Woj, Stein, & Lowe - C's and Sixers in serious talks for #1 pick

[KGBirdBias]

Personally I never like Fultz defense or his intensity. I think Ainge likes Jackson's motor and Tatum's versitility.

[PickNRoll]

Ugh freaking Lowe now saying the principal pieces are in play and he'd be surprised if it doesn't get done at this point...

Why is this "UGH?"  I get being excited about Fultz and having the #1 pick but acting like this isn't a power move by the Celtics is kind of weird.  They are in the driver's seat.

Because we've long been longing for the type of high-level talent that Fultz represents. Making this trade means taking a lesser talent in this draft all for the price of future picks that may or may not be as good as this pick.

As the last several years have shown, with Boston in particular, quality, not quantity, wins in the NBA.

I don't think Danny would do this if he didn't think the player he is getting back (hopefully Jackson) has a good shot of being the best player from the draft.

I truly do not get all of this Jackson love on here. He seems like a bigger, bit more well-rounded version of Marcus Smart to me, only with less defense and more athleticism and size/length. I don't see him ever being even a secondary scorer in the NBA. He's also really similar to Brown in a lot of ways, so why would we want Jackson, too?

I just don't see him as the type of player that this team needs going forward.

I see a top level athlete who plays strong defense and is very versatile.  Everybody sees that.  I also see a guy who, in my estimation, projects to be a lot better lead--or at least secondary--ball handler than he is given credit for.

He looks smooth with the ball in his hands.  He looks like the type of player who can get to where he wants on the floor easily.  He's got good vision, good handles, and a nice mid range game.

I don't think he got to showcase all his skills at Kansas, but I think he has top level NBA small forward talent.

Time will tell.

I see another Justise Winslow / Stanley Johnson etc.

Hes exponentially more athletic than either of those players.

Allegedly we were willing to give up the moon for Justise Winslow so this is right in line....

Jackson has a very high IQ, point forward skills, great rebounder, tough as nails.  Paul Pierce potential.  Yeah, I said it.

[jpotter33]

Kyler reporting that the deal will not go any farther until Fultz visits the Sixers and the Celtics can get some of the potential #3 guys in for workouts. "Not just" contingent on physical. We might be up in the air about nothing here.

Maybe Jackson will purposefully blow his C's workout because he doesn't want to be there 

[RJ87]

Guys this trade isn't for Butler. Think about what we looked like in the playoffs. We couldn't get a rebound and it was a layup drill for the Cavs.

I believe Ainge has asked the Pelicans what it would take to get Davis. If they said 3 #1s, AB, Crowder and KO...you do the deal.

If he can get Davis, that will entice either Hayward or PG13 to sign extension.

No way Ainge is making this deal to get younger. He knows we got killed on the boards and we need a shot blocker as well.

that would be amazing if true

LOL.

I respect the delusions people convince themselves of to cope. I get it.

But this is... It's like the night Demarcus got traded to New Orleans, everyone was convinced Boston was waiting in the wings to trump the offer last minute and then when it was all said and done, Boston wasn't even interested.

And by the way, remember that guy? No way the Pelicans bail on Davis before the see what Cousins and AD can do together. They played pretty well down the stretch.

[Tr1boy]

This is what I think happened

Jacksons individual workouts didnt go very well with the 76ers today

They called Danny for the #1 and offered #3 and a future 1st (guessing 2018 Lakers or 76ers 1st)

Danny celebrated ...as there is nobody he loves loves at 1 . Lets the 76ers and Lakers make the choice easier for him. Plus save cap space to go after hayward. Plus you can get two cracks at a top pick next season (another loaded draft)

[PickNRoll]

I would so much rather have an elite pick and roll scorer type prospect than a guy who projects as a kind of Gerald Wallace / Joe Johnson / Andre Iguodala type player.

Look, if we were sitting at #3 after the lottery I'd be all about Josh Jackson.

Fultz is a better prospect. 

I know we already have a great lead scoring guard in Thomas, but he won't last forever.  To me the value of a prospect like Fultz is exponentially higher than a guy like Jackson.

The chances of him becoming another tweener who can't shoot (e.g. MKG, Winslow, Johnson, etc) seem a lot higher than the chance he becomes Kawhi Leonard.

If it helps, think of Jackson as a Paul Pierce type.  And Fultz as CJ McCollum.  That's in play.

[Chris22]

I would take Fultz all day long.

[Roy H.]

Wouldn't it be wrong if Ainge did NOT explore what he could get for the pick?  It's due diligence.  The report that the Lakers are in love with Fultz just strengthens Ainge's justification for a big return.  If Ainge has a likely superstar on his hands in Fultz he won't trade him unless he knows he's getting a superstar back (maybe not on the initial deal, but in a subsequent one based on the additional assets). 

With the hype that Fultz is getting it scares me to lose him, but what the heck do I know?  I rely on highlights, talking heads and a basketball brain 1/20th the size of Danny's (a generous self-assessment).

To me, I just feel that the whole purpose of hoarding all these picks is to increase your chances of being in the position the Celts are already in, where you get to select a consensus #1 pick and add him to an already good team.

Why pass that up by trading down and picking up yet more future picks?  Are we going to defer to the future every year until Ainge retires?

Amen.

[Rondo9]

Guys this trade isn't for Butler. Think about what we looked like in the playoffs. We couldn't get a rebound and it was a layup drill for the Cavs.

I believe Ainge has asked the Pelicans what it would take to get Davis. If they said 3 #1s, AB, Crowder and KO...you do the deal.

If he can get Davis, that will entice either Hayward or PG13 to sign extension.

No way Ainge is making this deal to get younger. He knows we got killed on the boards and we need a shot blocker as well.

that would be amazing if true

LOL.

I respect the delusions people convince themselves of to cope. I get it.

But this is... It's like the night Demarcus got traded to New Orleans, everyone was convinced Boston was waiting in the wings to trump the offer last minute and then when it was all said and done, Boston wasn't even interested.

And by the way, remember that guy? No way the Pelicans bail on Davis before the see what Cousins and AD can do together. They played pretty well down the stretch.

 

[Tr1boy]

[A day after Markelle Fultz talked up his fit next to D’Angelo Russell following his first workout for the Los Angeles Lakers, there are reports that president of basketball operations Magic Johnson wants to make such a pairing a reality. According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, Johnson “‘is in love’ with Fultz” and might attempt to trade for the Boston Celtics No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft in order to select him. Givony reports that Johnson might try to do this with an offer of Julius Randle and the Lakers’ own No. 2 pick. 43 mins ago – via Silverscreenandroll.com

The drama keeps getting bolder....

Too bad celtics dont want randle

[CelticsElite]

Although I don't like jackson as much as the others, I recognize if he develops a midrange jumper, he has potential to be a top player in the NBA. His defense is elite and has a lot of good tools to work with

[RJ87]

Wouldn't it be wrong if Ainge did NOT explore what he could get for the pick?  It's due diligence.  The report that the Lakers are in love with Fultz just strengthens Ainge's justification for a big return.  If Ainge has a likely superstar on his hands in Fultz he won't trade him unless he knows he's getting a superstar back (maybe not on the initial deal, but in a subsequent one based on the additional assets). 

With the hype that Fultz is getting it scares me to lose him, but what the heck do I know?  I rely on highlights, talking heads and a basketball brain 1/20th the size of Danny's (a generous self-assessment).

To me, I just feel that the whole purpose of hoarding all these picks is to increase your chances of being in the position the Celts are already in, where you get to select a consensus #1 pick and add him to an already good team.

Why pass that up by trading down and picking up yet more future picks?  Are we going to defer to the future every year until Ainge retires?

Amen.

If we spin the current assets we have into future assets and then spin those assets, than we'll always have assets. We'll have assets forever.

Ainge-ception.

[PhoSita]

I would so much rather have an elite pick and roll scorer type prospect than a guy who projects as a kind of Gerald Wallace / Joe Johnson / Andre Iguodala type player.

Look, if we were sitting at #3 after the lottery I'd be all about Josh Jackson.

Fultz is a better prospect. 

I know we already have a great lead scoring guard in Thomas, but he won't last forever.  To me the value of a prospect like Fultz is exponentially higher than a guy like Jackson.

The chances of him becoming another tweener who can't shoot (e.g. MKG, Winslow, Johnson, etc) seem a lot higher than the chance he becomes Kawhi Leonard.

If it helps, think of Jackson as a Paul Pierce type.  And Fultz as CJ McCollum.  That's in play.

I think in today's league the McCollum type prospect is more valuable.

[PhoSita]

I would so much rather have an elite pick and roll scorer type prospect than a guy who projects as a kind of Gerald Wallace / Joe Johnson / Andre Iguodala type player.

Look, if we were sitting at #3 after the lottery I'd be all about Josh Jackson.

Fultz is a better prospect. 

I know we already have a great lead scoring guard in Thomas, but he won't last forever.  To me the value of a prospect like Fultz is exponentially higher than a guy like Jackson.

The chances of him becoming another tweener who can't shoot (e.g. MKG, Winslow, Johnson, etc) seem a lot higher than the chance he becomes Kawhi Leonard.

You are most likely only sure of this because you've been reading it from Chad Ford and Johnathan Givony and the rest of the "experts" for months.  This doesn't make it reality.

Some basketball observers (myself) have been saying they see more potential in Josh Jackson than anyone else in this draft for a while now.

It's nice to see that Danny Ainge may be sharing those observations and projections.

Because sure, it couldn't possibly be based on my own observations.

[Celtics18]

I would so much rather have an elite pick and roll scorer type prospect than a guy who projects as a kind of Gerald Wallace / Joe Johnson / Andre Iguodala type player.

Look, if we were sitting at #3 after the lottery I'd be all about Josh Jackson.

Fultz is a better prospect. 

I know we already have a great lead scoring guard in Thomas, but he won't last forever.  To me the value of a prospect like Fultz is exponentially higher than a guy like Jackson.

The chances of him becoming another tweener who can't shoot (e.g. MKG, Winslow, Johnson, etc) seem a lot higher than the chance he becomes Kawhi Leonard.

If it helps, think of Jackson as a Paul Pierce type.  And Fultz as CJ McCollum.  That's in play.

I think in today's league the McCollum type prospect is more valuable.

 Nope.  Prime Paul Pierce is more valuable than prime CJ McCollum, regardless of era.