The NBA Draft Thread

[BIG LEEMELONE]

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But regardless, the hell does anybody need with three 2nd rounders?

 

[B Sox]

But regardless, the hell does anybody need with three 2nd rounders?

Again, look at the average draft spots. The lotto picks he had are contributors on a conference finals team. Sure, there are a lot of guys in the 20s and beyond that didn't do anything, but the draft is a crapshoot at that point anyways.

I mean I agree that 3 2nd rounders is probably pointless, but what would you like him to do with them?

 

[buc em]

If the Celtics would trade Avery Bradley for the 12th pick then they should just go ahead and give him to us for Okafor

 

[B Sox]

If the Celtics would trade Avery Bradley for the 12th pick then they should just go ahead and give him to us for Okafor

Nope. I'd rather have Zach Collins or OG.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Again, look at the average draft spots. The lotto picks he had are contributors on a conference finals team. Sure, there are a lot of guys in the 20s and beyond that didn't do anything, but the draft is a crapshoot at that point anyways.

I mean I agree that 3 2nd rounders is probably pointless, but what would you like him to do with them?

Yea but nobody was saying that until after the picks were squandered. Everyone wanted to act like ainge was sitting on a gold mine. I never got the hype over a bunch of late firsts and 2nd rounders

 

[buc em]

Nope. I'd rather have Zach Collins or OG.

So would I

**** I'd take Phil Collins at this point

 

[B Sox]

Yea but nobody was saying that until after the picks were squandered. Everyone wanted to act like ainge was sitting on a gold mine. I never got the hype over a bunch of late firsts and 2nd rounders

I guess I didn't really know anyone was actually hyping late firsts and 2nd rounders? The hype was for the Brooklyn picks from the KG/Pierce trade, which could end up delivering the Celtics 3 top 3 picks. That is a gold mine. If they wanted to use all those picks in a trade, they could easily get an All-NBA talent in return. I just don't think it makes sense to do so given the current landscape of the league.

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Nah man, plenty of Boston fans were hyping up all the 'assets' ainge collected. Not just the BK picks

 

[CP1708]

Yea but nobody was saying that until after the picks were squandered. Everyone wanted to act like ainge was sitting on a gold mine. I never got the hype over a bunch of late firsts and 2nd rounders

I guess I didn't really know anyone was actually hyping late firsts and 2nd rounders? The hype was for the Brooklyn picks from the KG/Pierce trade, which could end up delivering the Celtics 3 top 3 picks. That is a gold mine. If they wanted to use all those picks in a trade, they could easily get an All-NBA talent in return. I just don't think it makes sense to do so given the current landscape of the league.

Don't let him bs you, he doesn't want to grasp the fact we all predicted day 1 Ainge just traded decrepit KG/Pierce for the #3 pick, #1 pick, and likely Top 3-4 pick next year when both KG and Pierce will be retired. Those were the assets from go. The Marcus Smart + mid firsts were nothin but depth picks, then add to that his low costs would let him sign 2-3 FA's, Horford + __ and then the lucky pull of adding IT.

They are literally rebuilding, while playing in the conference finals, something that has never happened before, ever.

 

[MajinZuub]

Yea but nobody was saying that until after the picks were squandered. Everyone wanted to act like ainge was sitting on a gold mine. I never got the hype over a bunch of late firsts and 2nd rounders

I guess I didn't really know anyone was actually hyping late firsts and 2nd rounders? The hype was for the Brooklyn picks from the KG/Pierce trade, which could end up delivering the Celtics 3 top 3 picks. That is a gold mine. If they wanted to use all those picks in a trade, they could easily get an All-NBA talent in return. I just don't think it makes sense to do so given the current landscape of the league.

Don't let him bs you, he doesn't want to grasp the fact we all predicted day 1 Ainge just traded decrepit KG/Pierce for the #3 pick, #1 pick, and likely Top 3-4 pick next year when both KG and Pierce will be retired. Those were the assets from go. The Marcus Smart + mid firsts were nothin but depth picks, then add to that his low costs would let him sign 2-3 FA's, Horford + __ and then the lucky pull of adding IT.

They are literally rebuilding, while playing in the conference finals, something that has never happened before, ever.

Didn't Boston pull something similar in the early 80's?

 

[Sonny Corinthos]

Didn't Boston pull something similar in the early 80's?

Len Bias was the second pick in the draft in 1986

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

So we're just gonna switch the narrative huh? Nah

 

[stillin729]

Warriors need to take an L and trade Klay

 

[100027]

Don't let him bs you, he doesn't want to grasp the fact we all predicted day 1 Ainge just traded decrepit KG/Pierce for the #3 pick, #1 pick, and likely Top 3-4 pick next year when both KG and Pierce will be retired. Those were the assets from go. The Marcus Smart + mid firsts were nothin but depth picks, then add to that his low costs would let him sign 2-3 FA's, Horford + __ and then the lucky pull of adding IT.

They are literally rebuilding, while playing in the conference finals, something that has never happened before, ever.

While true and definitely impressive, they're not "out of the woods" yet so to speak.  They need to hit on a star and haven't done that yet.  Fultz would seem to be the one, but they're still some ways from being true contenders.  Ainge's drafting so far has been nothing to write home about.

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Who's a true contender though? Just curious

Everyone is in a holding pattern until the Warriors and cavs go away

Don't see why the celtics aren't at the next level down

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Why did rondo have to get hurt

 

[ballinsam23]

Yea I wonder what would've happened if they lost in round 1.

Ainge seems pretty realistic though....

The Boston Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals this season while not sacrificing any future assets, but Danny Ainge acknowledged the team needs improvement.

“I don’t know what ‘level’ that means,” he said. “I feel like wins are deceiving sometimes. I think that the fact that we were one of three teams still left playing was something to be proud of, but it’s not necessarily where we really are.

“I think sometimes teams make false assumptions of their team based on things like that. I think that our team is not that much different than a lot of our competition in the East. I think we had a good year in spite of some injuries, you know, with [Al] Horford going down early and Isaiah [Thomas] missing a short time and Avery [Bradley] missing 22 games there in a stretch. We had to overcome some injuries, and it was good because our depth got a chance to play. Everybody on our roster got a chance to prove their worth.

“But I feel like it doesn’t really matter what we’ve accomplished. If we’d lost Game 7 against the Wizards, I don’t feel any different than if we’re where we are today. I know that we’re good. I know that we’re not great. I know that we still have more to do, and, you know, that next step is by far the hardest.”

The Celtics were eliminated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.

“This is what’s difficult about our business that I think sometimes... you know, I don’t think I knew this even when I was a player and maybe even when I coached as much as I do now,” Ainge said. “As I look around the league, I think sometimes the mistakes that are made are when you’re just that little bit, just that one piece away and you can’t get that piece.

“Just because you’re one piece away doesn’t mean you can get it. And if you force yourself to get it, and if you force a deal or force yourself to get the second best available or the third or fourth best available player at that position that you need, then it might not make you that much better or make you still not good enough, and you’re stuck. So, yeah, we’re not that far away, but we’re still a ways away. We still know we need to get better. Everybody in our organization knows we need to get better. We need to add.”

While the Celtics own the top overall pick and have a good core, they could make major changes this offseason.

“Time will tell on that, but, yeah, there is a potential for there to be some significant change,” said Ainge. “But maybe less change. Maybe more change; maybe not. A lot will be dependent on what we’re able to pull off in the draft and in deals leading up to free agency and then what happens in free agency. There’s just so much unknown right now. Right now it’s all talk and pipe dreams and planning. But there’s no certainty. It’s an exciting time for us, and it’s a very busy time for us.”

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Regardless of rondo the wizards were relatively healthy and should have exposed the celtics but they didn't

Hell I thought the wizards would beat them in 5

It's a bit unfair to harshly judge Boston if you're not gonna do the same for everyone else in the conference not named Cleveland

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

Espn reporting that Phil is trying to get one of portlands 3 first round picks to add to their lottery pick

Knicks are in such a weird place philosophy wise no pun

 

[B Sox]

There aren't any teams in the league that are remotely close to Cleveland and Golden State right now.

Ainge obviously knew this, which is why he didn't blow his load on Jimmy Butler, or what may be a rental of Paul George-.... "“Just because you’re one piece away doesn’t mean you can get it. And if you force yourself to get it, and if you force a deal or force yourself to get the second best available or the third or fourth best available player at that position that you need, then it might not make you that much better or make you still not good enough, and you’re stuck. So, yeah, we’re not that far away, but we’re still a ways away. We still know we need to get better. Everybody in our organization knows we need to get better. We need to add.”

 

[krazy88s]

Nets and Blazers have doing deals together for awhile now, starting with Gerald Wallace.

Nets get Allen Crabbe who they've wanted and a pick. Blazers get some sort of cap relief. 

Everyone's happy and their relationship stays solid. 

 

 

[lovehateself]

 nets bout to take deng and the 28th from us

and theyll like it. 

 

[nick.]

Espn reporting that Phil is trying to get one of portlands 3 first round picks to add to their lottery pick

Knicks are in such a weird place philosophy wise no pun

Makes sense for us to take a bad contract to get another pick.

Not like we need the cap space anyway

 

[CP1708]

Don't let him bs you, he doesn't want to grasp the fact we all predicted day 1 Ainge just traded decrepit KG/Pierce for the #3 pick, #1 pick, and likely Top 3-4 pick next year when both KG and Pierce will be retired. Those were the assets from go. The Marcus Smart + mid firsts were nothin but depth picks, then add to that his low costs would let him sign 2-3 FA's, Horford + __ and then the lucky pull of adding IT.


They are literally rebuilding, while playing in the conference finals, something that has never happened before, ever.

While true and definitely impressive, they're not "out of the woods" yet so to speak.  They need to hit on a star and haven't done that yet.  Fultz would seem to be the one, but they're still some ways from being true contenders.  Ainge's drafting so far has been nothing to write home about.

I think that's part of what gets confused with some folks, the Celtics aren't ready to win a title NOW, no way, nobody is knockin off GS or Clev right now.

But Ainge has them ready for the long haul, something I have argued since day 1. People clowned and clowned him at the deadline for not adding Butler or George and giving up multiple top lottery picks to do so. They still ain't beatin Clev (or the Warriors) with one more player.

But if they hold out, and develop Fultz, and maybe they sign Gordon Hayward, and they still get another top 3 pick next year, they are gonna be in great shape for when Bron does start to die off, then maybe they do become that one piece away.

Bottom line, the 6ers, us, the Wolves, the Kings, the Suns, all tanked and rebuilt from the bottom of the NBA. The Celtics have rebuilt while playing in the damn playoffs.

2019 Bron will be mid 30's with a billion miles on him, the Celts could have IT, Smart, Fultz, Brown, Top 3 2018, Horford, Hayward, Bradley, Crowder, and Olynyk. And that's not even aiming high, that's just plausible. What if they get Griffin instead of Hayward, and the #1 pick again next year? And maybe one other half decent vet that wants to chase a ring thinking they could knock off the Cavs finally?

 

[ballinsam23]

Bron or GS will only die off by the time those guys contracts are off the books. Bron has another 3-4 years of dominating left. Plus you're forgetting that Kyrie and whoever else they add will only get better too. Meanwhile, GS is on the other side 3peating.

If you cant land a star this offseason I'd trade IT for a top pick while his value is sky high and look to build with the young guys (Fultz, Porter/Mamba) and role players (Smart, Crowder, Olynyk, Rozier).