Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0 - Celtics Picks

[ChampKind]

Jeffery Taylor of Vanderbilt could still be around, but he's going to move up the mocks around combine time since he's an awesome athlete.

Still, and I am biased as hell, but I'd love to get JT. He's perpetually worked to improve himself and commune his skills to an awesome athletic background. He's a high-level defender (3 straight years on the SEC All-Defense team) and he's developed a jumper to go along with a good ability to get to the basket. He shot 9% from 3 as a sophomore and 42% as a senior.

He's a bit of a headcase on the court though. He can get discouraged and fade away offensively during games if his shot isn't falling. However, his high level defense rarely falls off. Here's what he did against Michael Kidd-Gilchrist in 2012:

MKG in 3 games against Vandy:
17 points (total), 7-18 shooting, 15 rebounds, 13 fouls, 6 turnovers

JT in 3 games against UK:
50 points (total), 19-40 shooting, 29 rebounds, 9 fouls, 4 turnovers

Granted, the two weren't paired off on each other for the entirety of the time that they spent on the court, but JT acquitted himself very well against a player who is projected to be an All-Star SF. If the Celtics could get him late in the 1st round, he'd be VERY groomable behind Paul Pierce.

I watched the SEC tournament game where Taylor looked great against Kentucky. I also saw the round before that where they played Mississipi State (or Ole Miss) and he completely disappeared. I think he will be solid but I think their are better picks to be made in the first.

Yeah, Taylor tends to drift in and out, but he's improved greatly on his consistency this year and showed up against top-level talent this season. I think he'll be able to overcome that like he did his strength and shooting issues through college. Even at his worst, he's still a high level wing defender, and he'll be ready to contribute immediately.

[Brazilian Celtic]

I would be ecstatic if those were our picks. I might go with Fab Melo with the clippers pick.

Other than Melo there are no other true centers that will be available in the late 1st round so if Melo  and Waiters are available I would go with Melo .

Then in the second round I would draft John Jenkins, the kid is a lights out shooter at the SG spot that is good off the ball, which is perfect with Rondo.

If we can't get royce white I would take Jae Crowder with one of our 1st rounders

Wow.. you just read my mind. I'm hoping Milwaukee take the 8th seed. Then we'll have their 2nd round pick. With that pick i really like Yancy Gates, from Cincy. Or Johnson-Odom, from Marquette.

[Galeto]

I like Jeffrey Taylor too because I like role players who can play defense and shoot threes.  I don't think he ever becomes more than a role player but that's fine late in the draft.  Getting a rotation player is a plus at that point  He reminds me of a shorter Nic Batum. 

If he becomes a Celtic, he might not play more than 100 minutes in his rookie year though with the thing Doc has about rookies.

[jdz101]

This is all assuming danny doesn't trade our picks. 

[azzenfrost]

He held on to those picks pretty tight during the trade window.

[jdz101]

He held on to those picks pretty tight during the trade window.

Understood but I was just making the point that getting super enthused about draft picks or young players when Danny is GM is probably the wrong move. If the right deal comes along they will be gone in an instant. 

[raynman]

I'd go with a scoring SG and a good center for our first rounders..
Then a backup (true) PG or a wing in the second round..

Or we could trade 1 or two picks for an all-star (maybe Josh Smith or Lamarcus Aldridge if the Blazers plan to do a major rebuild)..

[ianboyextreme]

I think Austin Rivers right now is going through what Kevin Love went through when he was entering the draft- for whatever reason no one thought he could be great, even though all the signs were there, and here we are now. For whatever reason Chad Ford thinks Doron Lamb and whoever else is better than Austin Rivers is beyond me. I get a sense that Austin can be a great player. He is naturally gifted and he is a very hard worker. If I were the Celtics I would go after him in the draft, regardless of apprehension regarding him being Doc's son.

[Kane3387]

He held on to those picks pretty tight during the trade window.

Understood but I was just making the point that getting super enthused about draft picks or young players when Danny is GM is probably the wrong move. If the right deal comes along they will be gone in an instant. 

Agreed. I could see Barnagni for one of our picks and a player like Bradley if Toronto goes big with Davis or Drummond. No one will want the guy from detroit they gave al the money to - can't think of his name. Plus they have Ed Davis already.

[Kane3387]

I would be ecstatic if those were our picks. I might go with Fab Melo with the clippers pick.

Other than Melo there are no other true centers that will be available in the late 1st round so if Melo  and Waiters are available I would go with Melo .

Then in the second round I would draft John Jenkins, the kid is a lights out shooter at the SG spot that is good off the ball, which is perfect with Rondo.

If we can't get royce white I would take Jae Crowder with one of our 1st rounders

Wow.. you just read my mind. I'm hoping Milwaukee take the 8th seed. Then we'll have their 2nd round pick. With that pick i really like Yancy Gates, from Cincy. Or Johnson-Odom, from Marquette.

What is the deal with their 2nd round pick? A high 2nd in this draft is like the 25th pick overall in recent ones.

[Chris]

I was about to make the point that White is a better rebounder, before I saw that Beasley had 12 a game in college. I wonder why he stopped boarding once he got to the league.

Because instead of being one of the bigger, and certainly most athletic guys on the court, which was the case in college, when he got to the NBA, suddenly he was no longer phyisically imposing, and his rebounding suffered because of it.  It also had a lot to do with him being forced to move to SF in the NBA, because he wasn't big enough to be a PF, which pulled him away from the basket more. 

And this will be a similar issue for White, who is simply not as talented.

As far as the passing thing...White turns the ball over nearly as much as he gets assists.  He is a high usage player, but not a special passer IMO. 

[wiley]

He held on to those picks pretty tight during the trade window.

Understood but I was just making the point that getting super enthused about draft picks or young players when Danny is GM is probably the wrong move. If the right deal comes along they will be gone in an instant. 

Agreed. I could see Barnagni for one of our picks and a player like Bradley if Toronto goes big with Davis or Drummond. No one will want the guy from detroit they gave al the money to - can't think of his name. Plus they have Ed Davis already.

If we gave up Bradley and a pick for Bargnani I'd be mad as heck.

[Kane3387]

He held on to those picks pretty tight during the trade window.

Understood but I was just making the point that getting super enthused about draft picks or young players when Danny is GM is probably the wrong move. If the right deal comes along they will be gone in an instant. 

Agreed. I could see Barnagni for one of our picks and a player like Bradley if Toronto goes big with Davis or Drummond. No one will want the guy from detroit they gave al the money to - can't think of his name. Plus they have Ed Davis already.

If we gave up Bradley and a pick for Bargnani I'd be mad as heck.

He's an All star caliber talent on a Rondo like deal. I don't think the Clippers pick will you net you that. Maybe don't give up Bradley. I would like to see how his game evolves over the summer. With these prospects though you have to know when to sell high. Think Gerald Green in the KG deal.

[Fafnir]

He held on to those picks pretty tight during the trade window.

Understood but I was just making the point that getting super enthused about draft picks or young players when Danny is GM is probably the wrong move. If the right deal comes along they will be gone in an instant. 

Agreed. I could see Barnagni for one of our picks and a player like Bradley if Toronto goes big with Davis or Drummond. No one will want the guy from detroit they gave al the money to - can't think of his name. Plus they have Ed Davis already.

If we gave up Bradley and a pick for Bargnani I'd be mad as heck.

He's an All star caliber talent on a Rondo like deal. I don't think the Clippers pick will you net you that. Maybe don't give up Bradley. I would like to see how his game evolves over the summer. With these prospects though you have to know when to sell high. Think Gerald Green in the KG deal.

Bargs isn't worth the deal, he's a good offensive player at the 4/5 spot but his poor defense and rebounding negate most if not all of his positive impact.

[Kane3387]

He held on to those picks pretty tight during the trade window.

Understood but I was just making the point that getting super enthused about draft picks or young players when Danny is GM is probably the wrong move. If the right deal comes along they will be gone in an instant.  

Agreed. I could see Barnagni for one of our picks and a player like Bradley if Toronto goes big with Davis or Drummond. No one will want the guy from detroit they gave al the money to - can't think of his name. Plus they have Ed Davis already.

If we gave up Bradley and a pick for Bargnani I'd be mad as heck.

He's an All star caliber talent on a Rondo like deal. I don't think the Clippers pick will you net you that. Maybe don't give up Bradley. I would like to see how his game evolves over the summer. With these prospects though you have to know when to sell high. Think Gerald Green in the KG deal.

Bargs isn't worth the deal, he's a good offensive player at the 4/5 spot but his poor defense and rebounding negate most if not all of his positive impact.

Depends who he is playing with. The same was said about Dirk. Is he Dirk offensively? No. Yet, his contract is half of his. He is cheap and could be a good 3rd or 4th option.

Maybe I should have said a deal LIKE Bargnani. I see one of the picks being moved on draft day and us taking back more salary with the cap space. I think we renounce all of our guys and possibly try and sign some of them back.