What If Danny Really Was the Best GM in the World?

[knuckleballer]

While the theme of this thread is kinda stupid, the reality of the fact that ainge's ability to spot talent beyond the high picks is a serious question mark.

As much as I'd like to bash him for the olynyk pick I can't. I had high hopes for him, which is why I've been very critical of him over the years. Because my father in law got me psyched about him as he talked to a spurs scout who told him "if olynyks skills translate to the NBA then the C's got the steal of the draft". And the rest is history.

Anyway the problem with ainge imo is he's afraid to lose when it comes to drafting. Look at all his picks, they're all basically the same player.

Also I'm an old man and my memory is horrible so I need someone to remind me. Who the hell did danny draft in phoenix? I remember them being pretty [dang] good at that time.

Danny didn’t draft anyone in Phoenix.  Bryan Colangelo was the GM, not Ainge.  They did do well drafting at the time, drafting Nash, Stephen Jackson, and Marion.

[todd_days_41]

I love this thread. I’ll say it again:

Drafting in the teens of the NBA Draft: Ainge is one of the worst of all time.

Everything else: Ainge is elite.

[slamtheking]

I love this thread. I’ll say it again:

Drafting in the teens of the NBA Draft: Ainge is one of the worst of all time.

Everything else: Ainge is elite.

really?  I'd say Rondo, Al Jefferson and Avery Bradley were excellent picks.  Gerald Green was an understandable pick who did make his way back to the NBA after several years out of the league.  Terry Rozier was a very good pick.  Too early to judge Romeo and Nesmith.  other than Young and Yabusele, who did he pick in the teens that you think was so bad that it negates 2 excellent picks?  the answer --none because that's all of them.

need to familiarize yourself with the players he actually drafted so you can better understand that Danny's drafting has been more than solid overall. 

if you want to criticize how he's handled the picks in 2016 and 2020 because he essentially wasted the picks used on Yabu, Zizic and Bane in the first rounds by having to draft and stash or trade for much lesser assets because he failed to make a deal for a vet, draft a better player or deal them for future firsts, that's a legit discussion to have.

[BringToughnessBack]

Why do I not have option to block trolls who have taken over this site? Yes, the best GM never misses when swinging for the fences- 100 percent best player in every year is required- I am more ashamed at me responding but this is beyond old for me.

Who constantly stirs the pot but someone who is a very small person inside?

[todd_days_41]

need to familiarize yourself with the players he actually drafted so you can better understand that Danny's drafting has been more than solid overall. 

I really don’t. No player Ainge has drafted in the teens has ever made an All-Star team. None.

Al Jefferson is the closest thing to a “star” Ainge ever selected in the teens. He was drafted in 2004.... 17 years ago.

And no — Rondo was not selected in the teens.

Don’t get your blood up, I’m simply pointing out the anomaly that Ainge is particularly lousy at picks with “teen” in ‘em.

And as stated, Ainge is literally a world class GM on the whole except for said anomaly.

[Roy H.]

No player Ainge has drafted in the teens has ever made an All-Star team. None.

Al Jefferson is the closest thing to a “star” Ainge ever selected in the teens. He was drafted in 2004.... 17 years ago.

Yep, Big Al made All-NBA.  He was a great pick.

I think you’re being too hard on the “teens” picks.  Danny has been hit or miss, which is what I expect in that range.

Hits:  Big Al, Rozier, Bradley, Olynyk

Misses: Yabu, Young, Gerald, Banks

Undecided: Langford, Nesmith

Did I forget any teens picks?  That’s four hits, four misses, and two incompletes.

[gouki88]

I love this thread. I’ll say it again:

Drafting in the teens of the NBA Draft: Ainge is one of the worst of all time.

Everything else: Ainge is elite.

Care to point out a GM that is routinely elite at picking in the teens? The nature of picks in that range is volatile, as evidenced by the numerous studies into the value of such picks.

[knuckleballer]

I love this thread. I’ll say it again:

Drafting in the teens of the NBA Draft: Ainge is one of the worst of all time.

Everything else: Ainge is elite.

Care to point out a GM that is routinely elite at picking in the teens? The nature of picks in that range is volatile, as evidenced by the numerous studies into the value of such picks.

Not sure about picks in the teens, but the best gm and drafter ever, one man stands alone...

[todd_days_41]

No player Ainge has drafted in the teens has ever made an All-Star team. None.

Al Jefferson is the closest thing to a “star” Ainge ever selected in the teens. He was drafted in 2004.... 17 years ago.

Yep, Big Al made All-NBA.  He was a great pick.

I think you’re being too hard on the “teens” picks.  Danny has been hit or miss, which is what I expect in that range.

Hits:  Big Al, Rozier, Bradley, Olynyk

Misses: Yabu, Young, Gerald, Banks

Undecided: Langford, Nesmith

Did I forget any teens picks?  That’s four hits, four misses, and two incompletes.

Big Al made 3rd Team All-NBA in 2014 with the Bobcats many, many years after he was traded from the Cs. No All-Star selections.

He was a great pick, the best Ainge has ever made in the teens. That was in Ainge’s 2nd draft... a long time ago.

I do not consider Olynyk a “hit”. But that ground has been covered here a million times. And Bradley and Rozier are NBA rotation players. Great. I’d expect nothing less from Ainge with a mid-to-high first round pick.

Perhaps I was a touch hyperbolic about how bad that area of Ainge’s record has been. But it hasn’t been great, including some huge misses.

Maybe it’s accentuated by the fact that two years in a row now guys who play the same position / drafted soon after as our teen draftee are WAY outperforming our player, including a dude dropping a 30 point double double on us last night.

[knuckleballer]

No player Ainge has drafted in the teens has ever made an All-Star team. None.

Al Jefferson is the closest thing to a “star” Ainge ever selected in the teens. He was drafted in 2004.... 17 years ago.

Yep, Big Al made All-NBA.  He was a great pick.

I think you’re being too hard on the “teens” picks.  Danny has been hit or miss, which is what I expect in that range.

Hits:  Big Al, Rozier, Bradley, Olynyk

Misses: Yabu, Young, Gerald, Banks

Undecided: Langford, Nesmith

Did I forget any teens picks?  That’s four hits, four misses, and two incompletes.

Big Al made 3rd Team All-NBA in 2014 with the Bobcats many, many years after he was traded from the Cs. No All-Star selections.

He was a great pick, the best Ainge has ever made in the teens. That was in Ainge’s 2nd draft... a long time ago.

I do not consider Olynyk a “hit”. But that ground has been covered here a million times. And Bradley and Rozier are NBA rotation players. Great. I’d expect nothing less from Ainge with a mid-to-high first round pick.

Perhaps I was a touch hyperbolic about how bad that area of Ainge’s record has been. But it hasn’t been great, including some huge misses.

Maybe it’s accentuated by the fact that two years in a row now guys who play the same position / drafted soon after as our teen draftee are WAY outperforming our player, including a dude dropping a 30 point double double on us last night.

Bey was great last night, but he hasn’t been lighting it up all season.  I wouldn’t be surprised if both Langford and Nesmith are better players than him two years from now.  The reports on Bey was that he had a high floor and low ceiling.  Langford and Nesmith are both projects.  I just wish Ainge would bring in a veteran player to help this team this season.  He still can.

[todd_days_41]

No player Ainge has drafted in the teens has ever made an All-Star team. None.

Al Jefferson is the closest thing to a “star” Ainge ever selected in the teens. He was drafted in 2004.... 17 years ago.

Yep, Big Al made All-NBA.  He was a great pick.

I think you’re being too hard on the “teens” picks.  Danny has been hit or miss, which is what I expect in that range.

Hits:  Big Al, Rozier, Bradley, Olynyk

Misses: Yabu, Young, Gerald, Banks

Undecided: Langford, Nesmith

Did I forget any teens picks?  That’s four hits, four misses, and two incompletes.

Big Al made 3rd Team All-NBA in 2014 with the Bobcats many, many years after he was traded from the Cs. No All-Star selections.

He was a great pick, the best Ainge has ever made in the teens. That was in Ainge’s 2nd draft... a long time ago.

I do not consider Olynyk a “hit”. But that ground has been covered here a million times. And Bradley and Rozier are NBA rotation players. Great. I’d expect nothing less from Ainge with a mid-to-high first round pick.

Perhaps I was a touch hyperbolic about how bad that area of Ainge’s record has been. But it hasn’t been great, including some huge misses.

Maybe it’s accentuated by the fact that two years in a row now guys who play the same position / drafted soon after as our teen draftee are WAY outperforming our player, including a dude dropping a 30 point double double on us last night.

Bey was great last night, but he hasn’t been lighting it up all season.  I wouldn’t be surprised if both Langford and Nesmith are better players than him two years from now.  The reports on Bey was that he had a high floor and low ceiling.  Langford and Nesmith are both projects.  I just wish Ainge would bring in a veteran player to help this team this season.  He still can.

I get the upside argument. But it’s not a forgone conclusion that Bey can’t be more than what the prognosticators have stated.

At the end of the day, proof is in the pudding. He sure looked like an NBA player last night. And that Nesmith can’t crack the current Celtics wing rotation is not a great initial sign.

[knuckleballer]

No player Ainge has drafted in the teens has ever made an All-Star team. None.

Al Jefferson is the closest thing to a “star” Ainge ever selected in the teens. He was drafted in 2004.... 17 years ago.

Yep, Big Al made All-NBA.  He was a great pick.

I think you’re being too hard on the “teens” picks.  Danny has been hit or miss, which is what I expect in that range.

Hits:  Big Al, Rozier, Bradley, Olynyk

Misses: Yabu, Young, Gerald, Banks

Undecided: Langford, Nesmith

Did I forget any teens picks?  That’s four hits, four misses, and two incompletes.

Big Al made 3rd Team All-NBA in 2014 with the Bobcats many, many years after he was traded from the Cs. No All-Star selections.

He was a great pick, the best Ainge has ever made in the teens. That was in Ainge’s 2nd draft... a long time ago.

I do not consider Olynyk a “hit”. But that ground has been covered here a million times. And Bradley and Rozier are NBA rotation players. Great. I’d expect nothing less from Ainge with a mid-to-high first round pick.

Perhaps I was a touch hyperbolic about how bad that area of Ainge’s record has been. But it hasn’t been great, including some huge misses.

Maybe it’s accentuated by the fact that two years in a row now guys who play the same position / drafted soon after as our teen draftee are WAY outperforming our player, including a dude dropping a 30 point double double on us last night.

Bey was great last night, but he hasn’t been lighting it up all season.  I wouldn’t be surprised if both Langford and Nesmith are better players than him two years from now.  The reports on Bey was that he had a high floor and low ceiling.  Langford and Nesmith are both projects.  I just wish Ainge would bring in a veteran player to help this team this season.  He still can.

I get the upside argument. But it’s not a forgone conclusion that Bey can’t be more than what the prognosticators have stated.

At the end of the day, proof is in the pudding. He sure looked like an NBA player last night. And that Nesmith can’t crack the current Celtics wing rotation is not a great initial sign.

Bey might have been the right pick for this team.  We won’t know though for awhile.  He actually hasn’t done much against teams that aren’t the Celtics.  Even Semi has occasional good games.  Michael Carter Williams looked like a star his rookie year and Jimmy Butler a scrub.  It’s too soon to pass judgment.

If the Celtics held on to Hayward or if they can add a player like Barnes, Bey wouldn’t get playing time on the Celtics... at least when healthy.

[GreenWarrior]

While the theme of this thread is kinda stupid, the reality of the fact that ainge's ability to spot talent beyond the high picks is a serious question mark.

As much as I'd like to bash him for the olynyk pick I can't. I had high hopes for him, which is why I've been very critical of him over the years. Because my father in law got me psyched about him as he talked to a spurs scout who told him "if olynyks skills translate to the NBA then the C's got the steal of the draft". And the rest is history.

Anyway the problem with ainge imo is he's afraid to lose when it comes to drafting. Look at all his picks, they're all basically the same player.

Also I'm an old man and my memory is horrible so I need someone to remind me. Who the hell did danny draft in phoenix? I remember them being pretty [dang] good at that time.

Danny didn’t draft anyone in Phoenix.  Bryan Colangelo was the GM, not Ainge.  They did do well drafting at the time, drafting Nash, Stephen Jackson, and Marion.

Thanks for reminding me. So what position
was ainge at that time?

[GreenWarrior]

No player Ainge has drafted in the teens has ever made an All-Star team. None.

Al Jefferson is the closest thing to a “star” Ainge ever selected in the teens. He was drafted in 2004.... 17 years ago.

Yep, Big Al made All-NBA.  He was a great pick.

I think you’re being too hard on the “teens” picks.  Danny has been hit or miss, which is what I expect in that range.

Hits:  Big Al, Rozier, Bradley, Olynyk

Misses: Yabu, Young, Gerald, Banks

Undecided: Langford, Nesmith

Did I forget any teens picks?  That’s four hits, four misses, and two incompletes.

Every one of those "hits" are questionable imo. What are or were those players?

Ultimately those players amounted to nothing, sure al landed us KG but the players themselves we're essentially nothing

[Quetzalcoatl]

Rondo