Dannys worst draft?

[perks-a-beast]

Since Danny Ainge became GM of the Celtics in May of 2003, he's been regarded as one of the best late round drafters in the NBA. But Danny has made his share of mistakes just like very other GM. In which draft do you think Ainge mucked up most?

2003: Danny's first draft ever with the Celtics is one of the greatest drafts in recent memory. Ainge traded Troy Bell (16th) and Dahntay Jones (20th) to Memphis for Marcus Banks (13th) and Kendrick Perkins (27th). The trade, in the long run, slightly favored the Celtics. Banks was a bust but Perkins turned out to be an crucial part of the 07-08 title team and is the only player from the trade still in the NBA. Some notable players the Celtics missed out on include David West, Boris Diaw, Leandro Barbosa, Mo Williams and Kyle Korver. The Celtics also drafted Brandon Hunter in the late 2nd round, who actually gave some valuable minutes the next season.

2005: The Celts took Gerald Green (18th), Ryan Gomes (50th), and Orien Green (53rd). I remember thinking Boston made out like bandits but Gerald Green was R-A-W and got very little run under Doc Rivers. While he may currently be the best in game dunker in the NBA, it took Gerald 7 years to become an effective NBA player. The Celtics missed out on Nate Robinson (Well, at least we had him for a little bit), Jarrett Jack, David Lee, Ersan Ilyasova, Monta Ellis, Lou Williams, Andray Blatche and Marcin Gortat. Looking back, that draft was very deep. 

2008: Danny took J.R. Giddens (30th), Semih Erden (60th) and traded for Bill Walker (47th). I wasn't particularly high on any of those guys but couldn't complain much considering the Celtics were coming of a championship season, but looking back, Ainge passed on DeAndre Jordan, Nikola Pekovic, Mario Chalmers, Omer Asik and Goran Dragic. Needless to say things could have been very different these past 6 years.

2010: Avery Bradley was drafted 19th and did not contribute much his first 2 years. The draft didn't turn out to be too deep with talent but were 2 notable guards taken after Bradley. Luke Harangody was drafted 52nd (going to be honest, I completely forgot about him until I looked that up).

2011: The Celtics traded Marshon Brooks (25th) for JaJuan Johnson (27th). Both players eventually ended up with Boston but both with underwhelming stints. Ainge passed up on Jimmy Butler, Chandler Parsons, Kyle Singler and Lavoy Allen. E'Twaun Moore was taken 55th with Isaiah Thomas still on the board.

2012: The Celtics got a gift from the gods with Sullinger sliding down to them at 21 because of injury concerns, after being projected as a sure fire top 10 pick. The Celtics then picked Fab Melo at 22, who doesn't seem like he'll be playing anywhere other than the D-League anytime soon. Tony Wroten, Miles Plumlee, Jeff Taylor, Draymond Green and Khris Middleton were taken after. Kris Joseph was taken at 51, which I was initially excited about, but Joseph has yet to make a name for himself in the NBA.

2013: Probably way too early to tell but I know a lot of fellow Celtics fans who were really upset about this draft, probably having something to do with that being the night KG and PP were traded which brings up some ill emotions.

I'm not making this thread to criticize Danny Ainge by any means. Actually, all in all, I consider him an above average scout of talent. But again, it's pretty clear there is a ton of "what ifs" when it comes to his past 10 years drafting. And, as always, I'm interested to hear your guys take on this.

And here's to hoping 2014 is his best draft yet!!

[aingeforthree]

It's extremely tough to criticize any of those drafts just based on the location of the picks.  His first picks in these drafts came at 16, 18, 30, 19, 25, & 21..... Just a terrible location to judge from really.

[nickagneta]

It's extremely tough to criticize any of those drafts just based on the location of the picks.  His first picks in these drafts came at 16, 18, 30, 19, 25, & 21..... Just a terrible location to judge from really.

While I agree with this, the one exception I would have is the 2008 pick of Giddens. The players chosen after Giddens were shown to be highly regarded with excellent chances of making it in the NBA. Many of those players were predicted to go first round at some time in the months leading up to the draft. Giddens was an unknown, not thought highly of by scouts and draftnik prognosticators and had a checkered past at his schools.

It was perhaps the worst pick of the Ainge era and seriously hurt this team.

But then again in this criticism, like some of the lists of bypassed players above, is with passing over second round talent and that's just an unfair critique almost all the time. 2nd round picks are so hit or miss its just not right to call out a draft pick in the first round because the guy chosen at 55 or 60 became something somewhere else. That stuff happens for every team over a period time. Eventually every team gets really lucky with a good 2nd round pick

[Donoghus]

It's certainly nitpicking because we were starting with the 30th pick and playing with 20/20 hindsight but the 2008 draft bugs with a bit.

Coming off a championship, it would've been great to find that gem to help provide depth for the C's.  Something that ultimately ended up hurting them down the stretch in '09. 

[Cman]

Thanks for putting this together.
The 2008 draft is the one that stings.
Overall, I've been pretty happy with Danny's drafting.

[lon3lytoaster]

2008, by far. I really wanted Bill Walker with 30, to be honest but I was shocked when Jordan was there. He was projected near top ten just earlier in the day. Not taking him was a pretty significant mistake given what Doc has gotten out of him in Los Angeles. With KG, Doc and Rondo here he could have been special for us.

And when he finally did decide to take the raw center, it was Fab Melo whom I'm quite sure almost anyone could of called "bust" on that one. I really liked Wroten and was interested in PJ3.

[footey]

2008 for passing on Jordan.  That was one that left me scratching my head.  Few had Giddens being drafted, never mind in the first round.  Case of Danny getting too cute for his own good.  Reminds me of his trading pick and passing on good players in 2006 (Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay) for Sebastian Telfair, although he redeemed himself well by getting Rondo later in the draft. All is forgiven. That was a steal.

[RebusRankin]

2008, Jordan or Pekovic would have been fantastic to have in 2008/2009 and 2009/2010.

[SHAQATTACK]

Seeing that he was mostly drafting far out of the lottery .....heck.....he hasn't done too bad I guess.

After the first ten or so picks most years you need to be Wizard and have a crystal ball to guess who might be a decent pro.

Trying to build a team picking in the 12 - 30 range and beyond is going to take a huge amount of luck.

Getting Rondo was lucky .....Getting Sully and KO was using the old noodle.

Danny likes value .....diamonds in the ruff.....flipping players for more value per dollar spent.

That's why he won't hesitate to take Randle.

[footey]

Seeing that he was mostly drafting far out of the lottery .....heck.....he hasn't done too bad I guess.

After the first ten or so picks most years you need to be Wizard and have a crystal ball to guess who might be a decent pro.

Trying to build a team picking in the 12 - 30 range and beyond is going to take a huge amount of luck.

Getting Rondo was lucky .....Getting Sully and KO was using the old noodle.

Danny likes value .....diamonds in the ruff.....flipping players for more value per dollar spent.

That's why he won't hesitate to take Randle.

If you mean he will draft/flip Randle on draft night, I agree there is a strong possibility of that happening. But he is not drafting him with a top 7 pick and then keeping him for a while to trade him down the road.

[freshinthehouse]

Someone with a better memory than me can clarify this, but wasn't Pekovic pretty much guaranteed to go to the team with the 1st pick in the 2nd round?  Something to do with his buyout, and the money he was making in Europe, and that getting signed to a long-term late 1st round deal would not have been in his best interest?

[Boris Badenov]

Someone with a better memory than me can clarify this, but wasn't Pekovic pretty much guaranteed to go to the team with the 1st pick in the 2nd round?  Something to do with his buyout, and the money he was making in Europe, and that getting signed to a long-term late 1st round deal would not have been in his best interest?

From wikipedia:

Many draft experts considered him a top 10 pick, but due to his contract situation with his team in Europe he was selected much lower. He was considered a lock to be drafted with the first pick of the second round because players selected in the second round are not subject to the rookie scale contracts of the first round. This meant that the team that drafted him would be able to pay him more than those players selected later in the first round. Due to the amount of money Peković was making in Europe already, he likely would not have made the jump to the NBA for the amount of money that could be paid to a late first round player. It was reported on June 30, 2010, that Peković had agreed with the Wolves to a 3-year, $13 million gross income deal.