What about Brad?

[vjcsmoke]

Brad Stevens was more worried about crafting the roster to win championships than hitting in the draft. He did accomplish that.

Sadly financial constraints and Tatum's injury mean we had to pretty much give away two championship pieces in Holiday and Porzingis.

But we still have the core of Tatum, Brown, and White.

As for Hugo, he's a 19 year old who was highly considered as a top 5 international player before the bottom fell out of his stock. Who knows, what difference does a year make? Kid is still young enough to have a high ceiling to improve.

I would expect to see more from Scheierman in the upcoming season.

Hugo might be a long term development prospect. His offensive game doesn't look near polished enough and he will probably spend a lot of time in Maine.

Thankfully NBADL doesn't mean - will never make the NBA anymore.

Brad has spent exactly two 1st round picks on actual players. The rest were moved away in trades, and I don't regret it because it got us our last title in 2024.

[Goldstar88]

Is drafting Brads Achilles heal as GM? This years draft looks like another swing and miss. Hugo has some potential,  but it seems like he should be stashed overseas or full time in Maine. The other guys just stink. Scheierman, last years 1st round pick looks like a bust.

[Roy H.]

Is drafting Brads Achilles heal? This years draft looks like another swing and miss. Hugo has some potential,  but it looks like he should be stashed overseas or full time in Maine. The other guys just stink.

It's a little premature on Hugo, but overall Brad's drafting batting average is around .000.

I mentioned a few months back, I missed Danny's drafting.  They got Sensabough and Filipowski; we passed on both to end up with Walsh and Scheierman.

[Donoghus]

I'd say it's more of an incomplete than anything.  What's the highest he's picked? 28th?  At that point, I've always felt the draft was more of a crapshoot than anything else. 

[slamtheking]

I'd say it's more of an incomplete than anything.  What's the highest he's picked? 28th?  At that point, I've always felt the draft was more of a crapshoot than anything else.

true but Brad's track record so far is to either trade away the picks or continue to outsmart himself by continually trading a pick to move further back in the draft and acquire future second rounders that either don't get used or are themselves used to trade back and acquire more.  The issue is that by the time he finally stops trading back, there's no one left on the draft board that's worth picking

[Goldstar88]

Is drafting Brads Achilles heal? This years draft looks like another swing and miss. Hugo has some potential,  but it looks like he should be stashed overseas or full time in Maine. The other guys just stink.

It's a little premature on Hugo, but overall Brad's drafting batting average is around .000.

I mentioned a few months back, I missed Danny's drafting.  They got Sensabough and Filipowski; we passed on both to end up with Walsh and Scheierman.

I will give him a pass on Walsh, as some of the Mocks had him going late first round. The other one is just really frustrating. Every mock I saw had Flipowski going ahead of Scheierman. PF/C was a need as well considering Horfords age and KP?s injury history.

With the new CBA, seems like it?s going to be really important to hit later in the draft. Have to take advantage of those lower salary rookie contracts.

[Goldstar88]

I'd say it's more of an incomplete than anything.  What's the highest he's picked? 28th?  At that point, I've always felt the draft was more of a crapshoot than anything else.

Other GMs are able to find rotation players later in the draft, though. For example, Danny took Robert Williams, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard in consecutive drafts.

[Goldstar88]

dup

[Vermont Green]

So every pick that I am aware of are as follows:

Begarin         2021  #45  (Ainge may have had more of a hand in this one)
Davison         2022  #53
Scheierman   2024  #30
Watson         2024  #54
Gonzalez       2025  #28
Williams        2025  #46
Shulga          2025  #57

I don't know how you even grade that.  There is so little to work with.  The focus for that period was using picks to get actual players, which Stevens did pretty well.  As to the players that he did pick with the picks he had, certainly no big wins.  But I also don't think it is fair to go back and say he could have pick so and so.  There are always late round surprises that nearly every team could have picked but didn't.  But can you conclude that Stevens is a bad judge of draft talent based on this?   I don't know, I still would have a lot of trust in Brad, drafting or otherwise.

As to the most recent picks, I am perfectly happy with Gonzales and Williams for where they were taken.  Shulga not so much.  I view them currently as good picks, or at least as good as can be expected considering where taken.

[Donoghus]

I'd say it's more of an incomplete than anything.  What's the highest he's picked? 28th?  At that point, I've always felt the draft was more of a crapshoot than anything else.

Other GMs are able to find rotation players later in the draft, though. For example, Danny took Robert Williams, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard in consecutive drafts.

You also just rattled off 3 guys who were drafted higher than any pick Stevens has had & kept.

I'm not denying that you can find quality rotation players late. It's just that the hit rate is much lower due to the crapshoot aspect of picking lower.  Also given the rosters the Celtics have had since 2021 when Brad took over, has there been much opportunity there for a guy drafted to even crack the regular rotation? Up until this season, it has been very much "win now".

[Vermont Green]

I'd say it's more of an incomplete than anything.  What's the highest he's picked? 28th?  At that point, I've always felt the draft was more of a crapshoot than anything else.

Other GMs are able to find rotation players later in the draft, though. For example, Danny took Robert Williams, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard in consecutive drafts.

Ainge also had some notable misses in the range that Stevens has been picking and higher:

Pruitt       #32  2007
Brooks     #25  2011
Sullinger   #21  2012
Melo         #22  2012
Hunter     #28   2015
Zizic         #23  2017

James Young (#17), Lankford (#14), and Yabusele (#16) were taken much higher.

I think Ainge is a good drafter, seemed to get better with age.  Tatum and Brown for sure are legendary picks.  Pritchard too.  Williams and Williams are good picks, but nothing legendary, in my opinion.  He also picked Fab Melo, one of the worst picks ever, legendarily bad.  But my point is that just because Stevens has no big wins so far, it doesn't mean he is a bad drafter.  You have to pull a rabbit out of your hat to get a win with picks this late.  If he keeps picking, he will land some.  He has only made 2 first round picks so far, at 28 and 30.

[Roy H.]

Another aspect is the trading of picks.  Brad traded out of the #25 pick (and landed at #38) and traded #32 (drafting Shulga and Williams).

[Vermont Green]

Another aspect is the trading of picks.  Brad traded out of the #25 pick (and landed at #38) and traded #32 (drafting Shulga and Williams).

Yeah, grading these picks is hard, it gets even harder when you start figuring in the trades.  As I understand it, this is the result of trading pick #25 in 2023 along with 3 or 4 subsequent trades was:

the Celtics turned the 25th pick (Marcus Sasser ultimately picked) into Jordan Walsh and four future second-round picks.

In 2025:

they traded their 32nd overall pick to the Orlando Magic for picks 46 and 57, plus two future second-round picks. They used picks 46 and 57 to select Amari Williams and Max Shulga, respectively.

Early in the draft, I am for quality over quantity.  Late in the draft, I am for quantity over quality.  It is a crap shoot so you might as well increase the number of dice rolls that you have.  I don't know exactly the point of inflection for this.  You probably would trade say pick 15 for a later pick and some future picks, but once you get to pick 25 or so, more is probably better.  Or trade up with some excess picks to get into the top 15. But I have no quarrel with the recent trades that Stevens has made.

[lbgreen33]

Another aspect is the trading of picks.  Brad traded out of the #25 pick (and landed at #38) and traded #32 (drafting Shulga and Williams).

I have been super frustrated with his drafting. I also think he trades back so he doesn't get criticized for his picks!! The later you go in the NBA draft, the more of a total crap shoot!! Never trade the #25 pick for total crap like he did. Just no excuse for that, love Brad, but, bring in someone you have confidence in for the draft and just stay out of it!

[Goldstar88]

I'd say it's more of an incomplete than anything.  What's the highest he's picked? 28th?  At that point, I've always felt the draft was more of a crapshoot than anything else.

Other GMs are able to find rotation players later in the draft, though. For example, Danny took Robert Williams, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard in consecutive drafts.

You also just rattled off 3 guys who were drafted higher than any pick Stevens has had & kept.

I'm not denying that you can find quality rotation players late. It's just that the hit rate is much lower due to the crapshoot aspect of picking lower.  Also given the rosters the Celtics have had since 2021 when Brad took over, has there been much opportunity there for a guy drafted to even crack the regular rotation? Up until this season, it has been very much "win now".

True, but Pritchard and Rob were late 20?s. Grant was a bit lower. Moving up is an option as well. Utah did so this year to select Walter Clayton Jr. They gave up two second round picks and moved up 3 spots to take him at 18. I?m not saying it?s easy, but I do think Brad needs to do better with drafting and developing talent.