The Danny Ainge Draft Appreciation Thread

[SHAQATTACK]

I agree with the OP's praise for Danny. He's generally draft very well considering his position each year.

He missed on Banks, Giddens and possibly Gerald Green - although he looks like he's coming around a bit now too. He might have missed on JJJ and he could have gotten David Lee in one of the drafts I think.

But overall very good.

When you look at the current crop of young players we have, if:

1. Rondo continues as he is - which he will...

2. Bradley's run last season until injured is no fluke - which I don't think it is.

3. JJJ and Moore can turn into decent role players - perhpas JJJ can become a high energy rebounding, shot blocking floor running big and Moore can become a steady back up combo guard  

 Now it gets interesting -

4. Jeff Green can become an 18 and 7 guy at SF

5. Sully can become a 20/10 guy at PF

6. Melo can become a floor running, defensive anchor center along the lines of Perkins just with more athleticism...

If this young core develops along these lines - Danny will look phenomenal.

That still wouldn't be a team that can truly compete for a title - but - it would be a team that you could add a couple max guys into and definitely compete for a titles...

And I think that's the best you hope for from your drafting when you're typically picking at 18 and above.

He's done a good job.  

I'll just add ...  K.J.  could be a nice value at 51st pick, playing ball like a top 20 pick , and showing he is a team player, mature , smooth and NBA ready body.  Nice 2/3 player who can get his own shot.   

[pp34isthe1]

DA has done great on the draft, I wish he could do something to get a top 3 pick for next year. Preferably 2, Noel or Shabazz are going to be franchise players.

Love the youth built on this team but I dont see the Celtics bringing in a major free agent piece within the next 5 years next to Rondo. More than likely we will have to build through the draft.

(EDIT) IMO there are 6 franchise players coming in the next 3 drafts and the Celtics need atleast 1 of them.

2013 Draft: Shabazz Muhammad, Nerlens Noel
2014 Draft: Jabari Parker, Julis Randle (forgot about Randle)
2015 Draft: Andrew Wiggings, Jahlil Okafor(maybe a little soon)


If you havent heard of them, look them up espically Parker/Wiggins. Parker might be the next Paul Pierce (he models his game after him). Wiggins is considered by many as the best high school prospect since Lebron.

[the_Bird]

Let's not forget one thing, though...

The year that we DID have the #5 overall pick....   from all accounts, that was going to be Yi!

Dodged a bullet there!

[AB_Celtic]

2013 Draft: Shabazz Muhammad, Nerlens Noel

Noel is a New England kid. Would be really cool to see him in green.

[Fred Roberts]

And we dodged a Robert Swift bullet too.

I am a big fan of Danny's drafting though for the most part.

Keepers / Potential Keepers:
Perk
TA
Delonte
Al Jeff
Rondo
Avery
BABY
Semih Automatic
Powe
Bill Walker
JJJ*
Melo*
Moore*
Kris Joseph*
Gerald Green*

Throw aways:
Brandon what's his name
Banks
Giddens
Pruitt (take Gasol's 7 ft brother - so obvious)
Reed
Orien Greene

That's all i can come up with. But the highest pick in that group was Al Jeff at #14 (I believe). Or Banks was #12 maybe. ..

If it weren't for trades, we coulda had Rudy Gay or Roy or Jeff Green but that's speculation.

[tarheelsxxiii]

The point is DA has allowed us to have a smooth transition from the Big Three era to the Rondo and Friends* era.

*Copyright 2012 AB_thefaithful_C

TP, son! I like it. And I'll quote it for TP-compensation.

[the_Bird]

And we dodged a Robert Swift bullet too.

I'll be a little contrarian and say that Swift wouldn't have been a BAD pick; he was turning into a very good player until he got hurt, which wasn't anything that would have been picked up in the scouting process.  He probably wouldn't have become as good a player as Big Al, but I don't give Danny any grief for wanting Swifty.