Hypothetically if Boston had kept the last BKN pick, what does Ainge do?

[Moranis]

Cavs took Sexton and he looks pretty good, but Sexton doesn't strike me as an Ainge type of player.  So assume Boston never makes the trade or makes the trade but doesn't include that pick (maybe the Sacto pick instead).  Does Ainge take Sexton?  Does he take a flyer on Porter?  Or does he go with a safer pick like Knox or Bridges or a high upside guy like Gilgeous-Alexander?  Does he try to move up or down? 

What do you think Ainge does if he had that pick last summer?

[Eddie20]

Pretty good? Sexton is trash. I just looked up his stats because I know he sucks, but I didn't think his assists per game with this horrible. 2.5 APG and 2.3 TOV in 29.8 MPG. Good god.

I'm guessing Ainge would've gone with Mikal Bridges.

[rondofan1255]

my guess is move up 1 spot for WCJ using the Timelord pick or another future pick, similar to the Shai Miles Bridges or Roy Foye trade

if not, then take Shai. Long, steady player, could play with Kyrie. Sexton is a bit wild atm, Rozier-like.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Without a sold PF/C prospect on the board around #10, Bridges does seem like the most likely option; he was a ready contributor for a team intending to contend this year, and his shooting makes him a good fit for the Celts/league.  I can't see drafting another PG, either.

With the Kyrie trade and an aging Horford, I suspect he would've tried to trade the pick for a star vet to round out a contender. The younger we get, the greater the difficulty of getting to the Finals. 

I would like to disagree with Eddie, especially on Christmas, but I suppose it can't reasonably happen on this one.   

[bopna]

He would try and find a way to nab Doncic. 
guy is a stud and hopefully Ainge wouldn't hesitate to trade Brown and the sexton spot to get Doncic.

[Roy H.]

I think Knox, maybe Bridges.

But, there’s no doubt in my mind that he would have attempted to move up.

[slamtheking]

He would try and find a way to nab Doncic. 
guy is a stud and hopefully Ainge wouldn't hesitate to trade Brown and the sexton spot to get Doncic.

I agree Doncic would have been his likely target but I don't see him moving Brown in the deal.

[Emmette Bryant]

My guess is that Danny would have targeted RW3 at #8.

[celticsclay]

I have thought Sexton has looked pretty meh. He could still really improve and take a leap like Fox, or he could go in the direction dennis smith jr. seems to be going. On the whole though I can't imagine how much less exciting our team is paying IT 12 million a year, dealing with Crowders petulance with Hayward on the roster and no Irving. Also worth mentioning Zizic looks like a third string center at best. We really dominated that trade!

[Moranis]

I have thought Sexton has looked pretty meh. He could still really improve and take a leap like Fox, or he could go in the direction dennis smith jr. seems to be going. On the whole though I can't imagine how much less exciting our team is paying IT 12 million a year, dealing with Crowders petulance with Hayward on the roster and no Irving. Also worth mentioning Zizic looks like a third string center at best. We really dominated that trade!

well this thread had nothing to do with the trade and was solely about the pick.  As for Sexton, of drafted rookies with at least 100 minutes played, he is 1st in 3PT% and 4th in FT%, 3rd in minutes, 4th in points, 4th in assists, 10th in rebounds, and 12th in steals.  Those are pretty decent numbers, especially as PG's go which generally take a bit longer to mesh then other positions. 

[celticsclay]

I have thought Sexton has looked pretty meh. He could still really improve and take a leap like Fox, or he could go in the direction dennis smith jr. seems to be going. On the whole though I can't imagine how much less exciting our team is paying IT 12 million a year, dealing with Crowders petulance with Hayward on the roster and no Irving. Also worth mentioning Zizic looks like a third string center at best. We really dominated that trade!

well this thread had nothing to do with the trade and was solely about the pick.  As for Sexton, of drafted rookies with at least 100 minutes played, he is 1st in 3PT% and 4th in FT%, 3rd in minutes, 4th in points, 4th in assists, 10th in rebounds, and 12th in steals.  Those are pretty decent numbers, especially as PG's go which generally take a bit longer to mesh then other positions.

He is on a lousy team and getting minutes before. Being a statistical leader as a rookie cause you get a lot of burn and your team is bad doesn't always seem very predictive of future success. I am impressed by his 3 pt shooting though.

[fairweatherfan]

Gilgeous-Alexander seems much more like a Danny kind of pick than Sexton, but as others have noted we probably either try to move up to grab Doncic or if we can't move up as far Carter, or just trade the pick.

[GRADYCOLNON]

The team would've never had Irving and we would be stuck with Isaiah Thomas.  This definitely changes how they approach the draft; however, I think the Celtics' rebuild really stalls out.  After just drafting Tatum and Brown, I think it would be really hard for them to justify drafting another wing, so I think either a big or point guard.  The injury to Isaiah Thomas would've indicated that they need to draft a point guard to replace him.  And I think Sexton would've been high on Ainge's list, or he would make a trade for Kemba Walker or someone like Fox or Smith Jr.  Either way, Ainge was going to need to replace Isaiah, then he was going to have to weather that really bad contract they gave him. 

[jambr380]

The team would've never had Irving and we would be stuck with Isaiah Thomas.  This definitely changes how they approach the draft; however, I think the Celtics' rebuild really stalls out.  After just drafting Tatum and Brown, I think it would be really hard for them to justify drafting another wing, so I think either a big or point guard.  The injury to Isaiah Thomas would've indicated that they need to draft a point guard to replace him.  And I think Sexton would've been high on Ainge's list, or he would make a trade for Kemba Walker or someone like Fox or Smith Jr.  Either way, Ainge was going to need to replace Isaiah, then he was going to have to weather that really bad contract they gave him.

TP for the Kemba Walker mention. With the 8 pick and other decent trade assets, we probably could have acquired him or somebody near that caliber. Good PGs seem to be more available than good players at other positions. With Horford and Hayward on board, I can't imagine we keep the pick.

In this scenario, I think it's only 'fair' to assume that Hayward gets hurt (even though the same play is extremely unlikely); however, after the way IT finished off last season, I don't think there is any way we give him a huge contract - which mitigates that possible disaster.

[CelticsElite]

Ainge trades down. Here's why:

- we are in no need to draft some middling lotto that might fail. asset collection mode.. He is eying the final piece (AD) so having a future pick is more valuable than drafting a potential bust in bridges or knox.

-  the talent roster logjam isn't nice. Player wouldn't get proper playing time and might get disgruntled

- Philly successfully traded down. That means there was a market for trading down in the range of this pick. Ainge had the better pick

-Might be wrong but I don't think he worked out  most of the guys in the area of the 8 spot

Ainge trades down about 5-9 spots and gets a future  protected lotto pick  (possibly staggered like the Memphis pick), proceeds to draft his guy around 18 which I believe is Devincenzo....the order of who he picks :
-Divincenzo

If not available ainge picks:
-Huerter
-Allen
-Williams

This draft was deep with talented wings / shooting guards