Celticsstrong 2021 Historical Draft - VOTES ARE IN

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Willing to talk trade of players or picks. PM me.

Willing to offer some future picks for Giannis so you don’t lose him for nothing in free agency next year 

[nickagneta]

Willing to talk trade of players or picks. PM me.

Willing to offer some future picks for Giannis so you don’t lose him for nothing in free agency next year 

For an 11th and 12th rounder and a huge TPE? Hmmmm! Will have to sleep on that.

[Who]

We're building for the "MODERN" NBA?

I think the mindset is that we are, correct?

Or is it more important that we "CAN" go Modern NBA OR Tall Frontline Style like the 80s or 90s? Meaning that we'll have an assortment of players on the roster that we can plug and play depending on match ups and styles?

Yeah, it's today rules.

My thinking prior to the draft was that teams would be like the NBA of 2005-2010 (KG's Celtics vs Gasol's Lakers) years. That most teams would have two legit bigs. It would be more physical. Probably more paint orientated than today's league. Threes would still play a big role but maybe not as much.

But we'll have to see how it all plays out.

Right now we have 8 centers drafted. Big centers in Moses, Artis, Jokic, M.Gasol, Sabonis and defensive centers in Big Ben, Gobert and DeAndre Jordan. So 5 offensively capable centers (two of them dominant - Moses and Jokic) and 3 defense-only centers.

The power forwards have 7 guys selected. Karl Malone and Shawn Kemp as old school PFs. Giannis as a combo forward who can play both physical or small and quick. Then more defensive minded PFs in Rodman and Draymond. Plus quick footed slight of frame PFs in Kirilenko (or was he drafted to play SF?) and Connie Hawkins. Only 3 of those guys - K.Malone, Giannis and Kemp - do you have to worry about bullying you in the paint although Rodman you have to worry about bullying you on the boards (he would clean house on these pretend PFs in the real life NBA nowadays).

You gotta be able to matchup with whoever is in this Historical League. It'll be interesting to see how big (or small) these teams end up being.

These are two big man combinations already selected:

(1) Giannis & DeAndre Jordan
(2) AK-47 & Artis Gilmore
(3) Karl Malone & Ben Wallace
(4) Rodman & Sabonis
(5) Draymond & Gobert

Not as big as I feared but still pretty big and 5 teams have yet to finish their big man duos. So it might get bigger or smaller or stay somewhat the same. Hard to tell. I'm not sure what to expect.

I'm trying to decide myself whether to go big, small and in-between with my big man selection tomorrow. So I am looking at these teams to see if any potential big man combo makes more sense to me in terms of matchups.

[GreenFaith1819]

We're building for the "MODERN" NBA?

I think the mindset is that we are, correct?

Or is it more important that we "CAN" go Modern NBA OR Tall Frontline Style like the 80s or 90s? Meaning that we'll have an assortment of players on the roster that we can plug and play depending on match ups and styles?

It was my understanding we would be playing with modern rules, but the players are who they are.  I mean everyone is going to have to account for guys like Moses Malone, no matter the rules, he is a beast to guard.

That is part of the reason I drafted Marc. He doesn't mind banging at all.

He proved this to me against Embiid....while he's older now he certainly slowed Embiid down, some...frustrated him a bit.

Make no mistake about it, though - Moses Malone was a LOAD even against HOF centers...even more so in this format, I believe.

But Marc gives me a quality Big that is willing to bang against him - and draw him outside with his jumper if needed.

[Darth_Yoda]

Only problem with some of the old school centers is they would get run around alot in todays game. Some obviously it wouldnt matter, like in this draft Gilmore.

He just an athletic freak.

But some of the old school bruisers would not fare well defending the 3pt line.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Only problem with some of the old school centers is they would get run around alot in todays game. Some obviously it wouldnt matter, like in this draft Gilmore.

He just an athletic freak.

But some of the old school bruisers would not fare well defending the 3pt line.

I’m not too worried about it. I can see a lot of teams with less mobile centers playing some drop coverage on pick and rolls. Of the centers selected so far, Jokic is the only real 3 point threat.

[Jvalin]

Only problem with some of the old school centers is they would get run around alot in todays game. Some obviously it wouldnt matter, like in this draft Gilmore.

He just an athletic freak.

But some of the old school bruisers would not fare well defending the 3pt line.

I’m not too worried about it. I can see a lot of teams with less mobile centers playing some drop coverage on pick and rolls. Of the centers selected so far, Jokic is the only real 3 point threat.

Sabonis was definitely a 3pt threat. The guy is 7'3'' and he was shooting 3s in the 80s! Imagine what he would have been doing in today's game! I would add Marc Gasol in that list as well.

Btw, I love your team! Best team in the draft thus far, imo. All 4 of your picks are team-first players!

Stockton: pass-first mentality + spaces the floor + he was a pest on D

Klay: spaces the floor + good defender + off-ball specialist (a must-have skill when building teams with multiple all-stars)

Rodman: elite D + rebounding

Sabas: Imo, the best passing big man of all time. Better passer than Jokic. Spaces the floor. Protects the rim. Very good post up defender. His only weakness was that he couldn't play D on the perimeter. I guess this is why you paired him with Rodman! Unfortunately, he was way past his prime when he signed for the Blazers. Even so, I believe he's one of the best Centers in this draft.

[GreenFaith1819]

Only problem with some of the old school centers is they would get run around alot in todays game. Some obviously it wouldnt matter, like in this draft Gilmore.

He just an athletic freak.

But some of the old school bruisers would not fare well defending the 3pt line.

I know Steve Kerr scoffed at the thought that Shaquille O'Neal wouldn't fare well in today's NBA.

I personally think that players like Moses, Gilmore and many others from back in the day would "MAKE" the NBA fit their games - being that they were "That Good".

Moses "looked" chubby but he wasn't....he was just physically tough and strong.

I winced every time he'd go up against Chief but cheered him on when he gave Kareem fits, lol.

[Moranis]

Only problem with some of the old school centers is they would get run around alot in todays game. Some obviously it wouldnt matter, like in this draft Gilmore.

He just an athletic freak.

But some of the old school bruisers would not fare well defending the 3pt line.

I just don't think that is true.  You are talking about players that played 80+ games and many of them 40+ mpg with a faster pace then the game is played today.  They were conditioned much better than they are today.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

Only problem with some of the old school centers is they would get run around alot in todays game. Some obviously it wouldnt matter, like in this draft Gilmore.

He just an athletic freak.

But some of the old school bruisers would not fare well defending the 3pt line.

I’m not too worried about it. I can see a lot of teams with less mobile centers playing some drop coverage on pick and rolls. Of the centers selected so far, Jokic is the only real 3 point threat.

Sabonis was definitely a 3pt threat. The guy is 7'3'' and he was shooting 3s in the 80s! Imagine what he would have been doing in today's game! I would add Marc Gasol in that list as well.

Btw, I love your team! Best team in the draft thus far, imo. All 4 of your picks are team-first players!

Stockton: pass-first mentality + spaces the floor + he was a pest on D

Klay: spaces the floor + good defender + off-ball specialist (a must-have skill when building teams with multiple all-stars)

Rodman: elite D + rebounding

Sabas: Imo, the best passing big man of all time. Better passer than Jokic. Spaces the floor. Protects the rim. Very good post up defender. His only weakness was that he couldn't play D on the perimeter. I guess this is why you paired him with Rodman! Unfortunately, he was way past his prime when he signed for the Blazers. Even so, I believe he's one of the best Centers in this draft.

I didn’t include Gasol and Sabonis in the list because (and it depends on what year is picked for Gasol) their best statistical seasons for this exercise did not involve them shooting 3’s at a high percentage.

It just so happens that in the 1998 season (the one I will likely choose for Sabonis) he only shot 26% from 3, even though he shot 37+% the 2 years prior. His 48% from 16 ft to the 3 point line was great though, and still helps with spacing.

I appreciate the positive feedback on my team. I’m definitely looking to add a go-to scorer to this starting lineup, I think there’s still a few good ones out there.

Edit: the more I look at my team, the more I think Paul Pierce would be a perfect fit at SF lol. If only 10th overall picks were eligible.

[GreenFaith1819]

We're building for the "MODERN" NBA?

I think the mindset is that we are, correct?

Or is it more important that we "CAN" go Modern NBA OR Tall Frontline Style like the 80s or 90s? Meaning that we'll have an assortment of players on the roster that we can plug and play depending on match ups and styles?

Yeah, it's today rules.

My thinking prior to the draft was that teams would be like the NBA of 2005-2010 (KG's Celtics vs Gasol's Lakers) years. That most teams would have two legit bigs. It would be more physical. Probably more paint orientated than today's league. Threes would still play a big role but maybe not as much.

But we'll have to see how it all plays out.

Right now we have 8 centers drafted. Big centers in Moses, Artis, Jokic, M.Gasol, Sabonis and defensive centers in Big Ben, Gobert and DeAndre Jordan. So 5 offensively capable centers (two of them dominant - Moses and Jokic) and 3 defense-only centers.

The power forwards have 7 guys selected. Karl Malone and Shawn Kemp as old school PFs. Giannis as a combo forward who can play both physical or small and quick. Then more defensive minded PFs in Rodman and Draymond. Plus quick footed slight of frame PFs in Kirilenko (or was he drafted to play SF?) and Connie Hawkins. Only 3 of those guys - K.Malone, Giannis and Kemp - do you have to worry about bullying you in the paint although Rodman you have to worry about bullying you on the boards (he would clean house on these pretend PFs in the real life NBA nowadays).

You gotta be able to matchup with whoever is in this Historical League. It'll be interesting to see how big (or small) these teams end up being.

These are two big man combinations already selected:

(1) Giannis & DeAndre Jordan
(2) AK-47 & Artis Gilmore
(3) Karl Malone & Ben Wallace
(4) Rodman & Sabonis
(5) Draymond & Gobert

Not as big as I feared but still pretty big and 5 teams have yet to finish their big man duos. So it might get bigger or smaller or stay somewhat the same. Hard to tell. I'm not sure what to expect.

I'm trying to decide myself whether to go big, small and in-between with my big man selection tomorrow. So I am looking at these teams to see if any potential big man combo makes more sense to me in terms of matchups.

Thanks for info.

I'll probably go with Marc's "Memphis" days.

Even though he was not shooting threes at a high clip then he DID have a reliable J - at a good range, too. And he was always able to defend at a high clip and was a very good and deft passer.

He was also willing to get physical down low with opposing Centers and he was rather durable.

You are also correct about building a team to defend different genres. Still quite a few gems out there.

[gouki88]

Still heaps of talent left on the board. A couple of flawed All-NBA guards and some sharpshooting wings stick out to me. Unsure which way to go with my next pick

[Roy H.]

I haven’t followed closely, but if Deandre Jordan is a starter in this Historic Draft, it’s gotta be the weakest one on record, right?

[RPGenerate]

I haven’t followed closely, but if Deandre Jordan is a starter in this Historic Draft, it’s gotta be the weakest one on record, right?

I think it more so shows that the center batch outside of the top 10 draft picks is pretty weak.

[Roy H.]

I haven’t followed closely, but if Deandre Jordan is a starter in this Historic Draft, it’s gotta be the weakest one on record, right?

I think it more so shows that the center batch outside of the top 10 is pretty weak.

Apparently so.  But my guess is that the full talent of any individual decade (starting in the 70s, perhaps sixties) will easily trump the non-top 10 talent of all decades.