’s brother, a James Madison shortstop was chosen when he turned pro – albeit as a junior, his final year of leverage – when taken by Texas.

In case you missed the note at the bottom of our Monday report about Oliver Purnell agreeing to a two-year contract extension, former Clemson guard Terrence Oglesby has signed with an agent and expects to sign with an overseas professional team as early as the first week in July, per his father, Tony Oglesby.

I am and has always been an NBA Draft junkie and have taken off work that night for every year I’ve been employed for more than a decade. Sad, yes, but that’s for someone to analyze in a future study.

Anyway, there seems to be a glorified perception of what Europe can offer pro basketball hopefuls recently, as evidenced by the defections of Oglesby and Florida guard Nick Calathes overseas – as well by reports that USC underclassmen Devan Downey and Dominique Archie explored the alternative.

One positive is the notion that players can or will make significantly more money overseas, and theoretically that’s not going to be disputed given the value of the U.S. dollar.

But I go back to a subtle comment Purnell made in the wake of Oglesby’s decision; there are drawbacks that folks aren’t talking about.

One Purnell eluded to was that if an organization does something sketchy in America, all an athlete has to do is seek out the media and the issue is exposed.

In Europe … eh, not so much. Or maybe it is exposed, just no one cares enough to do anything about it.

I’ve heard second-hand or read about the horror stories of teams not paying their players, and this most recent ESPN premium content article about draft prospect Brandon Jennings briefly mentions the accusation that Jennings has only been paid once during the entire season. And Jennings was playing for – by European standards – a reputable club team.

It’s my understanding that this is one of the obvious criteria Oglesby is examining as he pares down his list of suitors.

It’s a delicate balance. Say, for example, he opts to play in Italy, where there are two divisions of play – A1 (the higher division) or A2. Do you go to the team with the best talent-developers as coaches? Go to the team where you stand to play the most or win the most? Or to the organization with the most stable economic portfolio/ or is the richest, figuring that presents the best odds of meeting the other criteria?

Oglesby’s dad has maintained Oglesby’s departure wasn’t about money, and considering their means, that’s to be believed.

But considering the lucrative figures being thrown out there for the guys who sign to play in Europe, it should be noted there’s no such thing as guaranteed money in the overseas game.

The delay in Oglesby signing next month is in conjunction with the June 25 NBA draft. In order for Oglesby to preserve his eligibility for a future draft, he is thought to have to wait until afterward to sign in order to comply with the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.

Adair out?

I have not been able to verify this, but TigerIllustrated.com’s Larry Williams reported late Monday night that men’s soccer coach Trevor Adair has been forced to resign, citing unnamed sources.

In April, Adair was arrested on charges of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature following a domestic dispute at his home involving his two daughters.

Officers arrived and found Adair along with other persons in the front yard. According to a release from the police department, Adair was found to have assaulted his two daughters as a result of the argument.

Adair, 48, was then placed on a leave of absence.

Adair was one of the most decorated coaches in Clemson’s athletic department. In 14 seasons, the Belfast, Northern Ireland native led the Tigers to one Final Four and five Elite Eight appearances. He owned a 208-115-33 record at Clemson.

So much for Clemson feeling good about its draft situation after that first day.

Freshman left-hander Chris Dwyer went in the fourth round Wednesday to the Kansas City Royals, while Mauldin High School righty Madison Younginer was taken in the seventh round by the Boston Red Sox.

Furthermore, redshirt sophomore pitcher Graham Stoneburner was picked in the 14^th round by the New York Yankees – the organization that lured away Tigers pitcher D.J. Mitchell with third-round money for the 10^th-round pick last summer.

None of those three have outright expressed their intentions yet.

But I get the sense that at least Dwyer and Younginer are likely headed to the pros.

And that would rob Clemson of next year’s No. 2 starter (behind rising junior Casey Harman) and, in my estimation, the “special” arm at the end of the bullpen that pitching coach Kyle Bunn has been hoping to snare for the closer’s role.

No use rehashing all the details (or, perhaps more appropriately, monetary figures) for why Dwyer and Younginer could turn pro despite being taken in relatively lower rounds; hopefully the story in today’s paper covered that.

But I think Younginer shed some light on his thinking when he spoke of how attractive it would be to be pitching for the nearby Greenville Drive, one of Boston’s Single-A affiliates.

Still, I think Clemson lucked out on a few guys, too. Junior second baseman Mike Freeman went undrafted after turning down several offers between round Nos. 5-10, so the Tigers don’t have to plug someone in at second base who’s never played there and wouldn’t be nearly as adept as a table-setter at the No. 2 spot in the batting order.

Also, the team’s other top signee, corner infielder/pitcher Richie Shaffer of Charlotte, N.C., said he turned down one team’s offer Tuesday to be a supplemental first-round pick. Schaffer was picked in the 25^th round by the Los Angeles Dodgers and expects to enroll at Clemson.

Two senior pitchers were drafted: lefty Ryan Hinson (10^th round, San Diego) and Trey Delk (29^th, Chicago White Sox).

Hinson has some tools that I’m sure pro scouts think went unrefined at Clemson. That said, I continue to find it funny how Padres scouting director Grady Fuson seems to fall in love with prospects from this state. Fuson, you might recall, picked USC SS Drew Meyer in the first round for the Texas Rangers. And Fuson was the man in charge when the Padres drafted Brad Chalk with their second-rounder two years ago (as well as pitcher Stephen Faris in the 12^th round in ’06). To be fair, the stunning Chalk selection hasn’t been too bad; he’s hitting .301 in advanced A ball.

Three former Clemson transfers were also drafted Wednesday: St. John’s first baseman Tim Morris (11^th-round, Seattle), Florida catcher Buddy Munroe (22^nd, Minnesota) and Washington State catcher Alex Burg (24^th, San Francisco).

I rolled out my projected lineup a few days ago, without the luxury of seeing how the draft would unfold.

Here’s my updated projection:

C: John Nester, Jr. — Although, if soph Phil Pohl continues improving offensively, he could give Nester a run, because Pohl is superior defensively)

1B: Richie Shaffer, Fr. – Sophomore Richard Mounce is whom the coaches project to start at first. But I just don’t see how Shaffer’s bat can be kept out of the lineup; Clemson needs a new first baseman, and this might just project to be his best position defensively. To me, it’s a natural fit.

2B: Mike Freeman, Sr. – Titles don’t mean much in the grand scheme, but I think it says a lot for what Freeman brings to the table by the fact coaches thought he deserved to share the team captain title during the season and named him one.

SS: Brad Miller, So. – Pretty good range, throws from about a dozen different arm slots. Now he just has to be more consistent at making plays right at him.

3B: Jason Stolz, So. – Cannon arm. Progressed offensively as the season went on and has the frame to show more power. Could be pushed by either Shaffer or the return of lefty-hitting John Hinson.

OF: Jeff Schaus, Jr. – Stud, so long as he keeps his composure.

OF: Wilson Boyd, Sr. – In clutch situations, the Tigers wanted either Boyd or Schaus at the plate.

OF: Kyle Parker, Jr. – You could make a case for inserting Addison Johnson for his defense or Chris Epps (although Leggett always claimed Epps needed to improve the angles he took defensively). But for now, seeing as it is college baseball, we’ll forecast Parker because double-digit home runs are worth the trade-off.

DH: Epps, Jr. – If he continues hitting as he did the final few weeks, the sky is his limit. It’s simply entertaining to watch his patient plate approach and how he works a pitcher.

Pitching rotation:

LH Casey Harman, Jr.; RH Scott Weismann, So.; LH Will Lamb, So.

(Any other team but the Yankees drafts Stoneburner in the 14^th round, and I go ahead and pencil him in instead of Lamb.)

On one hand, Clemson baseball coach Jack Leggett has to be giddy about how the opening night of the pro baseball draft unfolded.

On the other, there has to be the sense that the Tigers could be getting their hopes up, only to have been set up for a more disappointing fall.

Junior first baseman Ben Paulsen was the only team member or signee picked in the first three rounds Tuesday night, with rounds 4-30 conducted today.

Sure, Clemson would prefer to have Paulsen back, but no one would dare argue that this situation didn’t work out perfectly for Paulsen or blame him for leaving (as he basically told me he was going to do in today’s story).

Last year’s No. 90 overall pick, Arizona State catcher Petey Paramore, netted a reported signing bonus of $430,000 from the Oakland A’s – right at slot value.

It is highly unlikely Paulsen could come back and perform well enough to land that money as a senior with absolutely zero negotiating leverage.

But you can bet Leggett and staff will anxiously follow today’s proceedings, crossing their fingers that a pair of pitchers — signee Madison Younginer, a 6-3 righty fireballer from Mauldin, and 21-year-old freshman lefty Chris Dwyer – aren’t taken by a handful of teams, regardless of the round.

It doesn’t take long to list those clubs – the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Tigers, Mets.

The ones with the financial wherewithal to tell major league baseball to shove their slot system; they’ll pay prospects however much they want to and load up on the guys priced too high for the rest of the league.

Clemson need look no further than last year, when pitcher D.J. Mitchell was projected as about a fifth-round pick, but he slid because his price tag was near second-round money.

The Yankees could afford to sit and wait, then pluck him in the 10^th round and pay him quadruple ($400K) that of the 10^th-round slot.

Younginer and Dwyer – and USC pitcher Sam Dyson, for that matter – could all fall in that category this year, albeit at a much higher cost to their prospective employer.

Younginer told teams it would take a $1 million bonus for him to eschew college, and his dad, John, said he turned down offers of $850,000 as draft day progressed.

That didn’t preclude a handful of teams from telling Younginer they plan to draft him today – although it should quickly be noted that teams routinely extend such lies, and he very well could be taken by a team that might only be interested in meeting his price tag if other top picks aren’t signed by the mid-August deadline.

I don’t know Dwyer’s demands. A year ago, he spurned overtures in the fifth round, seeking second-round money (estimated at $550,000 or more). And draft analysts predicted Dwyer – with leverage to return to school for sophomore and junior seasons – would bump up that price tag for this draft to perhaps $750,000.

So far, from what I understand, the two pitchers have stuck to their guns. But a lot can change overnight – either from a player antsy to begin a pro career, or a team that has deep pockets and sees one of those guys as a worthwhile value.

Meanwhile, Clemson’s roster hangs in the balance.

Greetings from Tempe, Ariz., where what they say about the desert heat here is true.

You walk out the door, and it’s like someone has turned the hair dryer on in your face. Lotta hot air, not a lotta sweat.

Some quick notes from this afternoon.

As I suggested might happen, Clemson has opted to go with its pair of lefty starters for the first two games of the Arizona State super regional.

Sophomore Casey Harman (7-3, 3.78) will go Saturday, and freshman Chris Dwyer (5-5, 4.85) on Sunday.

Coaches had said earlier this week they were mulling five options. But really, unless ASU really struggled against righties, it seemed logical the Tigers would turn to the two pitchers that give them the best chance of posting a dominating or quality start.

No disrespect to senior righty Trey Delk, who generally led off weekend series as the Friday starter. Delk’s been serviceable and consistent, but he hasn’t exactly done much since returning from his midseason back injury.

ASU will obviously throw junior stud Mike Leake (15-1, 1.23) in the first game, and Sun Devils coach Pat Murphy said he will likely go with junior lefty Josh Spence (8-1, 2.37) in the second game.

Spence has only pitched twice since returning from a hand injury and didn’t last long (less than four innings) in his super regional start last weekend. But Murphy said he wouldn’t be on a pitch count.

It also appears Clemson will be sticking sophomore right fielder Kyle Parker back in the lineup.

Parker was benched for the beginning of two super regional games because of his prolonged hitting slump. Tigers coach Jack Leggett hopes Parker’s game-winning, two-RBI single in the eighth inning Monday could propel Parker out of said slump.

Plus Clemson can use all the run-producers it can squeeze into the lineup for a series against such a superlative pitching staff (ASU leads the nation with a 2.79 ERA).