The most incredible mix of veterans and young players in a couple of years...

[Ogaju]

..that is why you do not trade the Brooklyn picks. With those picks Celtics will be a great team for years to come. Danny gets that. Danny is gunning for Red-like status in Boston.

[jpotter33]

I still think you take a sure thing over a draft pick any day, especially one that hasn't been determined in an order yet. The Brooklyn pick could still end up 4th this year, even with the worst overall record.

If this summer the Kings want to extend and trade Cousins to us for the two Brooklyn picks, even after we've selected Fultz number one overall, then I think you still have to take the sure thing in the All-NBA/potentially MVP-level player in Cousins.

That number one pick would also dramatically decrease the rest of the package for him, too, so you could potentially keep Brown in that trade.

[Ogaju]

Cousins may be the only exception but only for the picks...nothing more other than fillers.

[mr. dee]

I still think you take a sure thing over a draft pick any day, especially one that hasn't been determined in an order yet. The Brooklyn pick could still end up 4th this year, even with the worst overall record.

If this summer the Kings want to extend and trade Cousins to us for the two Brooklyn picks, even after we've selected Fultz number one overall, then I think you still have to take the sure thing in the All-NBA/potentially MVP-level player in Cousins.

That number one pick would also dramatically decrease the rest of the package for him, too, so you could potentially keep Brown in that trade.

Cavs winning with Love is nice, but if Wiggins wins multiple rings, its gonna blow on their face. It's gonna be Ed Macauley for Bill Russell again. That's an "IF" only situation, though.

[LilRip]

Gotta disagree here. If you can land a superstar right now, you take it. Our team has vets in their prime (IT and Horford) and were at the cusp of contending. If it takes trading away our picks to land an all star like Cousins (or George, though that seems unlikely), I think it'd be wise to go all in.

[tarheelsxxiii]

I agree and have thought this for some time.  Those BKN picks should result in at least one stud and several quality players.  Andimportantly, utilizing them fits well with our timeline for contention (post-LBJ and GS eras).  Last, I don't consider Boogie a sure-thing (outside of talent) and I don't see any one potentially available that could make us contenders. Let's plan long-term and enjoy the likeable team DA has assembled in the meantime.

I was giddy to see our name at the top of this list recently: http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2017/.

[NHCelticsFan]

I was talking about this today with my brother.  We both agreed that Boogie would be worth it (to us at least).  Guy could dominate in Boston and make us a legit title contender.  IT, Al, Jae, and Brad could keep him in line.

If you walk away from that Brooklyn trade with Jaylen Brown and Boogie....

The back up plan of being competitive now and building for the future through the draft is not a bad situation to be in, but I think packaging those assets for a proven star is still the main goal.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I agree and have thought this for some time.  Those BKN picks should result in at least one stud and several quality players. Andimportantly, utilizing them fits well with our timeline for contention (post-LBJ and GS eras).  Last, I don't consider Boogie a sure-thing (outside of talent) and I don't see any one potentially available that could make us contenders. Let's plan long-term and enjoy the likeable team DA has assembled in the meantime.

This one word highlights the one thing that gives me pause: Draft picks are, on the whole, much less likely to succeed than proven NBA players.

Sure, it would be great if Boston could be, at worst, a top-3 team in each of the next several years while at the same time developing young guys who eventually become all-stars (or better), in the process raising Boston to the top of the heap and keeping the Celtics there for an extended period. I think that would be the ideal situation.

On the other hand, those Brooklyn picks could just as easily turn into Sam Bowie or Anthony Bennett as they could Blake Griffin or DeMarcus Cousins, particularly given that drafting seems to be the GMing thing Danny does least well (in comparison to his trades and free-agent acquisitions). What if, as is still a real possibility, Jaylen Brown becomes the next Dee Brown? Or Danny keeps the BKN picks and they end up being no better than Smart or Bradley—good players but not all-stars or all-NBA? That's a team that maybe gets to the ECF, but no farther. There are worse fates, for sure, but the ECF isn't the ultimate goal.

So, in the end, I tend to lean toward converting at least some of the picks into established talent (though I do get excited thinking about the prospect of "the next home-grown Celtics star" á la Pierce or Bird).

[tarheelsxxiii]

I agree and have thought this for some time.  Those BKN picks should result in at least one stud and several quality players. Andimportantly, utilizing them fits well with our timeline for contention (post-LBJ and GS eras).  Last, I don't consider Boogie a sure-thing (outside of talent) and I don't see any one potentially available that could make us contenders. Let's plan long-term and enjoy the likeable team DA has assembled in the meantime.

This one word highlights the one thing that gives me pause: Draft picks are, on the whole, much less likely to succeed than proven NBA players.

Sure, it would be great if Boston could be, at worst, a top-3 team in each of the next several years while at the same time developing young guys who eventually become all-stars (or better), in the process raising Boston to the top of the heap and keeping the Celtics there for an extended period. I think that would be the ideal situation.

On the other hand, those Brooklyn picks could just as easily turn into Sam Bowie or Anthony Bennett as they could Blake Griffin or DeMarcus Cousins, particularly given that drafting seems to be the GMing thing Danny does least well (in comparison to his trades and free-agent acquisitions). What if, as is still a real possibility, Jaylen Brown becomes the next Dee Brown? Or Danny keeps the BKN picks and they end up being no better than Smart or Bradley—good players but not all-stars or all-NBA? That's a team that maybe gets to the ECF, but no farther. There are worse fates, for sure, but the ECF isn't the ultimate goal.

So, in the end, I tend to lean toward converting at least some of the picks into established talent (though I do get excited thinking about the prospect of "the next home-grown Celtics star" á la Pierce or Bird).

Understand the pessimism, but may be wiser to take a shot at a major draft acquisition. This year's class iss strong, and some sites have Marvin Bagley as #1 in 2018 ahead of Ayton. Porter, Bamba and Doncic seem well-regarded too. Agree re: confidence in Ainge's drafting ability.

It's a gamble... but Cousins too, and may be better to strive for contention after GS/CLE has passed. I hope we can contend sooner than that, but I don't see it yet.

[Celtics4ever]

With those picks Celtics will be a great team for years to come. Danny gets that. Danny is gunning for Red-like status in Boston.

We are not a great team now.   We are fun team to watch and a good one.   But after seeing KO's regression, I have my doubts about Ainge as a drafter.   He is a top notch GM but perhaps only average there when not drafting guards.

[mctyson]

I still think you take a sure thing over a draft pick any day

You need to define what is a "sure thing" to put this in context.

For example, in my opinion, Anthony Davis is a sure thing.  Demarcus Cousins is not.

[mctyson]

..that is why you do not trade the Brooklyn picks. With those picks Celtics will be a great team for years to come. Danny gets that. Danny is gunning for Red-like status in Boston.

I agree, here is why:

I think a lot of people are underestimating the cost of a trade for someone like Cousins.  The Celtics have been getting railed on by media-types claiming they value their own players and picks too much, and need to get a "star."  This is not the case in my opinion, because you have to set some maximum amount you would give up to get someone like that in a trade.

I am quite certain the minimum asking price for Cousins (or someone in his class of player) will be Smart + Crowder/Bradley + Jaylen Brown + BK 17 and 18 picks.  That would completely gut our current team and any future we would have.  Maybe there is some variation you can make with one of the picks, maybe add protection on one, but make no mistake they are both gone in any trade. 

I think you can use the KG trade as a basic template for what it will cost (multiple young players and multiple 1st round picks), but add in the fact that draft picks and rookie contracts have more value now than ever, and that the Celtics have a few young veterans on reasonable contracts, and you can see why at team like SAC will require the mother load. 

KG was also 31 at that time of that trade.  Cousins and Paul George are 26.  Does anyone think that we are getting a player that age, with that ability, for anything less than everything we have?  Does anyone think that if we trade Smart and Crowder/Bradley in any deal we actually become a better team?