2021 NBA Draft Thread

[Roy H.]

So the Celtics come out of the 2021 draft with:

Moses Brown (via trade)
Juhann Begarin

I think that is pretty good.  Someone who has already proven a level of usefulness at the NBA level and a young prospect with nothing proven but lots of potential.

People forget that we got Brown for the #16 pick.  We did not just throw it away to dump Kemba.  Moses should be tracked to see how he does against the players we may have gotten with the pick, as part of the ongoing assessment of the trade.  I predict he is going to be much better than any of the picks in the say 16-20 range.

Yeah, my take on the trade was that nobody we selected in the draft would be able to contribute more than Moses Brown.

That said, I’d take the two protected future #1s OKC got over Moses. 

[td450]

So the Celtics come out of the 2021 draft with:

Moses Brown (via trade)
Juhann Begarin

I think that is pretty good.  Someone who has already proven a level of usefulness at the NBA level and a young prospect with nothing proven but lots of potential.

People forget that we got Brown for the #16 pick.  We did not just throw it away to dump Kemba.  Moses should be tracked to see how he does against the players we may have gotten with the pick, as part of the ongoing assessment of the trade.  I predict he is going to be much better than any of the picks in the say 16-20 range.

I'm not down on the trade, but I wasn't expecting Jalen Johnson or Kai Jones to be available, so this does sting a bit more than I thought it would. That's two potential starting power forwards, especially Johnson.

Some teams made some odd choices. I'm very curious what we do from here. I've been hoping for some time that we try to add a solution at point or power forward this offseason, and that hasn't happened yet. This was a really solid draft to address those slots.

[Vermont Green]

So the Celtics come out of the 2021 draft with:

Moses Brown (via trade)
Juhann Begarin

I think that is pretty good.  Someone who has already proven a level of usefulness at the NBA level and a young prospect with nothing proven but lots of potential.

People forget that we got Brown for the #16 pick.  We did not just throw it away to dump Kemba.  Moses should be tracked to see how he does against the players we may have gotten with the pick, as part of the ongoing assessment of the trade.  I predict he is going to be much better than any of the picks in the say 16-20 range.

Yeah, my take on the trade was that nobody we selected in the draft would be able to contribute more than Moses Brown.

That said, I’d take the two protected future #1s OKC got over Moses.

That was an interesting trade.  The picks are highly protected but you are getting 2 picks for 1 pick.  2 chances at getting a good player is much better than 1 but the protections mean they may not convey for several years.  Moses helps us now.  I am still pretty happy with getting Moses Brown but he still has much to prove.

2022 Pistons first-round pick (protections are top-16 in 2022, top-18 in 2023 and 2024, top-13 in 2025, top-11 in 2026, and top-9 in 2027; becomes second-round pick if still unconveyed at that time)

2023 Wizards first-round pick (protections are top-14 in 2023, top-12 in 2024, top-10 in 2025, and top-8 in 2026; becomes two second-round picks if still unconveyed at that time)

[Who]

Please stop comparing Cade to Luka... 3.5ast per game and he has the passing ability of a Luka Doncic. Smh.

I think the Middleton comp that someone mentioned was good.

He's a bit more dynamic than Middleton I believe, but it's a good mid-tier comparison. Not a high-level ceiling for him though

I'd go with Joe Johnson as a lower end outcome, then Pierce or B-Roy as a mid outcome and someone like Luka as high end outcome for Cade Cunningham.

Middleton isn't enough of a ball-handler.

[Vermont Green]

So the Celtics come out of the 2021 draft with:

Moses Brown (via trade)
Juhann Begarin

I think that is pretty good.  Someone who has already proven a level of usefulness at the NBA level and a young prospect with nothing proven but lots of potential.

People forget that we got Brown for the #16 pick.  We did not just throw it away to dump Kemba.  Moses should be tracked to see how he does against the players we may have gotten with the pick, as part of the ongoing assessment of the trade.  I predict he is going to be much better than any of the picks in the say 16-20 range.

I'm not down on the trade, but I wasn't expecting Jalen Johnson or Kai Jones to be available, so this does sting a bit more than I thought it would. That's two potential starting power forwards, especially Johnson.

Some teams made some odd choices. I'm very curious what we do from here. I've been hoping for some time that we try to add a solution at point or power forward this offseason, and that hasn't happened yet. This was a really solid draft to address those slots.

Like I said.  This will play out and we will know.  Jalen Johnson, for example, is probably someone we would have considered but he is far less likely to help us now and projecting him as a starter is probably reaching a bit:

At 6’9, Johnson is an impressive athlete for a combo forward, and was one of the more high upside options remaining on the board at this stage. With John Collins’ future somewhat up in the air, Atlanta adds another talented forward to the mix.  The pick however should not be viewed as something related to Collins, as he’s a raw product who likely isn’t ready to be a positive on an NBA court in the near future.

[Who]

Rubio in Cleveland has to mean Sexton is headed elsewhere before the off-season is over. Wonder where he ends up.

The last 24 hours have a whole bunch of interesting meanings for Cleveland. Does Mobley mean they don't have to offer Allen the supposed near-max deal he's demanding?

Get rid of Jarrett Allen. Develop Mobley properly.

Don't be putting road blocks in Mobley's way.

[Who]

Whoa, Juhann Bergerin??

WHO???

Athletic French wing

Stash pick?

Most likely. Still only 18 and has a tonne of physical upside. His build, size, wingspan and athleticism remind me of Jaylen (not at all comparing their ability to play ball)

He moves like Jaylen. I was thinking the same thing as I watched him.

I was thinking more like Marcus Smart watching that youtube video linked here in this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltqEIurWiTA

A good athlete more than a high end one.

[td450]

So the Celtics come out of the 2021 draft with:

Moses Brown (via trade)
Juhann Begarin

I think that is pretty good.  Someone who has already proven a level of usefulness at the NBA level and a young prospect with nothing proven but lots of potential.

People forget that we got Brown for the #16 pick.  We did not just throw it away to dump Kemba.  Moses should be tracked to see how he does against the players we may have gotten with the pick, as part of the ongoing assessment of the trade.  I predict he is going to be much better than any of the picks in the say 16-20 range.

I'm not down on the trade, but I wasn't expecting Jalen Johnson or Kai Jones to be available, so this does sting a bit more than I thought it would. That's two potential starting power forwards, especially Johnson.

Some teams made some odd choices. I'm very curious what we do from here. I've been hoping for some time that we try to add a solution at point or power forward this offseason, and that hasn't happened yet. This was a really solid draft to address those slots.

Like I said.  This will play out and we will know.  Jalen Johnson, for example, is probably someone we would have considered but he is far less likely to help us now and projecting him as a starter is probably reaching a bit:

At 6’9, Johnson is an impressive athlete for a combo forward, and was one of the more high upside options remaining on the board at this stage. With John Collins’ future somewhat up in the air, Atlanta adds another talented forward to the mix.  The pick however should not be viewed as something related to Collins, as he’s a raw product who likely isn’t ready to be a positive on an NBA court in the near future.

I get that, but we have two young superstars and the difference in cost vs reward between drafting and developing someone like that and trading for them is vast. We also have nothing at that position.

The comment about not contributing also seems odd to me. Rookies and second year players contribute all the time. They might need a couple of years to become a starter but that's what building a team is about.

[Who]

Kings gonna Kings

What an awful pick

Better than the Wagner pick. Shoots 44% from 3pt, Good defender, Winner..

Wagner is a better defender than Mitchell and positionally fits in Orlando, unlike Mitchell in Sacramento

Yeah. IDk. Just feel like you should take a player with more upside/talent at #7 overall.

Why does Wagner have low upside? He’s a good shooter and passer as well as being an elite defender. Suggs, Isaac and Wagner are a fearsome defensive trio

Wagner shot 34% from 3pt. Only grabbed 6 boards a game in 32mins of play. 12ppg... decent height at 6’9”, but doesn’t look to have a big wingspan, average athleticism.

I do not understand the Wagner pick either.

He would've been a fine mid first rounder but mid lottery at #7? Way too high for such a limited player.

He is an alright glue guy. Not enough high end skill (shooting, ball-handling, passing, shot-creation) or high end athleticism to justify taking him so early.

I see him as a role player in the NBA and I would not be surprised if he ends up as a bench player.

Jumps out as one of those guys who benefited from playing lower level size / athletes in college and on an extremely well-coached NCAA team that worked to his strengths in a way that NBA teams are unlikely to do as they are more obsessed with helio-centric offenses which will hurt Wagner.

[Who]

Cam Thomas was my least favorite player in the draft, so glad he went to Brooklyn.

Steal at 27. He averaged 23 ppg

Yeah, he looks interesting. A gunner. Reminds me a bit of Marcus Thornton out of LSU in terms of being a smaller shot-happy SG. Thornton had more muscle though.

I like Cam Thomas' FTA to FGA ratios and his FT%. 7.6 FTAs per 17.2 FGAs is impressive for a smaller SG and even more impressive when you see 10 of those FGAs were 3s so it is more like 7.6 FTAs vs 10 2pt FGAs (since you rarely get fouled on 3s).

That high 89% FT% speaks well of his shooting potential long term. That he can get that 3 point shooting up from 32%. He is clearly comfortable taking long 3s and a variety of different types of 3s and his form looks good on them. I am optimistic about improvement here.

Gotta like a gunner later in the draft. Sort of a higher risk higher upside type selection. I like it.

[Vermont Green]

So the Celtics come out of the 2021 draft with:

Moses Brown (via trade)
Juhann Begarin

I think that is pretty good.  Someone who has already proven a level of usefulness at the NBA level and a young prospect with nothing proven but lots of potential.

People forget that we got Brown for the #16 pick.  We did not just throw it away to dump Kemba.  Moses should be tracked to see how he does against the players we may have gotten with the pick, as part of the ongoing assessment of the trade.  I predict he is going to be much better than any of the picks in the say 16-20 range.

I'm not down on the trade, but I wasn't expecting Jalen Johnson or Kai Jones to be available, so this does sting a bit more than I thought it would. That's two potential starting power forwards, especially Johnson.

Some teams made some odd choices. I'm very curious what we do from here. I've been hoping for some time that we try to add a solution at point or power forward this offseason, and that hasn't happened yet. This was a really solid draft to address those slots.

Like I said.  This will play out and we will know.  Jalen Johnson, for example, is probably someone we would have considered but he is far less likely to help us now and projecting him as a starter is probably reaching a bit:

At 6’9, Johnson is an impressive athlete for a combo forward, and was one of the more high upside options remaining on the board at this stage. With John Collins’ future somewhat up in the air, Atlanta adds another talented forward to the mix.  The pick however should not be viewed as something related to Collins, as he’s a raw product who likely isn’t ready to be a positive on an NBA court in the near future.

I get that, but we have two young superstars and the difference in cost vs reward between drafting and developing someone like that and trading for them is vast. We also have nothing at that position.

The comment about not contributing also seems odd to me. Rookies and second year players contribute all the time. They might need a couple of years to become a starter but that's what building a team is about.

I thought you said that Johnson was a potential starter.  If he turns out to be a stating PF this year, then yes, he would have been more valuable than Moses Brown based on what I expect from Brown.  But if he is "not a positive on an NBA court in the near future" as the post draft analysis predicts, Moses will be more useful.  Moses Brown has already been a positive on an NBA court.  Johnson may have more upside but you don't even know that for sure. 

I am not pretending to know how this is going to play out.  My main peeve is that people tend to say we just threw away the #16 pick.  We didn't, we got Moses Brown.  A rookie in this range tends not to help the team much year one or even the first couple of years (see Langford, Nesmith).  There are exceptions (see Pritchard).  I predict that we get more out of Brown over 1-2 seasons then Atlanta gets from Johnson (and also other players taken in this range).  Not enough more that it dramatically changes the trajectory of the team, but enough so that there should be no complaint about trading the pick.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

I don’t love Kuminga for GSW.

It was interesting to see Kuminga's draft stock take a hit, to the point where GS may have gotten a steal. He was a great prospect coming out of HS, and showed flashes, but not consistency. I'm guessing there are a bunch of teams that would like him now.