The Celtics haven’t seen much of each other this summer. Paul Pierce has been in Southern California when he wasn’t in China. Kevin Garnett has been in California, too, but not with Paul Pierce. Ray Allen has spent most of his time in Connecticut, Rajon Rondo in Kentucky, JaJuan Johnson God-knows-where, E’Twaun Moore is in Italy with Brian Scalabrine (aka the White Mamba), and Avery Bradley and Jermaine O’Neal are now in Las Vegas to participate in the Impact Basketball Training Series.

But Garnett plans to organize a team gathering soon. (Boston Globe)

“I see that Paul was in China. I’ll probably bump into Ray and Rondo while I’m on the East Coast just to see what’s going on. I’ll probably talk to [Jermaine O’Neal].

I imagine Garnett would like to organize a team-wide workout (not just the starters), but, as we discussed earlier, the Celtics are all around the globe. So he’ll settle for four or five players, and who knows? Maybe the Celtics will even hold a real training camp at some point in the near future.

Derek Fisher reportedly sent a text message to advise players to remain in good shape, the latest in a number of optimistic signs that could (knock on wood) point to progress in the labor discussions. (Sports Illustrated)

On the heels of Roger Mason’s now-infamous tweet in which the NBPA vice president wrote, “Looking like a season. How u,” but later claimed his account was hacked, one league source claims that union president Derek Fisher text-messaged numerous players last week indicating that some progress had been made and imploring them to be physically prepared just in case the season started on time. There was another curious happening on Thursday, when — according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard — NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver attended the U.S. Open with Wasserman Media Group CEO, Casey Wasserman.

In case you were wondering, Wasserman Media Group is a global sport and entertainment agency that represents a number of NBA players, including Pau Gasol, Derrick Rose, and Kendrick Perkins. The Wasserman Media Group once famously pantsed, kidnapped and then bribed the entire Atlanta Hawks organization. I know that sounds crazy, but how else can you explain “Joe Johnson, $119 million”?

Finally, the Celtics are planning to meet. Finally, the NBA is (hopefully) making progress. If only Shaq didn’t mention Kendrick Perkins yesterday, my mood would be quite swell.

NBA agents have never been more important.

That statement sounds bold, I know. But in addition to negotiating contracts for their players, agents now hold serious power in the labor battle and, if they’re good at what they do, help players plan financially for a period when the players will have limited, if any, income.

Agents must determine whether the player would benefit from playing overseas, and if the answer is yes, agents negotiate a contract that is hopefully A) fair to the player, and B) contains an opt out clause for when the NBA season returns.

If the player decides to stay in the United States or the player has not yet gone overseas, the agent plays a part in setting up an offseason/lockout workout plan. JaJuan Johnson’s agent Kevin Bradbury, for example, advised Johnson not to sign overseas before pushing Johnson to work out with Tim Grover in Chicago. (Boston Globe)

Bradbury said Johnson will not struggle financially because good agents knew the lockout was coming and planned accordingly. For now, according to the Globe, Johnson and fellow Celtics rookie E’Twaun Moore are living off trading card deals and advances from their agents. If the lockout persists through the entire season, Bradbury said, Johnson will still be okay.

In addition to sound financial planning, Johnson’s offseason hopefully includes drinking nineteen protein shakes per day, eating enough calories to feed a small country, and living in the weight room. I would love to see him return to the court with Ben Wallace’s physique and Kimbo Slice’s mentality. Okay, so that’s not likely. I’ll settle for Johnson reporting to camp in good enough shape that a stiff wind won’t blow him over.

In the meantime, like the rest of his draft classmates, Johnson will rely heavily on his agent’s advice and even his agent’s money. For better or worse, agents now matter as much as they ever have.

During an interview at the Indy Pro-Am, JaJuan Johnson said he would not follow E’Twaun Moore overseas. (h/t CelticsBlog)

“I don’t think I’m going to head to Italy or anything like that,” Johnson said. “I’m definitely waiting it out.

“I think my biggest thing is just really working on my body, and just trying to get better from there. This time — we can really take advantage by working on our game. I think, even though we’re going to miss things on the court, we can be smarter, watching film and things like that, and maybe other rookies don’t have to opportunity to do.”

I doubt we’ll see many (any?) first-round picks go overseas. If the CBA stays the same in regards to rookie contracts, first-round picks have millions of guaranteed dollars waiting for them whenever the lockout ends. Signing overseas and risking that guaranteed money just doesn’t make much sense, unless the overseas contract comes equipped with one hell of an insurance policy.

Last, but certainly not least: put on a blindfold and listen to the JaJuan Johnson interview embedded at the top of this post. Am I crazy, or does he sound just like Donny Marshall?

The NBA lockout has caused a strange disconnect between players and their teams. Players who are friends with coaches, owners, or team employees cannot even call their buddies, and vice versa. Players and their NBA-affiliated friends cannot go to the mall together, compete against each other in laser tag or paintball, or take long walks on the beach while holding hands. Heck, I’m pretty sure Mark Cuban lost 99% of his social life the day the NBA locked out.

For draft picks, though, the lack of discussion between players and teams hits hardest.  The Celtics cannot contact E’Twaun Moore or JaJuan Johnson in any fashion. Rather than beginning their NBA careers with a support system in place and a Grade-A coaching staff to work with, Moore and Johnson are on their own — unable to pick Doc Rivers’s mind, unable to use the team’s Waltham training facilities, unable to work out with Brian Doo (the strength and conditioning coach), and, though Ray Allen and others have stated a desire to coordinate team-wide workouts during the lockout, incapable of working out with their veteran teammates daily.

Before the lockout, Moore and Johnson met with Danny Ainge and the Celtics brass for just a week.

“Everyone (with the Celtics) was very straight up with me while I was there for that week,” Moore told the Boston Herald. “They were very straight in telling me what they thought.”

What was that?

“Danny and Doc told me to stay in shape, and to be able to shoot the NBA three,” said Moore.

And then Moore was on his own.

It’s probably a good thing he signed in Europe with the Italian team Benetton Treviso. There, Moore can stay in shape, continue the process of becoming the best basketball player he can, learn how to play a role on a professional team, and do it all in a coordinated fashion, with practices and coach-led workouts and even games. Moore says he is already hitting many of his NBA three-pointers, a shot he has been practicing “with a lot of repetition lately.” Barring an injury overseas, he should return to Celtics training camp (whenever that occurs) an improved player. Which makes sense, considering that he improved during each of his four seasons at Purdue and should gain valuable experience playing in Italy’s top professional league, widely regarded as the third-best domestic league in the world (behind the NBA and the Spanish ACB).

Young players have used overseas basketball as a learning experience before, and the results are divergent. Brandon Jennings got his ass kicked in Rome, but returned to the NBA a candidate for Rookie of the Year. Jeremy Tyler got his ass kicked in Isreal and Japan, and I assume he will also get his ass kicked in the NBA. Would those players have been better off going to college? Who knows. But that wasn’t an option for Moore. He was either going to work out by himself, play in pro-ams, and maybe find some barnstorming games here and there, or he was going to join a professional team overseas. Signing in Italy made sense, especially since Moore can return to the States whenever the lockout ends.

But JaJuan Johnson won’t follow suit and sign in Italy and or anywhere else overseas. At least, that’s what the Boston Herald hinted at today. Hopefully, Johnson will spend his days lifting, eating and smacking himself with steel crowbars instead, to prepare himself for life in the NBA paint. All of that would have been easy if he were listening to Bryan Doo, chatting with Doc Rivers and playing pickup with Kevin Garnett. But when left alone, it’s more difficult to keep up with workouts and stay on task. Boston’s top-flight organization, a valuable resource to all young players, can’t make a difference for the rookies until the lockout finally ends.

Benetton Treviso should provide a similar support system for Moore. But Johnson will need to fend for himself. Hopefully, they’ll both return to training camp (again, whenever that occurs) ready for their first extended NBA lessons.

The NBA lockout has already inspired change. Team websites now prominently feature dancing teams. Manu Ginobili could not even wish his friend (and Spurs trainer, Will Sevening) happy birthday. Chris Bosh needed NBA clearance to invite Miami’s coaching staff to his wedding. I have nothing whatsoever to write about. And now both Boston Celtics draft picks (not to mention Deron Williams) will consider spending next season overseas. (Boston Herald)

The lockout abruptly turned JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore back into civilians last week after they barely had time to taste the Celtics life.

But that doesn’t mean the two rookies now have to wait by the phone for team president Danny Ainge’s call once the padlocks are removed with a new collective bargaining agreement.

The agents for both players are exploring overseas options that could find either or both in a foreign league next winter.

“It’s all over the board right now, but some Euroleague teams we’ve talked to are interested,” said Mark Bartlestein, who represents Moore. “It’s a day-to-day thing. We really don’t know yet.” …

Bill Duffy, whose agency represents Johnson, said last week that he is looking into the international option for all of his young players, who may have a unique appeal to foreign teams.

For the players, the move makes sense. Given the option between A) staying in the United States, earning no money, working out by myself and losing out on one year of development, or B) moving to Europe, cashing in on a decent to sizable contract, staying in good shape and developing against professional (albeit non-NBA) players, I would choose the latter option every time.

There is only one major negative to signing overseas: though Celtics target Gilbert Brown received an opt-out clause that will allow him to return to the United States whenever the lockout ends, agents do not foresee most teams offering a similar clause.

“It’s hard to say about that,” said E’Twaun Moore’s agent, Mark Bartlestein. “But my guess is that most of these deals will be for the entire season, without any kind of provision for leaving sooner.”

For the Celtics, though, the potential rookie departure could prove troublesome. No, Doc Rivers does not envision needing to rely on the two former Boilermakers. But the Celtics currently have only six players under contract—and that includes Avery Bradley (who hardly inspired confidence that he can contribute) and Jermaine O’Neal (who will probably miss at least half the games played next season, you know, if there are any games played next season). The Celtics currently have one center, the aforementioned, injury-prone O’Neal, meaning they could use Johnson’s size. They also currently have only one bench player, meaning they could use Moore for wing depth, at the very least. If those two players go, the Celtics will have to remake their entire bench and sign at least six free agents whenever the lockout ends—they’ll have to do all that without any cap space, and quite possibly without any salary cap exceptions like the mid-level exception. As I said, troublesome.

So for selfish reasons, I advocate the rookies staying in the United States. But if I were them, un-bound by any contract, no true loyalty to any team, I would go play basketball wherever I could get paid.

Tim Grover. Trained Michael Jordan. Owns A.T.T.A.C.K. Athletics, one of the most respected training facilities in the sport of basketball. Built Jermaine O’Neal’s body back to functionality in time for the playoffs last season (aka worked a minor miracle).  Oversees workouts for Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, among many other successful (and some not so successful) NBA players. And recently, Grover added Boston Celtics draft pick JaJuan Johnson to his clientele.

Johnson worked out with Grover during the draft process, and would likely return in the event of an NBA lockout. Built like the world’s tallest drinking straw, the former Purdue Boilermaker knows at least one directive for his workouts. He will work on shooting, of course, and probably a host of other basketball skills. But the development most highly correlated to his impact next season should be adding strength.

“I’m definitely hoping to put on some weight,” he told ESPN. “I know it’ll happen. I’ll definitely put the time in in the weight room, and eat, and all of that. So, it’s not a huge concern to me, but I know it’ll happen.”

When asked how much weight he wanted to gain, the 220-pound Johnson said, “As much as possible.” But if Johnson can just gain as many pounds this summer as Glen Davis gained in the middle of last season, that should be enough. Zing.

If July 1 passes without a labor agreement, the NBA will quite literally lock players out of their teams’ facilities (think Coach Carter without the studying). According to the Boston Herald, the Celtics are approaching the potential lockout with the right mentality. Rajon Rondo will likely coordinate some workouts, and Ray Allen has already mentioned UConn as a location where the team can meet for the NBA version of captain’s practices.

Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett remember the last NBA lockout well, so they should be well prepared.

“Last time, it sent a lot of guys into retirement,” Allen told the Boston Globe earlier in June. “A lot of guys were taken by storm whether they were out of shape or somewhere where they weren’t ready to get to training camp. So you have to stay locked in.”

The team will try to stay connected and together as much as possible, but players will still need to fend for themselves more often than usual. Which is why Johnson’s decision to train with Tim Grover should please Celtics fans. For Johnson and fellow rookie E’Twaun Moore (and perhaps Gilbert Brown, an undrafted rookie from Pittsburgh who the Celtics are interested in), development before their first season could prove the difference between earning a spot in Boston’s rotation and taking frequent bus trips to Maine. In Moore’s case, this summer’s workouts could even determine whether he makes the team.

As a first-round draft choice, Johnson automatically has a roster spot. But by working out with Grover, he should maximize his chances to crack Boston’s rotation. Of course, Grover does not have a 100% success rate—his client list includes Steven Hunter (who?), and Antoine Walker (he actually worked out?), among other busts, has-beens and never was’es. Nonetheless, Grover has a sterling reputation of contributing to athletic success. With a lockout likely in the forecast and many players’ summer plans changing accordingly, JaJuan Johnson is following a time-tested map.