2025 CelticsBlog Fantasy Draft: '05-'25 Edition

[Who]

We gonna have a separate thread for team discussion and rotations?

I say just keep using this one.

[Roy H.]

We gonna have a separate thread for team discussion and rotations?

We should, for sure.  It would be great to hear everyone's philosophy.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

I love the towel waver picks.

Someone needs to pick ML Carr

[Who]

A deep cry for all these All Star/All NBA guards who were all snubbed:

Allen Iverson
Bradley Beal
Gilbert Arenas
Isaiah Thomas
Trae Young
Kemba Walker
Ja Morant
Goran Dragic
De'Aaron Fox
LaMelo Ball
Darius Garland
Tyrese Maxey
Cade Cunningham
Dejounte Murray
D'Angelo Russell

Gilbert Arenas was a guy who I thought had a chance to be a starter or at worst one of the early PGs taken to be a reserve. He would be awesome in today's league. A gunslinger. He was shooting deep 3s way back in 2005-07. He was going for 29ppg in a much tougher defensive era. He got the rim almost at will. He would be going for 35ppg in today's league. One of the top scoring guards around. Right there with guys like Lillard or Kyrie (who I ranked similarly to Arenas). Big PG as well. Much bigger than the other scoring guards.

I expect IT to be taken for similar reasons. I thought he'd be a main backup PG - if not a starter for someone who fell in love with him during his time in Boston.

Shocked that AI did not get drafted at all. I was trying to figure out how I might use him prior to the draft. I liked the idea of AI and Kidd in the backcourt together. I liked AI and KG together. I liked AI next to a bunch of defensive minded stars.

Another PG who is not mentioned above that I am shocked was not drafted is B-Diddy. Baron Davis. Again the "We Believe" Warriors of 2007. A more well rounded guard. He could defend, he could pass, he could score. His shooting efficiency must have scared people off. He has always been well regarded in previous drafts.

Cade Cunningham was a guy I was considering as a 3rd string guard who can backup all 3 perimeter positions. I liked that versatility. Lonzo Ball was another like that. More of a low usage pass first guy. Cade more ball dominant.

[Moranis]

Trae Young and Julius Randle weren't picked either, correct?  Young has had 3 straight seasons of at least 24 ppg and at least 10 apg and is basically 25/10 in his career.  Probably too much like Marbury, but he is an execellent passer.

Iverson not getting selected is the most surprising.  Yes we didn't have his apex prime available, but he was still very good through his time in Denver.

Did Blake Griffin get picked? Carlos Boozer?  Ivica Zubac?

So much talent out there. I wonder how good a team of left overs would do.

[Who]

The Cavs absolutely hunted Curry. In the Cavs title season, not only did Irving far out perform his season averages in the finals, the physicality they inflicted on Curry caused him to be significantly below his season averages across the board.  He could not handle them muscling him up and that is with a relatively small and weak PG in Irving.  Even the first year when Irving was out after game 1, Curry was way below his season averages. The Cavs went at him relentlessly, they just didn't have the talent without Love and Irving to pull out the series win (which is partly why Curry despite being league MVP was not Finals MVP). Durant changed the dynamic as the Cavs could no longer play the same way, but even still in 17 when Irving was there, he was better than Curry basically across the board.  Curry is a small poor defender. Putting a small SG next to him and an equally small and poor defender behind him is not a recipe for success.

What Delladova did to Steph in that series in 2015 was amazing to watch. I couldn't believe how much he was taking Steph out of the game. 

[Donoghus]

Iverson is always a conundrum in these drafts.  No one can quite figure out how to use him.  I don't know what the answer is either.

[Roy H.]

Trae Young and Julius Randle weren't picked either, correct?  Young has had 3 straight seasons of at least 24 ppg and at least 10 apg and is basically 25/10 in his career.  Probably too much like Marbury, but he is an execellent passer.

Iverson not getting selected is the most surprising.  Yes we didn't have his apex prime available, but he was still very good through his time in Denver.

Did Blake Griffin get picked? Carlos Boozer?  Ivica Zubac?

So much talent out there. I wonder how good a team of left overs would do.

Griffin got picked.

Young and AI are just guys who are too high usage and hold the ball too much.  AI also publicly talked about his struggles as a bench player.

Zubac is a guy that only works in this league for simulation purposes, I think.  I don't think anybody would actually take him in the top 120 of available players.  Same thing with a stat-stuffer like Hassan Whiteside.

[BitterJim]

Don't mind me, I've just been lurking and enjoying the picks (especially today's picks, both the deep-bench fits and the binkie aspects)

After Round 8, someone mentioned that you could probably put together a decent team made of only the players available at that time. I think that's really the only place where someone like AI would fit in, since he's only effective as your #1 (maybe 1b) option, but he's not good enough to take that role over everybody's first 3-4 options (especially when you consider defense).

I'm actually tempted to put together that team just for fun... An '08 Nuggets inspired team with Melo and AI as the base of the team. The lack of 2-way stars available means the team would be beaten pretty handily by all of the teams here, but it could be interesting

[Roy H.]

The Cavs absolutely hunted Curry. In the Cavs title season, not only did Irving far out perform his season averages in the finals, the physicality they inflicted on Curry caused him to be significantly below his season averages across the board.  He could not handle them muscling him up and that is with a relatively small and weak PG in Irving.  Even the first year when Irving was out after game 1, Curry was way below his season averages.  The Cavs went at him relentlessly, they just didn't have the talent without Love and Irving to pull out the series win (which is partly why Curry despite being league MVP was not Finals MVP). Durant changed the dynamic as the Cavs could no longer play the same way, but even still in 17 when Irving was there, he was better than Curry basically across the board.  Curry is a small poor defender. Putting a small SG next to him and an equally small and poor defender behind him is not a recipe for success.

One of the things that has always cracked me up about these drafts is people being disingenuous.  Just to keep people honest with their criticisms...

Curry isn't a bad defender, but he is not an elite defender.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Curry is a bad defender, but he just isn't a great defender.

[Curry] is a good defender, but certainly not great or elite).

[smokeablount]

Be sure and get me your selected seasons, depth charts, and minutes allotments

At least 9 players need to play 8+ minutes, or 10 players need to play 5+ minutes

Here is the link for the post draft thread:
https://forum.celticsstrong.com/index.php?topic=109553.new#new

[Roy H.]

I'm actually tempted to put together that team just for fun...

Please do.

[Roy H.]

Did Mikal Bridges end up getting drafted?  He was another guy I strongly considered, but I would have probably drafted one of his Phoenix seasons.  He was more focused on defense back then.

[Who]

Did Mikal Bridges end up getting drafted?  He was another guy I strongly considered, but I would have probably drafted one of his Phoenix seasons.  He was more focused on defense back then.

The Jokic team took Mikal. Indiana.

[snively]

Oops didn't see the new thread.