Danny Ainge has a history of making draft promises

[LooseCannon]

Reportedly, a draft promise from Ainge is what made Kendrick Perkins enter the NBA draft as a teenager rather than play for John Calipari at the University of Memphis.  He kept a second round promise to Orien Greene despite Amir Johnson falling.  There were rumors that Ainge may have made a promise to Monta Ellis in the same draft.  The Celtics may have made a promise to Reggie Jackson last season after he cancelled workouts, although the Nets, Blazers, and Heat were also mentioned as possibilities.

So, if there is evidence that a player has a draft promise (usually due to workouts being cancelled), Ainge is probably a good suspect if he has a pick in the appropriate part of the draft and the player is the kind of guy he takes.  This doesn't mean Ainge has made a promise to Royce White or any other player, just that he has a track record of doing so.

Are there other draft promise rumors in Ainge's past that I am missing?

[rondohondo]

Reportedly, a draft promise from Ainge is what made Kendrick Perkins enter the NBA draft as a teenager rather than play for John Calipari at the University of Memphis.  He kept a second round promise to Orien Greene despite Amir Johnson falling.  There were rumors that Ainge may have made a promise to Monta Ellis in the same draft.  The Celtics may have made a promise to Reggie Jackson last season after he cancelled workouts, although the Nets, Blazers, and Heat were also mentioned as possibilities.

So, if there is evidence that a player has a draft promise (usually due to workouts being cancelled), Ainge is probably a good suspect if he has a pick in the appropriate part of the draft and the player is the kind of guy he takes.  This doesn't mean Ainge has made a promise to Royce White or any other player, just that he has a track record of doing so.

Are there other draft promise rumors in Ainge's past that I am missing?

wasn't he really hot for Robert Swift , but then Seattle took him 1 pick before us leaving us to take Big Al? I  wonder if Danny did that as a smoke screen hmmmm

[droopdog7]

I seem to recall him making a promise to Marcus Banks?

[LooseCannon]

wasn't he really hot for Robert Swift , but then Seattle took him 1 pick before us leaving us to take Big Al? I  wonder if Danny did that as a smoke screen hmmmm

Swift was projected to go high enough that it would be stupid for him to agree to a draft promise.  Such promises make the most sense in the case of a player who fears he will slip beyond where mock drafts project him and a GM who thinks the player is capable of impressing enough in private workouts to earn being drafted ahead of where he is projected.  In theory, I think this works best if the GM determines that reported red flags are not really that big of a concern and doesn't want others to find out or if the player is not well scouted (perhaps coming from a small school/conference).

[Chris]

There were rumors that the Giddens pick was a draft promise.  There were also rumors that part of this promise was payback to Mark Bartelstein for delivering his other client on a bargain contract the previous summer, James Posey.

[Snakehead]

There were rumors that the Giddens pick was a draft promise.  There were also rumors that part of this promise was payback to Mark Bartelstein for delivering his other client on a bargain contract the previous summer, James Posey.

Never heard that... makes me feel better about the pick if true 

Was worth it for Posey.

[Yogi]

Has anyone confirmed definitely there was a promise.  I feel like these are the type of myths that perpetuate themselves.  Every draft people say well there were speculation that Danny promised this and Danny promised that which leads to more speculation which gives fire to future speculation.  The concept of a second round promise or even late first rounders seem weird to me. 

[mctyson]

Has anyone confirmed definitely there was a promise. 

You can't confirm these things.  Danny would never admit to it nor would the agent of the player.  It is designed to be a secret.

We either made the promise to Royce White or we floated it out there to get a team that is behind us nervous and to force a trade.  If the former happens, great.  If the latter happens, Danny is awesome.

[Jon]

There were rumors that the Giddens pick was a draft promise.  There were also rumors that part of this promise was payback to Mark Bartelstein for delivering his other client on a bargain contract the previous summer, James Posey.

Never heard that... makes me feel better about the pick if true 

Was worth it for Posey.

Hadn't heard the Posey part, but did hear that Giddens was a draft day promise. 

And I agree, if the Posey part was true, I suppose it was worth it. 

[LarBrd33]

we had a promise to Kedrick Brown... that was pre-Ainge, though.

[lon3lytoaster]

we had a promise to Kedrick Brown... that was pre-Ainge, though.

And Gilbert Arenas in the same draft. Again, pre Ainge, but that's why that dude used to love killing us. Because we broke that promise.

[pearljammer10]

Whatever promises there are i am hoping it comes true. I wanted Royce before all the draft talk began.