Jackie Mac : C's like Exum a lot

[Rondohara]

Since Exum is the best player in this draft IMO, we better like him. The ones that don't draft him will regret it, it's another cause of guard undervaluation.

From what I've seen he has Jordan-esque skills.

But oh boy it's funny reading some guys talk like there is only basketball in the USA or that College basketball is a "serious competition"

you're probably the only that thinks Exum's the best player in this draft.  I could understand making the argument he's 4th best behind Embiid, Parker and Wiggins but not a better prospect than all 3 of them.

There are others with the same opinion. Not that this matter a lot, I'm just "placing my bet" on him.

It's all a hunch. To an extent. Don't delude yourselves into thinking those guys are surefire stars. From what I've watched these kids playing though, I would place my bet in Exum for superstardom more than the others.

In draft day the GM's will give their hunches and a minority of them will get it right.

[Smitty77]

Boston is stuck in the sorry east conf."......where we can't help but win games......I don t think we can lose enough games to get a top four pic anyway.......too many bad teams and west is forcing LA in to the top pick.

I think we wind up with Randle  picking 5 or 6  or 7...because he is best of the rest , until actual NBA experience proves different.


Should of traded Green and Bass off for the best offer........but well see

You do know we are likely without Sully, Bradley, Wallace, Fav, and Oly tonight, right?  Fav and GWall are likely done for the season.  We traded Crawford, Brooks, and most importantly, Lee.  Rondo is still NOT playing in back to backs.  We are pretty BAD!!!!  We just signed Babb who barely has over a +10 efficiency in the NBADL.  We should have a GREAT shot at a worst four finish.  Matter of fact, I will be stunned IF we are not in the worst four.  BTW, the Lakers won last night:-))))

Smitty77

[SHAQATTACK]

Boston is stuck in the sorry east conf."......where we can't help but win games......I don t think we can lose enough games to get a top four pic anyway.......too many bad teams and west is forcing LA in to the top pick.

I think we wind up with Randle  picking 5 or 6  or 7...because he is best of the rest , until actual NBA experience proves different.


Should of traded Green and Bass off for the best offer........but well see

You do know we are likely without Sully, Bradley, Wallace, Fav, and Oly tonight, right?  Fav and GWall are likely done for the season.  We traded Crawford, Brooks, and most importantly, Lee.  Rondo is still NOT playing in back to backs.  We are pretty BAD!!!!  We just signed Babb who barely has over a +10 efficiency in the NBADL.  We should have a GREAT shot at a worst four finish.  Matter of fact, I will be stunned IF we are not in the worst four.  BTW, the Lakers won last night:-))))

Smitty77

I hope your right ......

We better lose to the Pacers ...or we are in trouble . ...........

[Smokeeye123]

Boston is stuck in the sorry east conf."......where we can't help but win games......I don t think we can lose enough games to get a top four pic anyway.......too many bad teams and west is forcing LA in to the top pick.

I think we wind up with Randle  picking 5 or 6  or 7...because he is best of the rest , until actual NBA experience proves different.


Should of traded Green and Bass off for the best offer........but well see

You do know we are likely without Sully, Bradley, Wallace, Fav, and Oly tonight, right?  Fav and GWall are likely done for the season.  We traded Crawford, Brooks, and most importantly, Lee.  Rondo is still NOT playing in back to backs.  We are pretty BAD!!!!  We just signed Babb who barely has over a +10 efficiency in the NBADL.  We should have a GREAT shot at a worst four finish.  Matter of fact, I will be stunned IF we are not in the worst four.  BTW, the Lakers won last night:-))))

Smitty77

I hope your right ......

We better lose to the Pacers ...or we are in trouble . ...........

lakers are markedly worse than us. Kind of dumbfounding how weve lost to them twice i believe and are ahead of them tankwise. Id be surprised if we finished worse than them

[SHAQATTACK]

If Boston was in the west ......the lottery pick would be solidly in their favor.......
Just bites how awful the east is ...save the Heat and Pacers

[Eja117]

Saw a thread about this on realgm. Didn't hear it myself, but this is what was posted

Jackie MacMullan on CSNNE: "I keep hearing Dante Exum is someone (the Celtics) really like."

"In this draft, the Celtics had to be bad. I don't think he (Ainge) is denying that."

She basically said the Celtics are bad for a reason, and that's to get an impact player in this draft.

Jackie likes Randle. Would take Parker #1.

Rondo sending mixed signals. She doesn't think he knows yet if he wants to stay.

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1306387

Wish there was more video of this kid . From what I saw , he kind of looked like a Devin Harris to me....

This is why Celts fans love Jackie.....she picks a side. Ours. She's in on the smokescreen.  She's our secret agent.

[celticsfan8591]

Just about every year, there is a top 4 player that ends up performing tremendously worse than people expected or simply is a bust. Even in the Lebron draft there was a top 4 bust, Darko. It happens just about every year regardless of the overall quality of the draft.

So for those that think the top 4 this year is Embiid, Parker, Wiggins, Exxum, who is this year's top 4 bust? There is almost a guarantee it happens. So who is it?

The fact that Exxum has so little film on him and has an agent that doesn't want his client working out too much, I gotta think GMs that will have a top 4 pick might be scared off by that fact given they also know that a top 4 player is bound to bust.

Embiid is who I think is most likely to bust.  He hasn't played that long, and bigs always take a little longer to develop.  Guys his size seem more prone to injury to me too (don't explicitly know that, but back, leg, and foot problems seem to be the cost of doing business with 7-footers.)

Mind you, he's still #2 on my board, and if he busts, his pick wasn't a mistake.  It just didn't work.  It annoys me to no end when people call busted picks mistakes.  There is a lot of uncertainty with projecting 18-20 year-olds skill progression over the next 5-10 years.  A bad outcome is not necessarily indicative of bad decision-making.  It's part of the inherent risk.  (Note: I'm not saying that no busts are the result of bad picks -- certainly some are.  But I don't like the reflexive reaction of fans and media when players don't work out.)

Thank you! I 100% agree, it drives me crazy when people call Joe Dumars a moron for taking Darko when he was widely considered the next Dirk Nowitzki at the time.  Dumars IS a moron for blowing all that money on Gordon/Villanueva, signing Josh Smith when he already has Drummond/Monroe, etc., but there's nothing wrong with taking a highly touted prospect who fits a need and just doesn't pan out.

[Pucaccia]

Emblid has the most bust potential IMO. Gms may pass on him with the top two or three picks because of past history. Sam Bowie was drafted before Jordan, Oden before Durant. This could easily be a repeat where the next great scorer is drafted after a big man bust because centers get valued more. Still, we may be due for the draft where the big man with great potential works out and the wing player becomes the next Ricky Davis

Everything I see from Embid is not Bust.  He is the most exciting player I have seen since Durant. This guy is no way near a bust. Just his hustle and his athletic ability has stud written ll over him.  He is a game changer in the way Garnett changes games. Every player is a risk. This guy is not a risk.

Before you get all up in it, I am not saying he is Garnett or Durant.  I like his style.

[vjcsmoke]

Exum - Jordan-like skills?  LOL

I don't see it.  I do like the way he slashes and creates on offense.  But I don't see him as the kind of guy who dominates the game with his defense, his mind, his will, and his offense.  Jordan was so great not just because of his offense, which was unstoppable when he put his mind to it.  But defensively he could hound you, force mistakes, and make you pay for the turnover.

Now the question with Exum is what position does he play at the next level?  If he's a PG then you need to move Rondo.  If he's a shooting guard, his offense has to get a lot better, especially shooting the ball.

Here's a scouting report:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1921779-the-ultimate-dante-exum-2014-nba-draft-scouting-report

Basically if he turns into the next Curry or Westbrook, you should be very happy with what you're getting.  Let's get real though folks, Jordan. R-E-A-L-L-Y?  Come on man!! 

[blink]

Since Exum is the best player in this draft IMO, we better like him. The ones that don't draft him will regret it, it's another cause of guard undervaluation.

From what I've seen he has Jordan-esque skills.

But oh boy it's funny reading some guys talk like there is only basketball in the USA or that College basketball is a "serious competition"

Man the level of hyperbole on this board is just getting out of hand.  So now Exum has "Jordan-esque skills"?  So the one guy that we have the least info/data on is obviously the one that is the best player?  I am sure that DA and the C's have a lot more to go on with Exum's likely draft slot that we do.  Thank goodness.

[Celtics4ever]

Exum has picked a side too, Lakers or bust.

[Smokeeye123]

Exum would be a good fit in LA if they dont trade their pick for Love or something. I'd honestly be surprised if the Lakers dont end up with him barring them getting lucky in the lottery getting a top 2-3 pick.

[Rondohara]

Man the level of hyperbole on this board is just getting out of hand.  So now Exum has "Jordan-esque skills"? 

But hey, isn't Embiid Hakeem?  Don't you "know" this draft has "lots" off ranchise players...  That's the true hyperbole.  Obviously my comment is with that intent.

The chance of Exum being Jordan-esque is low, but in someway it's there (I've seen a possibility there). I'll keep my "prediction", if there is a superstar in this draft it's more likely Exum in my sight.

No use debating this now since most opinions pre-draft will turn out wrong.

My point is that if the Celtics like him that's a good thing.
Him liking LA... well that sucks. If I'm right... which is just a small chance of happening.

[crimson_stallion]

Ok I really like Exum, and I honestly think he's going to be the best player from this draft.

But...Jordan-esque skills? I think that's just a little crazy.

Everything I see in Exum just screams future Penny Hardaway / Paul George.

Firstly he has exceptional physical attributes - he has a very rare combination or size, length, vertical, speed and lateral quickness.  Those are qualities you can't teach or train, they are natural given talents.

Secondly he has the court vision, ball handling, passing skills and IQ to be a natural PG...but his length, height and post up skills would allow him to create huge matchup problems against NBA point guards.

Thirdly he has the explosiveness, length and finishing ability to score against length off dribble penetration against either PG's or SG's.

Finally he has good rebounding skills for a guard, which (combined with his size, length and post game) may allow him to play some SF if he bulks up.

Defensively he has all the natural talents to develop into an elite defender who could guard three positions on the court.

Basically Exum's biggest limitations right now is his jump shot - his shot is not bad, he just has inconsistent mechanics.  He does look like he has potential to improve it in that regard.

The other limitation is his lack of physical strength.  One look at Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard in their rookie years (versus now) shows that this is far from a sign of a player being doomed.

If Exum can develop a consistent jumper and bulk up a little he could be a bonafide superstar.

I don't really see that type of potential in anybody else in the draft outside of maybe Wiggins.  Wiggins also seems to have a very good combination of physical talent, basketball skill and basketball IQ.