How would this team look with you as GM?

[GetLucky]

Truly impossible to say given the butterfly effect. That aside, if we completely disregard second-round picks, trades, and free agency unless noted otherwise, and presume draft selections/results/preferences remain almost identical by coincidence:

2014: Take Smart like we did.

2015: Consolidate all 2015 picks to move up and get Booker since this was a relatively weak class, but Booker was the one I felt most positive about, not Winslow who was a bridge too far with the ammo we had (I suspect Booker was not).

2016: Trade #3 for Jokic following his rookie season (I knew he would be worth it, but did not know he would be THIS good). Trade the remaining picks for future picks since this was a relatively weak class. Obviously sign Horford like we did considering Al’s one of my binkies.

2017: Take JT at 3 like we did. Trade remaining picks for future picks. Sign Hayward like we did.

2018: There is probably no IT/Kyrie deal in this universe since I insist on some defense and never would have handed IT to Brad, so trade all our 2018 picks alongside Booker to move up to two to get Doncic.

2019: Trade down/out for future picks in 2020/2021. Re-sign Al.

2020: Trade down/out for future picks in 2021/2022. Re-sign Hayward.

2021: Trade all the picks accumulated from the two lines above, and however many future picks it takes (at least the 2022 1st, probably the 2024 1st), to draft Mobley at three.

2022: See above. Re-sign Horford and Hayward to cap-friendly deals to end their careers as a Celtic.

Basically this gets us all of my draft binkies save for some number one picks we’d have no chance of acquiring (e.g., I loved Ayton and Doncic):

2014: Smart
2015: Booker
2016: *
2017: JT
2018: Doncic
2019: *
2020: *
2021: Mobley
2022: *

Our current rotation would be the following because I’d have been loyal to Horford and Hayward by re-signing them and not trading them:

Doncic/MLE Vet
Smart/Hayward
JT/Hayward
Mobley/Horford
Jokic/Horford

Bench: Various vets

I never considered that Booker would've been available in the Winslow package. I wonder which Brooklyn pick was the rumored one offered, the JT or Sexton one.

Some notes:
1) You probably would've been fired for trading the #3 overall pick for a fat second round pick who'd just averaged 9/7/2 in 20mpg off the bench and plays mediocre defense.
2) Hayward wanted to leave. Your idea of staying loyal to him would have had him end up with the Pacers.

[gouki88]

Give guys credit for admitting they would have gone for Fultz. That’s the most important decision Ainge made.

I don’t watch any college ball so I had no strong opinions at the time, except that when Vassel and Hali dropped I was hoping the Cs could find a way to get one of them.

I imagine 90% of fans were ecstatic when we won the lottery because of Fultz.  People were mostly upset when the trade was made, and before that, I’m not sure I saw Tatums name mentioned even once.

even after the trade it was about Jackson or Ball.  Very little talk of Tatum on this site until he was drafted.

I don't think there was ever any realistic talk of Ball, given everybody knew he wouldn't last to 3.

[Redz]

Probably awful and I’d be hospitalized for stress and mental therapy.  I’m way too insecure to handle all the scrutiny and second guessing.  I think I’d enjoy crunching numbers and having wicked good seats to games though.

[SHAQATTACK]

It would be a total train wreck .  Something like the Nets on their worst days.   Maybe like the Kings at best

I enjoy my arm chair, no pressure to win fan role .

 

I had only one correct prediction.  CBS and DA would take Tatum .  They were going out of their way ignoring him to throw the other GMs off. By process of elimination.  And knowing the types CBS loved he was natural , plus the last few games Tatum played at Duke he looked like a very special player , so in control and mature .  Knew he was the guy.

[slamtheking]

Truly impossible to say given the butterfly effect. That aside, if we completely disregard second-round picks, trades, and free agency unless noted otherwise, and presume draft selections/results/preferences remain almost identical by coincidence:

2014: Take Smart like we did.

2015: Consolidate all 2015 picks to move up and get Booker since this was a relatively weak class, but Booker was the one I felt most positive about, not Winslow who was a bridge too far with the ammo we had (I suspect Booker was not).

2016: Trade #3 for Jokic following his rookie season (I knew he would be worth it, but did not know he would be THIS good). Trade the remaining picks for future picks since this was a relatively weak class. Obviously sign Horford like we did considering Al’s one of my binkies.

2017: Take JT at 3 like we did. Trade remaining picks for future picks. Sign Hayward like we did.

2018: There is probably no IT/Kyrie deal in this universe since I insist on some defense and never would have handed IT to Brad, so trade all our 2018 picks alongside Booker to move up to two to get Doncic.

2019: Trade down/out for future picks in 2020/2021. Re-sign Al.

2020: Trade down/out for future picks in 2021/2022. Re-sign Hayward.

2021: Trade all the picks accumulated from the two lines above, and however many future picks it takes (at least the 2022 1st, probably the 2024 1st), to draft Mobley at three.

2022: See above. Re-sign Horford and Hayward to cap-friendly deals to end their careers as a Celtic.

Basically this gets us all of my draft binkies save for some number one picks we’d have no chance of acquiring (e.g., I loved Ayton and Doncic):

2014: Smart
2015: Booker
2016: *
2017: JT
2018: Doncic
2019: *
2020: *
2021: Mobley
2022: *

Our current rotation would be the following because I’d have been loyal to Horford and Hayward by re-signing them and not trading them:

Doncic/MLE Vet
Smart/Hayward
JT/Hayward
Mobley/Horford
Jokic/Horford

Bench: Various vets

I never considered that Booker would've been available in the Winslow package. I wonder which Brooklyn pick was the rumored one offered, the JT or Sexton one.

Some notes:
1) You probably would've been fired for trading the #3 overall pick for a fat second round pick who'd just averaged 9/7/2 in 20mpg off the bench and plays mediocre defense.
2) Hayward wanted to leave. Your idea of staying loyal to him would have had him end up with the Pacers.

let's point out another couple of doozies.

- to piggyback off your first item, just because GG would be fool enough to give away a #3 pick for an underwhelming ( at the time) second rounder instead of using much lesser assets that should have been able to acquire that same player (because GG is such an astute evaluator of talent as demonstrated throughout his ridiculous trade thread     ), there'd be no reason to believe the Cleveland GM would be stupid enough to give up the #3 pick that could be used on a player that projects out to be Al Horford (or better) for a number of lesser picks. 
- the taking of taking of Tatum at 3 doesn't necessarily exist because it required the trade with Philly.  No doubt GG is fully on the Fultz hype train and takes him instead at 1.

[Donoghus]

In much worse shape if I was running it.

[slamtheking]

If we go back to the Marcus Smart draft, wondering how the team would look if the Celt's took the guy you would have taken.  And no, trades not allowed.  EDIT:  No trades that didn't happen can be proposed.  But, if you would NOT have made a trade that DID happen (e.g., keeping the bane or the fultz picks), that's fair.

2014:  The guy I really wanted was Aaron Gordon, who went one pick earlier.  Once he was off the board, Marcus was my pick.

2015:  Rozier wasn't even on the radar; my pick would have been Portis.  They look about equivalent.  Worth noting that Booker was an option.

2016: Jaylen was my pick (I went to Cal so..).  My second chose was Murray.  Looks like I would have hit it out the park either way.  Had no real pet cats for Yabu and Zicic spots, but I probably would have taken Brice Johnson with one of them.

2017: It was fultz all the way for me

2018:  I had no one before the draft but like many, was clamoring for Rob when the time came

2019:  Honestly, I had no pet cats for any of the picks

2020:  I wanted Cole Anthony rather than Nesmith.  Looks like that would have been a better pick, but probably not a big deal either way

2021:  no preference for 2nd round

2022:  Didn't even watch the pick

for what it's worth, as GM, this is probably what I would have done absent any of the trades that were made or any supposed trades that were desired:
- 2014 --> really wanted Gordon and was really disappointed he didn't fall to us.  was OK with Smart.  Would have been ok with Randle at the time too
- 2015 --> based on who was available, really wanted Portis.  Rozier wasn't a consideration with Portis still on the board. 
- 2016 --> wasn't sure who was the BPA at #3.  I knew it wasn't Dunn or Bender.  Brown was a possibility as was Murray. Hield and Criss were next level down on the pick list.   Yabu wasn't an option at 16 --> wasn't going to go the draft and stash route with a draft expected to be that deep and a pick that high.  wanted Levert.    at 23, Zizic and Zubac were possibilities but considered those as reaches at that point.  would have likely taken Korkmaz or Labissiere as a high-risk/high reward type.  Would have kept the second rounders and used 31 on Zubac.  35 probably would have take Brogdon or possibly Mccaw.  45 would have likely used on Bentil and 51 on Niang (assuming he's pushed down a spot with Bentil going up).  Last pick on Nader probably would have been the same.
- 2017 --> without the trade, would have been Fultz.  if the trade is still made, tatum.
- 2018 --> Timelord  -- high risk/high reward type of pick
- 2019 --> possibly Romeo -- no one left screamed out as a better BPA at that slot.  20 - would have taken Clarke -- no trade of that pick based on the OP's guidelines.  22 - possibly Nassir Little but just as likely to take Kevin Porter.  wouldn't have taken Grant after picking Clarke
- 2020 --> the pick acquired from Memphis was obtained in this timeframe so presumably #14 isn't ours for the making.  #26 -- probably take Jaden Mcdaniels or Bane.  #30 is fruit from the Philly trade of the pick used for Clarke this time around so that's not available. 

[Atzar]

In 2014 my guy was Julius Randle instead of Marcus Smart.  Not indefensible, though I do think Smart was ultimately better for this franchise. 

I liked Dragan Bender instead of Jaylen Brown in 2016.  Saw him as a guy with Pau Gasol upside.  Oops.   

In 2017 I remember being all in on Fultz, and after we made the trade with Philly I think I pivoted to Josh Jackson. 

I don't remember many of my other picks but I think we can agree that I've caused enough damage at this point. 

[Moranis]

Give guys credit for admitting they would have gone for Fultz. That’s the most important decision Ainge made.

I don’t watch any college ball so I had no strong opinions at the time, except that when Vassel and Hali dropped I was hoping the Cs could find a way to get one of them.

I imagine 90% of fans were ecstatic when we won the lottery because of Fultz.  People were mostly upset when the trade was made, and before that, I’m not sure I saw Tatums name mentioned even once.

even after the trade it was about Jackson or Ball.  Very little talk of Tatum on this site until he was drafted.

I don't think there was ever any realistic talk of Ball, given everybody knew he wouldn't last to 3.

There was that report the day before or day of the draft, that the Lakers really liked Jackson and that the Sixers moved up to get him.  The report came from credible reporters, but I don't know how realistic it was, but this board spent a lot of time on that and sort of hoping that Ball (or really unlikely Fultz) fell to 3. 

[SparzWizard]

2014 - I wanted Julius Randle so bad
2015 - RHJ
2016 - Brandon Ingram, otherwise Buddy Hield
2017 - Markelle Fultz hype train
2018 - N/A, glad we drafted Timelord
2019 - Matisse Thybulle but we shipped him to the 76ers
2020 - 2022 - N/A...but why Aaron Nesmith lol

We would have been stuck in mediocrity and would have been canned long ago and pitchforks coming at me. But yeah, I think I'd still back Julius Randle tho. Who knows, the C's system might have been completely different too 

[GetLucky]

Truly impossible to say given the butterfly effect. That aside, if we completely disregard second-round picks, trades, and free agency unless noted otherwise, and presume draft selections/results/preferences remain almost identical by coincidence:

2014: Take Smart like we did.

2015: Consolidate all 2015 picks to move up and get Booker since this was a relatively weak class, but Booker was the one I felt most positive about, not Winslow who was a bridge too far with the ammo we had (I suspect Booker was not).

2016: Trade #3 for Jokic following his rookie season (I knew he would be worth it, but did not know he would be THIS good). Trade the remaining picks for future picks since this was a relatively weak class. Obviously sign Horford like we did considering Al’s one of my binkies.

2017: Take JT at 3 like we did. Trade remaining picks for future picks. Sign Hayward like we did.

2018: There is probably no IT/Kyrie deal in this universe since I insist on some defense and never would have handed IT to Brad, so trade all our 2018 picks alongside Booker to move up to two to get Doncic.

2019: Trade down/out for future picks in 2020/2021. Re-sign Al.

2020: Trade down/out for future picks in 2021/2022. Re-sign Hayward.

2021: Trade all the picks accumulated from the two lines above, and however many future picks it takes (at least the 2022 1st, probably the 2024 1st), to draft Mobley at three.

2022: See above. Re-sign Horford and Hayward to cap-friendly deals to end their careers as a Celtic.

Basically this gets us all of my draft binkies save for some number one picks we’d have no chance of acquiring (e.g., I loved Ayton and Doncic):

2014: Smart
2015: Booker
2016: *
2017: JT
2018: Doncic
2019: *
2020: *
2021: Mobley
2022: *

Our current rotation would be the following because I’d have been loyal to Horford and Hayward by re-signing them and not trading them:

Doncic/MLE Vet
Smart/Hayward
JT/Hayward
Mobley/Horford
Jokic/Horford

Bench: Various vets

I never considered that Booker would've been available in the Winslow package. I wonder which Brooklyn pick was the rumored one offered, the JT or Sexton one.

Some notes:
1) You probably would've been fired for trading the #3 overall pick for a fat second round pick who'd just averaged 9/7/2 in 20mpg off the bench and plays mediocre defense.
2) Hayward wanted to leave. Your idea of staying loyal to him would have had him end up with the Pacers.

let's point out another couple of doozies.

- to piggyback off your first item, just because GG would be fool enough to give away a #3 pick for an underwhelming ( at the time) second rounder instead of using much lesser assets that should have been able to acquire that same player (because GG is such an astute evaluator of talent as demonstrated throughout his ridiculous trade thread     ), there'd be no reason to believe the Cleveland GM would be stupid enough to give up the #3 pick that could be used on a player that projects out to be Al Horford (or better) for a number of lesser picks. 
- the taking of taking of Tatum at 3 doesn't necessarily exist because it required the trade with Philly.  No doubt GG is fully on the Fultz hype train and takes him instead at 1.

You're forgetting that GreenlyGreen the CB poster would have criticized the GM for trading for Jokic, because GreenlyGreen the Celtics poster insists on some defense.

The poster in this hypothetical world would have of course traded the number three pick for Anthony Davis and then flipped Davis for LeBron James and 3 first round picks, with which he would have traded up to draft Jayson Tatum and trade for an injured Joel Embiid.

[slamtheking]

Truly impossible to say given the butterfly effect. That aside, if we completely disregard second-round picks, trades, and free agency unless noted otherwise, and presume draft selections/results/preferences remain almost identical by coincidence:

2014: Take Smart like we did.

2015: Consolidate all 2015 picks to move up and get Booker since this was a relatively weak class, but Booker was the one I felt most positive about, not Winslow who was a bridge too far with the ammo we had (I suspect Booker was not).

2016: Trade #3 for Jokic following his rookie season (I knew he would be worth it, but did not know he would be THIS good). Trade the remaining picks for future picks since this was a relatively weak class. Obviously sign Horford like we did considering Al’s one of my binkies.

2017: Take JT at 3 like we did. Trade remaining picks for future picks. Sign Hayward like we did.

2018: There is probably no IT/Kyrie deal in this universe since I insist on some defense and never would have handed IT to Brad, so trade all our 2018 picks alongside Booker to move up to two to get Doncic.

2019: Trade down/out for future picks in 2020/2021. Re-sign Al.

2020: Trade down/out for future picks in 2021/2022. Re-sign Hayward.

2021: Trade all the picks accumulated from the two lines above, and however many future picks it takes (at least the 2022 1st, probably the 2024 1st), to draft Mobley at three.

2022: See above. Re-sign Horford and Hayward to cap-friendly deals to end their careers as a Celtic.

Basically this gets us all of my draft binkies save for some number one picks we’d have no chance of acquiring (e.g., I loved Ayton and Doncic):

2014: Smart
2015: Booker
2016: *
2017: JT
2018: Doncic
2019: *
2020: *
2021: Mobley
2022: *

Our current rotation would be the following because I’d have been loyal to Horford and Hayward by re-signing them and not trading them:

Doncic/MLE Vet
Smart/Hayward
JT/Hayward
Mobley/Horford
Jokic/Horford

Bench: Various vets

I never considered that Booker would've been available in the Winslow package. I wonder which Brooklyn pick was the rumored one offered, the JT or Sexton one.

Some notes:
1) You probably would've been fired for trading the #3 overall pick for a fat second round pick who'd just averaged 9/7/2 in 20mpg off the bench and plays mediocre defense.
2) Hayward wanted to leave. Your idea of staying loyal to him would have had him end up with the Pacers.

let's point out another couple of doozies.

- to piggyback off your first item, just because GG would be fool enough to give away a #3 pick for an underwhelming ( at the time) second rounder instead of using much lesser assets that should have been able to acquire that same player (because GG is such an astute evaluator of talent as demonstrated throughout his ridiculous trade thread     ), there'd be no reason to believe the Cleveland GM would be stupid enough to give up the #3 pick that could be used on a player that projects out to be Al Horford (or better) for a number of lesser picks. 
- the taking of taking of Tatum at 3 doesn't necessarily exist because it required the trade with Philly.  No doubt GG is fully on the Fultz hype train and takes him instead at 1.

You're forgetting that GreenlyGreen the CB poster would have criticized the GM for trading for Jokic, because GreenlyGreen the Celtics poster insists on some defense.

The poster in this hypothetical world would have of course traded the number three pick for Anthony Davis and then flipped Davis for LeBron James and 3 first round picks, with which he would have traded up to draft Jayson Tatum and trade for an injured Joel Embiid.

TP - had me laughing because it's just so true.

[GreenlyGreeny]

Truly impossible to say given the butterfly effect. That aside, if we completely disregard second-round picks, trades, and free agency unless noted otherwise, and presume draft selections/results/preferences remain almost identical by coincidence:

2014: Take Smart like we did.

2015: Consolidate all 2015 picks to move up and get Booker since this was a relatively weak class, but Booker was the one I felt most positive about, not Winslow who was a bridge too far with the ammo we had (I suspect Booker was not).

2016: Trade #3 for Jokic following his rookie season (I knew he would be worth it, but did not know he would be THIS good). Trade the remaining picks for future picks since this was a relatively weak class. Obviously sign Horford like we did considering Al’s one of my binkies.

2017: Take JT at 3 like we did. Trade remaining picks for future picks. Sign Hayward like we did.

2018: There is probably no IT/Kyrie deal in this universe since I insist on some defense and never would have handed IT to Brad, so trade all our 2018 picks alongside Booker to move up to two to get Doncic.

2019: Trade down/out for future picks in 2020/2021. Re-sign Al.

2020: Trade down/out for future picks in 2021/2022. Re-sign Hayward.

2021: Trade all the picks accumulated from the two lines above, and however many future picks it takes (at least the 2022 1st, probably the 2024 1st), to draft Mobley at three.

2022: See above. Re-sign Horford and Hayward to cap-friendly deals to end their careers as a Celtic.

Basically this gets us all of my draft binkies save for some number one picks we’d have no chance of acquiring (e.g., I loved Ayton and Doncic):

2014: Smart
2015: Booker
2016: *
2017: JT
2018: Doncic
2019: *
2020: *
2021: Mobley
2022: *

Our current rotation would be the following because I’d have been loyal to Horford and Hayward by re-signing them and not trading them:

Doncic/MLE Vet
Smart/Hayward
JT/Hayward
Mobley/Horford
Jokic/Horford

Bench: Various vets

I never considered that Booker would've been available in the Winslow package. I wonder which Brooklyn pick was the rumored one offered, the JT or Sexton one.

Some notes:
1) You probably would've been fired for trading the #3 overall pick for a fat second round pick who'd just averaged 9/7/2 in 20mpg off the bench and plays mediocre defense.
2) Hayward wanted to leave. Your idea of staying loyal to him would have had him end up with the Pacers.

let's point out another couple of doozies.

- to piggyback off your first item, just because GG would be fool enough to give away a #3 pick for an underwhelming ( at the time) second rounder instead of using much lesser assets that should have been able to acquire that same player (because GG is such an astute evaluator of talent as demonstrated throughout his ridiculous trade thread     ),

I lurked on here from the time we traded KG/PP. I distinctly recall in 2016 shortly before the draft there were a few (or couple) vocal folks advocating for us to trade the third overall pick for a young Middleton, long before he was an all-star. Most of us longtimers probably recall that. But there was one fella who was arguing we should consider one of the two young centers out of Denver, either Nurkic or a slightly younger Jokic, since it was clear Denver would not keep both forever. After that post, I researched both of these centers, watched videos, read up on the coach’s view on both, and came away convinced that the only possible way we could pry Jokic would be via the third overall pick (if we were lucky - it was obvious how in love Denver was with Jokic after his rookie campaign). And I was convinced he would have a better career than any player in the 2016 class. I did not expect him to become a league MVP, but I was right about that. I think making the trade and seeing Jokic’s growth in 2016-2017 would have made the trade far less controversial after-the-fact, particularly given how splendid his second season was: 17/10/5 on 28 MPG, so who knows how great those numbers would have been paired with Horford at PF? Trading third overall in 2016 for Jokic could have become known as one of the all-time great trades, frankly.

there'd be no reason to believe the Cleveland GM would be stupid enough to give up the #3 pick that could be used on a player that projects out to be Al Horford (or better) for a number of lesser picks. 
- the taking of taking of Tatum at 3 doesn't necessarily exist because it required the trade with Philly.  No doubt GG is fully on the Fultz hype train and takes him instead at 1.

I like defense too much to have ever been on the Fultz train. I still cringe thinking back to IT talking about backing up a Brink’s truck and lobbying for us to have a backcourt of IT/Fultz. I salute Danny for avoiding such a disaster. I much preferred Ball over Fultz. After it became clear that Ball’s shooting mechanics were just too woeful to overlook, not to mention his dad was a complete nutjob hinting how he would refuse to allow his son be a Celtic, for me it came down to JT and JJ. At first I preferred Jackson slightly given my love of D, even though I am quite fond of exceptional Duke prospects too. After Jackson blew us off, though, I was all-in with JT.

And in an alternate universe where I am GM instead of relatively-disloyal-to-players-Danny, Gordon does not have to say he wanted to leave in order to save face…

[slamtheking]

Truly impossible to say given the butterfly effect. That aside, if we completely disregard second-round picks, trades, and free agency unless noted otherwise, and presume draft selections/results/preferences remain almost identical by coincidence:

2014: Take Smart like we did.

2015: Consolidate all 2015 picks to move up and get Booker since this was a relatively weak class, but Booker was the one I felt most positive about, not Winslow who was a bridge too far with the ammo we had (I suspect Booker was not).

2016: Trade #3 for Jokic following his rookie season (I knew he would be worth it, but did not know he would be THIS good). Trade the remaining picks for future picks since this was a relatively weak class. Obviously sign Horford like we did considering Al’s one of my binkies.

2017: Take JT at 3 like we did. Trade remaining picks for future picks. Sign Hayward like we did.

2018: There is probably no IT/Kyrie deal in this universe since I insist on some defense and never would have handed IT to Brad, so trade all our 2018 picks alongside Booker to move up to two to get Doncic.

2019: Trade down/out for future picks in 2020/2021. Re-sign Al.

2020: Trade down/out for future picks in 2021/2022. Re-sign Hayward.

2021: Trade all the picks accumulated from the two lines above, and however many future picks it takes (at least the 2022 1st, probably the 2024 1st), to draft Mobley at three.

2022: See above. Re-sign Horford and Hayward to cap-friendly deals to end their careers as a Celtic.

Basically this gets us all of my draft binkies save for some number one picks we’d have no chance of acquiring (e.g., I loved Ayton and Doncic):

2014: Smart
2015: Booker
2016: *
2017: JT
2018: Doncic
2019: *
2020: *
2021: Mobley
2022: *

Our current rotation would be the following because I’d have been loyal to Horford and Hayward by re-signing them and not trading them:

Doncic/MLE Vet
Smart/Hayward
JT/Hayward
Mobley/Horford
Jokic/Horford

Bench: Various vets

I never considered that Booker would've been available in the Winslow package. I wonder which Brooklyn pick was the rumored one offered, the JT or Sexton one.

Some notes:
1) You probably would've been fired for trading the #3 overall pick for a fat second round pick who'd just averaged 9/7/2 in 20mpg off the bench and plays mediocre defense.
2) Hayward wanted to leave. Your idea of staying loyal to him would have had him end up with the Pacers.

let's point out another couple of doozies.

- to piggyback off your first item, just because GG would be fool enough to give away a #3 pick for an underwhelming ( at the time) second rounder instead of using much lesser assets that should have been able to acquire that same player (because GG is such an astute evaluator of talent as demonstrated throughout his ridiculous trade thread     ),

I lurked on here from the time we traded KG/PP.  I distinctly recall in 2016 shortly before the draft there were a few (or couple) vocal folks advocating for us to trade the third overall pick for a young Middleton, long before he was an all-star. Most of us longtimers probably recall that.  But there was one fella who was arguing we should consider one of the two young centers out of Denver, either Nurkic or a slightly younger Jokic, since it was clear Denver would not keep both forever. After that post, I researched both of these centers, watched videos, read up on the coach’s view on both, and came away convinced that the only possible way we could pry Jokic would be via the third overall pick (if we were lucky - it was obvious how in love Denver was with Jokic after his rookie campaign). And I was convinced he would have a better career than any player in the 2016 class. I did not expect him to become a league MVP, but I was right about that. I think making the trade and seeing Jokic’s growth in 2016-2017 would have made the trade far less controversial after-the-fact, particularly given how splendid his second season was: 17/10/5 on 28 MPG, so who knows how great those numbers would have been paired with Horford at PF? Trading third overall in 2016 for Jokic could have become known as one of the all-time great trades, frankly.

there'd be no reason to believe the Cleveland GM would be stupid enough to give up the #3 pick that could be used on a player that projects out to be Al Horford (or better) for a number of lesser picks. 
- the taking of taking of Tatum at 3 doesn't necessarily exist because it required the trade with Philly.  No doubt GG is fully on the Fultz hype train and takes him instead at 1.

I like defense too much to have ever been on the Fultz train. I still cringe thinking back to IT talking about backing up a Brink’s truck and lobbying for us to have a backcourt of IT/Fultz. I salute Danny for avoiding such a disaster. I much preferred Ball over Fultz. After it became clear that Ball’s shooting mechanics were just too woeful to overlook, not to mention his dad was a complete nutjob hinting how he would refuse to allow his son be a Celtic, for me it came down to JT and JJ. At first I preferred Jackson slightly given my love of D, even though I am quite fond of exceptional Duke prospects too. After Jackson blew us off, though, I was all-in with JT.

And in an alternate universe where I am GM instead of relatively-disloyal-to-players-Danny, Gordon does not have to say he wanted to leave in order to save face…

I like defense too much to have ever been on the Fultz train. .
you lack all credibility here when you’re claiming you wanted a second year Jokic who still isn’t a great defender while getting MVP mentions now.

I lurked on here from the time we traded KG/PP.  I distinctly recall in 2016 shortly before the draft there were a few (or couple) vocal folks advocating for us to trade the third overall pick for a young Middleton, long before he was an all-star. Most of us longtimers probably recall that. 
you’re going to have to go back a lot further than that to call yourself a long timer.   personally been here since Celticsblog 1.0 back in the days where we realy stunk and were hoping we finally had something in Big Al.  that aside, I don’t recall reading anything by anyone wanting to trade for Middleton.  revisionist history on your part to try to build up you evaluation skills which just aren’t very good — your personal trade thread lays that bare.

[GreenlyGreeny]

Truly impossible to say given the butterfly effect. That aside, if we completely disregard second-round picks, trades, and free agency unless noted otherwise, and presume draft selections/results/preferences remain almost identical by coincidence:

2014: Take Smart like we did.

2015: Consolidate all 2015 picks to move up and get Booker since this was a relatively weak class, but Booker was the one I felt most positive about, not Winslow who was a bridge too far with the ammo we had (I suspect Booker was not).

2016: Trade #3 for Jokic following his rookie season (I knew he would be worth it, but did not know he would be THIS good). Trade the remaining picks for future picks since this was a relatively weak class. Obviously sign Horford like we did considering Al’s one of my binkies.

2017: Take JT at 3 like we did. Trade remaining picks for future picks. Sign Hayward like we did.

2018: There is probably no IT/Kyrie deal in this universe since I insist on some defense and never would have handed IT to Brad, so trade all our 2018 picks alongside Booker to move up to two to get Doncic.

2019: Trade down/out for future picks in 2020/2021. Re-sign Al.

2020: Trade down/out for future picks in 2021/2022. Re-sign Hayward.

2021: Trade all the picks accumulated from the two lines above, and however many future picks it takes (at least the 2022 1st, probably the 2024 1st), to draft Mobley at three.

2022: See above. Re-sign Horford and Hayward to cap-friendly deals to end their careers as a Celtic.

Basically this gets us all of my draft binkies save for some number one picks we’d have no chance of acquiring (e.g., I loved Ayton and Doncic):

2014: Smart
2015: Booker
2016: *
2017: JT
2018: Doncic
2019: *
2020: *
2021: Mobley
2022: *

Our current rotation would be the following because I’d have been loyal to Horford and Hayward by re-signing them and not trading them:

Doncic/MLE Vet
Smart/Hayward
JT/Hayward
Mobley/Horford
Jokic/Horford

Bench: Various vets

I never considered that Booker would've been available in the Winslow package. I wonder which Brooklyn pick was the rumored one offered, the JT or Sexton one.

Some notes:
1) You probably would've been fired for trading the #3 overall pick for a fat second round pick who'd just averaged 9/7/2 in 20mpg off the bench and plays mediocre defense.
2) Hayward wanted to leave. Your idea of staying loyal to him would have had him end up with the Pacers.

let's point out another couple of doozies.

- to piggyback off your first item, just because GG would be fool enough to give away a #3 pick for an underwhelming ( at the time) second rounder instead of using much lesser assets that should have been able to acquire that same player (because GG is such an astute evaluator of talent as demonstrated throughout his ridiculous trade thread     ),

I lurked on here from the time we traded KG/PP.  I distinctly recall in 2016 shortly before the draft there were a few (or couple) vocal folks advocating for us to trade the third overall pick for a young Middleton, long before he was an all-star. Most of us longtimers probably recall that.  But there was one fella who was arguing we should consider one of the two young centers out of Denver, either Nurkic or a slightly younger Jokic, since it was clear Denver would not keep both forever. After that post, I researched both of these centers, watched videos, read up on the coach’s view on both, and came away convinced that the only possible way we could pry Jokic would be via the third overall pick (if we were lucky - it was obvious how in love Denver was with Jokic after his rookie campaign). And I was convinced he would have a better career than any player in the 2016 class. I did not expect him to become a league MVP, but I was right about that. I think making the trade and seeing Jokic’s growth in 2016-2017 would have made the trade far less controversial after-the-fact, particularly given how splendid his second season was: 17/10/5 on 28 MPG, so who knows how great those numbers would have been paired with Horford at PF? Trading third overall in 2016 for Jokic could have become known as one of the all-time great trades, frankly.

there'd be no reason to believe the Cleveland GM would be stupid enough to give up the #3 pick that could be used on a player that projects out to be Al Horford (or better) for a number of lesser picks. 
- the taking of taking of Tatum at 3 doesn't necessarily exist because it required the trade with Philly.  No doubt GG is fully on the Fultz hype train and takes him instead at 1.

I like defense too much to have ever been on the Fultz train. I still cringe thinking back to IT talking about backing up a Brink’s truck and lobbying for us to have a backcourt of IT/Fultz. I salute Danny for avoiding such a disaster. I much preferred Ball over Fultz. After it became clear that Ball’s shooting mechanics were just too woeful to overlook, not to mention his dad was a complete nutjob hinting how he would refuse to allow his son be a Celtic, for me it came down to JT and JJ. At first I preferred Jackson slightly given my love of D, even though I am quite fond of exceptional Duke prospects too. After Jackson blew us off, though, I was all-in with JT.

And in an alternate universe where I am GM instead of relatively-disloyal-to-players-Danny, Gordon does not have to say he wanted to leave in order to save face…

I like defense too much to have ever been on the Fultz train. .
you lack all credibility here when you’re claiming you wanted a second year Jokic who still isn’t a great defender while getting MVP mentions now.

I lurked on here from the time we traded KG/PP.  I distinctly recall in 2016 shortly before the draft there were a few (or couple) vocal folks advocating for us to trade the third overall pick for a young Middleton, long before he was an all-star. Most of us longtimers probably recall that. 
you’re going to have to go back a lot further than that to call yourself a long timer.   personally been here since Celticsblog 1.0 back in the days where we realy stunk and were hoping we finally had something in Big Al.  that aside, I don’t recall reading anything by anyone wanting to trade for Middleton.  revisionist history on your part to try to build up you evaluation skills which just aren’t very good — your personal trade thread lays that bare.

Unlike Fultz, Jokic has size and is exceptional at rebounding, which I greatly value in a big (and it’s the only thing I could do very well when I played ball as a kid). I was particularly intrigued by Jokic’s rebounding because we didn’t really have a great rebounder at the time. I loved how he could help move the ball and threaten to score in the paint. I knew he’d be better than the entire 2016 class, but didn’t think he’d be better than most every player drafted in 2015-2020.

I do not know how to easily search the forum, but surely there are others who recall some folks calling for us to trade the pick for Middleton rather than take JB. Even one fella lobbied for Nurkic or Jokic. Might have even been others calling for us to trade it for another player, too. Unlike 2017, there were calls to trade it for an up-and-coming young NBA player.