At the risk of contradicting myself (I do this a lot!), maybe we don't go for BPA. Prioritize team need. We have two multi-all stars (Tatum and Brown) to build around. We have solid wings in Hayward and future one in Langford.
What is our team need?
I would say someone perimeter shooting is priority one. Nesmith would be awesome in that role, probably off the bench. Reminds me of Dale Ellis and Kyle Korver. Just great at getting open for his shot. His 3 point shooting is unworldly 50 plus percent. The guy is a 3 point machine.
Vassel also a great option, but he is much less likely to drop to 17.
Our other team need IMO is a PG who can create his shot a/l/a Kemba Walker. I want us to compete for championships for the next 10 years, and Kemba is good for another 2-3 at best before the wheels fall off. Guys that intrigues me the most is Alabama dude, Kira Lewis. Hampton also interesting, although I view him more as a 1/2 than a pure PG creator. Immanuel Quickley also comes up as a possibility as well, although his stock is pretty low right now. Cole Anthony is intriguing, although he doesn't seem to be much of a play maker. Hayes' stock too high, so I've written him off as realistic. The other French kid, Maledon, is intriguing to me. Grant Riller from Charleston may have the quickest first step in college. Should be available with 30th pick.
Curious to hear others that you guys may recommend.
Danny may try hard to trade up, given lack of roster spots, particularly if one of his guys is available. The 26th pick could be worth a move up one or two slots. Not sure if throwing in the 30th pick gives you much more movement up. If he doesn't feel like the guy he wants is a pick or two ahead of where he is drafting, then he may have to trade out of the draft, into next year's. Would be subject to protections, which could mean it would role over for another 2-3 years. Which to me doesn't make sense for a team that wants to compete for championships starting now.
This is going to be a very interesting draft for the Celtics.
I think we need to draft a big man. I can see us using the 26th pick on a big. I like Jalen Smith and Daniel Oturu there.
Nesmith is not a good defender. I would go with Saddiq Bey. He shot 45% from 3 and is a lockdown defender that can switch and defend multiple positions. He's also 6'8 with a 7'0 wingspan. Brad would find minutes for him.
A PG who can create his shot, I like Payton Pritchard and he can be had at 30. These guards come to college flash potential and achieve nothing in their one year and the draft pundits fawn over them. More often than not they don't live up to the hype, <cough> Fultz. Pritchard is a stud player but he is a sr. and not an athletic freak so he is so overlooked in this draft. Here are Pritchard's awards/honors:
CAREER
The first player in Pac-12 history to have 1,900 career points, 500 career rebounds and 600 career assists.
Oregon’s career assists record with 659, which ranks ninth in Pac-12 history.
Also UO’s career leader in wins (105) games (144) and starts (140).
Ranks 2nd in UO career steals with 211.
Ranks 4th in UO career scoring with 1,938 points (23rd in Pac-12 history).
Ranks 2nd in UO career three-pointers with 288 (9th in Pac-12 history).
Played in 144 consecutive games, starting 140 straight, and scored at least one point in every one of those games.
2019-20 | SENIOR SEASON
AWARDS
Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year
Lute Olson Award Player of the Year
Pac-12 Player of the Year
All-Pac-12 First Team
Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Finalist (5 players)
Naismith Trophy Finalist (5 players)
Wooden Award National Ballot (15 players)
Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason List (12 players)
First Team All-America (Associated Press, NABC, Sporting News, The Athletic, ESPN, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Basketball Times, Bleacher Report, NCAA March Madness, Stadium, John R. Wooden Award, USA Today)
Second Team All-America (USBWA)
Became the first player in Oregon history - and just the second in Pac-12 history - to be named the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year, joining Utah’s Delon Wright (2015) ... Also the first Naismith Award finalist and the first Associated Press first team All-American in program history ... The sixth consensus first team All-American ever at Oregon, and the first in 80 years ... Is just the second first team All-America selection by the NABC, joining Ron Lee (1975) ... Is the sixth Pac-12 player of the year in program history ... A 13-time first team All-American ... Scored more points in “crunch time” - 91 - than any other player in the NCAA in 2019-20 (Synergy Basketball) ... Led the Pac-12 in scoring (20.5 points per game) and assists (5.5 per game) to become just the fourth player in Pac-12 history to pace the league in scoring and assists .... He joined All-Americans Gary Payton (Oregon State, 1989-90), Damon Stoudamire (Arizona, 1994-95) and Jason Terry (Arizona, 1998-99) on that list ... One of three players nationally who averaged at least 20 points, four rebounds and five assists per game ... One of four players in the nation who led his league in scoring and assists ... Scored 20 points against 10 different Pac-12 opponents in 2019-20 ... Reached double figures in scoring in the last five minutes of regulation and overtime five times ... Dating back to 2018-19, scored in double figures in 36 of his last 37 games ... On the single-season lists, ranked sixth in assists (172), seventh in three-pointers (88) and eighth in scoring (635) ... Senior Night performance to remember with 29 points, six rebounds and five assists March 7 versus Stanford ... Big night with 20 points and nine assists March 5 versus California ... Scored a career-high 38 points, including six three-pointers, in Oregon’s Feb. 22 win at No. 24 Arizona ... Named Pac-12 player of the week following his efforts in the Arizona win ... Named the Naismith Award Player of the Week after scoring 25 points Feb. 16 versus Utah, plus his double-double versus Colorado of 15 points and a career-high 11 rebounds three days earlier ... Hit the game-winning three-pointer with :03 remaining, finishing with 22 points and 6-of-12 shooting from deep, in an overtime win at Washington ... Scored 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting with five rebounds and five assists at Washington State ...Named the NCAA March Madness Player of the Week after averaging 23.5 points and six assists in a weekend sweep of the Arizona schools ... Netted 29 points on 9-of-16 shooting, including hitting a season-high six threes on nine attempts versus Arizona State on Jan. 11 ... Hit game-tying field goal at the end of regulation versus Arizona, finishing with 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists ... Scored 29 points on 6-of-8 shooting, going 15-for-17 from the line against Texas Southern ... Named Pac-12 Player of the Week for the first time in his career, and Oscar Robertson Trophy National Player of the Week, after scoring 15 of the team’s final 17 points in an overtime win at No. 5 Michigan ... Turned in first double-double of the year with 20 points and 11 assists against Hawaii ... Named to the Battle 4 Atlantis All-Tournament Team after averaging 17.3 points and 5.3 assists per game ... Opened the season by scoring 24 points while grabbing seven boards and recording seven assists versus Fresno State.
2018-19 | JUNIOR SEASON
Named Pac-12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player … Led the nation in total minutes played (1,349), starting all 38 games on 2018-19 … 68 steals rank third on the UO single-season list … 175 assists are fourth on the UO single-season list … Was second in the Pac-12 Conference with 1.8 steals per game … Ranked third in the Pac-12 in free throw percentage at 83.8 percent … Stood fourth in the Pac-12 with 4.6 assists per game … Third in the Pac-12 in minutes played (35.5 per game) … Led the team in assists (4.6 per game) and steals (1.8 per game), and was second in scoring (12.9 points per game) ... Scored 11 points with seven rebounds in the Sweet 16 against Virginia … Had 18 points and seven assists in the NCAA Round Two win against UCI … Led Oregon with 19 points and eight assists in the NCAA Tournament versus Wisconsin … Brilliant Pac-12 Tournament where he led the Ducks to the title. Scored 20 points with five assists against Utah in the quarterfinals; Had 18 points and eight assists in the semifinals versus Arizona State; capped his run with 20 points and seven assists against Washington … Led Ducks with 16 points and five steals in win at Washington ... Well-rounded effort on March 6 at Washington State with 15 points, seven assists and three steals … Scored 18 points Feb. 28 versus Arizona State … Big game at UCLA on Feb. 23 where he scored 18 points with eight assists … Dished out seven assists on Feb. 16 at Oregon State … Had 20 points versus Stanford … Recorded his second career double-double with 20 points and a season-high 10 rebounds against California … Grabbed seven rebounds and scored 12 points versus Utah … Registered season-bests with eight assists and a Matthew Knight Arena record six steals against Washington State … Led UO with 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals versus Arizona State … Paced Oregon with 14 points (four 3-pointers) at Baylor … Led the Ducks with 19 points, five rebounds and three steals versus Boise State … Acquired 12 points, seven assists and six rebounds versus San Diego … Had 18 points and five assists versus Green Bay … Netted 18 points and registered four steals against Syracuse … Tallied team-highs with eight assists and two steals against EWU … Led the Ducks with 22 points in the opener versus Portland State.
2017-18 | SOPHOMORE SEASON
All-Pac-12 Second Team selection led Oregon in scoring (14.5 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg) ... Ranked among the Pac-12’s top 15 in seven different categories ... Ranked tied for fourth in the Pac-12 in assists per game (4.8 ) ... Tied for sixth in the Pac-12 in 3-point field goals per game (2.4) while ranking 15th in the league in scoring (14.5 ppg) ... His 171 assists ranks tied for sixth in UO single-season history, while he is ninth on the career list with 312 assists ... Tied Jamal Lawrence for 10th on the UO single-season list with 85 made three-pointers ... Was Oregon’s top returning player in every statistical category except blocks ... Scored in double figures in all but nine games in 2017-18 ... Tied his season-high with 4 steals against Marquette while recording 16 points in the second round NIT game ... Netted a team-high 23 points and eight assists versus Rider along with six rebounds ... Doled out seven assists in Pac-12 Tournament semifinal against USC ... Netted 18 points and six rebounds in Pac-12 Tournament opener versus Washington State ... Led UO with 14 points at Washington ... Recorded 13 points, eight assists and five rebounds in home win against Arizona ... Led the team with 23 points at UCLA with five assists in a season-high 42 minutes played ... Netted 17 points and a team-high four assists at USC ... Recorded first career double-double with 19 points and 10 assists versus Washington State ... Had eight assists and 12 points in home win against Washington ... Went 5-of-8 from three-point range to finish with a team-high 25 points in home win against UCLA ... Led the team with 18 points and 7 assists against USC ... Recorded 12 points, seven assists and a season-high 4 steals at Arizona ... Team-high 18 points and 6 assists in win at No. 11 Arizona State ... Notched 12 points, 3 steals and a team-high 4 assists versus Colorado ... Led the team with 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds against Central Arkansas ... Recorded 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists against Portland State ... Team-high 16 points against Texas Southern ... One-point shy of season high with 28 points against Boise State ... Netted a season-high 29 points versus DePaul, going 7-of-13 from three-point range, also career-highs ... Led the team with 14 points in PK80 opener against Connecticut ... Scored 20 points versus Ball State while adding eight assists ... Led UO with eight rebounds versus Coppin State ... Made the 12-man roster for the 2017 USA Men’s U19 World Cup in Cairo, Egypt ... Helped Team USA win the FIBA U19 World Cup bronze medal and was named to the World Cup All-Star team ... Averaged 9.0 points and 3.1 assists per game for the tournament ... Tallied 12 points and six assists against Spain in the bronze medal game ... Had 16 points and four assists in the semifinal loss to Canada.
2016-17 | FRESHMAN SEASON
Ranked eighth in the Pac-12 in assists (3.6) and third in assists-to-turnover ratio (2.5-to-1) ... After he moved into the starting line-up in the fifth game of the season, the Ducks went 31-4 ... Big help on the boards in Oregon’s Sweet 16 win over Michigan with six; also had five points and three assists ... Had 18 points and three steals in his first NCAA Tournament game versus Iona ... Contributed eight points, six rebounds and three assists in Oregon’s Pac-12 quarterfinal win over Cal ... Season-best five steals to go with 15 points at Stanford ... Effort to keep the ball alive in the final minute eventually led to Jordan Bell’s game-winning tip-in ... Had 11 assists in the home win versus Colorado ... Neared a triple-double Feb. 16 against Utah with nine points, six rebounds and seven assists ... Netted 13 points at UCLA .... Scored 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three-point range Jan. 28 at Colorado ... Great “hustle board” game Jan. 21 versus Stanford with season-best eight rebounds, seven assists, six points and two steals ... Led Ducks with 17 points (4-of-4 3-pointers) in home win against OSU ... Unsung hero in the Ducks’ wins over No. 2 UCLA and No. 22 USC with a combined 16 assists and just three turnovers ... Big role in Oregon’s defeat of No. 2 UCLA with 15 points and nine assists (only one turnover) ... Scored five points in the last 90 seconds to help set up Dillon Brooks’ game-winning triple ... Had seven assists in the Dec. 30 win over No. 22 USC ... Tied the Matthew Knight Arena record with 13 assists versus Savannah State ... Scored 15 points in the season opener versus Army and then 18 against Georgetown ... Reached double figures for the first time in seven games with 12 versus Montana.
HIGH SCHOOL
The top player out of the state of Oregon for 2016 and the 13th-ranked point guard in the nation according to ESPN.com … A four-star recruit and the 54th-ranked player overall on the ESPN top 100 and 52nd by Scout.com for 2016 … Averaged 23.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 3.1 steals per game and knocked down 68 three-pointers as a senior, ending an incredible high school career at West Linn with his fourth consecutive state title … Scored a career-high 45 points in a win over Lake Oswego on Feb. 9 … Competed for Team USA at the 2016 Nike Hoop Summit, hitting four three-pointers in the fourth quarter to finish with 12 points, two assists and a steal … As a junior, averaged 22 points and 5.8 assists per game en route to earning the 2014-15 Gatorade Oregon Player of the Year award and leading West Linn High School to its third straight state title … Was named the 2014 Class 6A boys basketball Player of the Year after averaging 18 points and 7.5 assists per game as a sophomore as the Lions won their second consecutive 6A state title … In addition to his many on-court achievements, has maintained a 3.61 GPA in the classroom.