Poll: Celtics select #2 Next year. Who ya got

[clevelandceltic]

I havent changed much. Still have Tatum as my number 2. High level of skill. Can create space for his shot. His D is becoming alot better. Is an above average rebounder for his position  and with Duke being a little less dysfunctional I think he is coming into his own.

I also had a brief exchange with his trainer 2nds what I have been seeing over the last 3 years with him. He knows his weaknesses and works on them. Lastly on this exchange, this guy does skill work with Brad Beal in the offseason. Beal is an all star caliber player so this trainer knows how to help guys improve their abilities.

[footey]

I'd take Ball with the first pick, so if he's available at 2, of course Ball.

He seems to be the one guy destined to be a leader of a championship team. I concede that Fultz has more athletic skills, but the leadership qualities, the savvy, of Ball, is something that you need to compete for a championship. Does IT have that quality?  Sort of, but more in the form of, "hey, it's the 4th quarter, climb on my back to a victory" , and not in a guy who just makes it fun for his teammates to play with him.  He seems to have a Magic Johnson quality to him in his playing style.  I just think we will regret not drafting him.  Fultz is going to be a guy who will fill up the stat sheet, but just doesn't exude team leadership.

[aingeforthree]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

[Snakehead]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

That is definitely my rankings so I would be happy if Ainge picked along those lines.

[clevelandceltic]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

Interesting thought. I will say this, he has seen Jackson and Tatum and Brown for a very long time giving him a much larger sample size to work with. All of those guys are Team USA guys from about 15 or 16 onward. I have seen Tatum since his junior year in HS and I plan on going back and watching both Jackson and Tatum tape from 2014 at some point soon.

Anyways, speaking of Brown, I think your point is spot on when he looking at Brown's shooting. I think he had made an assessment based on years worth of games and not just his college stats.

[diconzo]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

I agree. Case in point #1:

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/52214/avery-bradley

[clevelandceltic]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

I agree. Case in point #1:

http://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/52214/avery-bradley

Good example. I think in this one and done era you have to go back as far as you can in the players HS career to begin scouting the player to get an idea of what he can do or how he has progressed especially how these college teams are just thrown together.

For instance, if you go back and look at Fultz his junior year you would see a guy whose game is really coming along quickly. His game has progressed more than Jackson and Tatum's over the last 2 years thus why I would pick him at 1 but those other two are just so good.

[chilidawg]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

So why not Ball if that's the case.  Wasn't he undefeated in high school and highly regarded?

Like Footey, he's still my number 1, so he's there at 2, I'd be delighted.  Jackson would be my next choice, I think I'd take him over Fultz.

[Dannys Chipotle Guy]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

So why not Ball if that's the case.  Wasn't he undefeated in high school and highly regarded?

Like Footey, he's still my number 1, so he's there at 2, I'd be delighted.  Jackson would be my next choice, I think I'd take him over Fultz.

Jackson was more highly regarded coming out of high school
http://www.draftexpress.com/RSCI/2016/?rpt=1&sort=11

[Granath]

I selected Ball simply because I think he's the #2 guy right now. I'm all for BPA. But guys like Jackson are attractive and frankly whoever we get will be like opening a great present on Christmas.

[chilidawg]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

So why not Ball if that's the case.  Wasn't he undefeated in high school and highly regarded?

Like Footey, he's still my number 1, so he's there at 2, I'd be delighted.  Jackson would be my next choice, I think I'd take him over Fultz.

Jackson was more highly regarded coming out of high school
http://www.draftexpress.com/RSCI/2016/?rpt=1&sort=11

True, but Ball was still highly regarded, #5 on that list.  I doubt (and hope) that that difference won't sway Ainge.

[clevelandceltic]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

So why not Ball if that's the case.  Wasn't he undefeated in high school and highly regarded?

Like Footey, he's still my number 1, so he's there at 2, I'd be delighted.  Jackson would be my next choice, I think I'd take him over Fultz.

Well there are a couple of things with Ball. Yes he was a top 15 player coming out of HS but he is relatively new on the scene. He wasnt a guy that played AAU. He wasnt on Team USA so you have much less tape on him.

You also have to remember that there were questions if Ball would even be a decent college player due to his style so its not like he is as well known as some of the guys mentioned above.

[chilidawg]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

So why not Ball if that's the case.  Wasn't he undefeated in high school and highly regarded?

Like Footey, he's still my number 1, so he's there at 2, I'd be delighted.  Jackson would be my next choice, I think I'd take him over Fultz.

Well there are a couple of things with Ball. Yes he was a top 15 player coming out of HS but he is relatively new on the scene. He wasnt a guy that played AAU. He wasnt on Team USA so you have much less tape on him.

You also have to remember that there were questions if Ball would even be a decent college player due to his style so its not like he is as well known as some of the guys mentioned above.

#5 on the ratings list linked above.  That's pretty highly thought of and well known.

[clevelandceltic]

It's Fultz or Jackson at 2. I believe Ainge's board goes like this:

1) Fultz
2) Jackson
3) Tatum

Like the Jaylen Brown pick, Ainge is extremely high on big time high school guys. The odds on betting against the prolific high schoolers are not good. Most (not all) usually succeed in the league.

So why not Ball if that's the case.  Wasn't he undefeated in high school and highly regarded?

Like Footey, he's still my number 1, so he's there at 2, I'd be delighted.  Jackson would be my next choice, I think I'd take him over Fultz.

Well there are a couple of things with Ball. Yes he was a top 15 player coming out of HS but he is relatively new on the scene. He wasnt a guy that played AAU. He wasnt on Team USA so you have much less tape on him.

You also have to remember that there were questions if Ball would even be a decent college player due to his style so its not like he is as well known as some of the guys mentioned above.

#5 on the ratings list linked above.  That's pretty highly thought of and well known.

Relative to other players like Jackson and Tatum  he wasnt as known. He was fairly new to the scene. DOesnt mean he wasnt highly ranked. Those guys had been around for 3 years vs Ball's just over 1. 

[sirnastee]

I would trade down to the 5th pick and try to get another asset or two and draft Johnathan Issac. 
I hate to judge a player by the way he looks, but Lonzo Ball does not look like he will be a superstar.  haha.  Really though, I don't think his game will translate into the NBA.  I will admit that he has elite court vision.  And he seems to be a money ball darling as he only shoots 3's or drives it to the hole.  I don't care about his unorthodox shot mechanics so much since it goes in.  But, he refuses to shoot the mid range shot, and as an elite point guard, he will need to have some sort of mid range game.  He isn't athletic or strong enough to drive it to the hoop against NBA point guards.  I really can't imagine him driving to the hoop successfully against R. Westbrook, K. Lowry, or any other elite point guard.  He seems to be afraid of contact as he barely shoots free throws and his shots at the rim are significantly worse when there is any contact.