Passing on Kalkbrenner a Mistake

[KG Living Legend]

 Starting his first game he looks like Brook Lopez clone. Gigantic.  7'1" without shoes 260 pounds. 7'6" wingspan. 9'4" standing reach.

 Had a double double his first game.  Celtics lose tonight when Queta fouls out, which is his biggest flaw.

 I like Hugo. We needed a center badly. We lost 3 centers in one year.  We pass on Kalkbrenner and even the Stanford Center.

 Terrible decision Brad. We don't need wings. We need legit NBA size.

[Phantom255x]

Could have had Filipowski instead of Baylor too the year prior...

[Who]

Yeah. Another Zubac.

[Birdman]

Could have had Filipowski instead of Baylor too the year prior...

This one really made me upset & still does

[jambr380]

What, you're not a fan of Amari Williams and Max Shulga? Shame on you /s

[KG Living Legend]

What, you're not a fan of Amari Williams and Max Shulga? Shame on you /s

 No not really.  Shulga looks like every guy on my high school team, and Amari has very long arms. And that's all I have to say about that (Gump Voice)

[Vermont Green]

So we could have had Kalkbrenner at pick 32 but instead traded that pick to ORL, who took Noah Penda.  I guess they were not all that high on Kalkbrenner either.  But we got 4 second round picks for that, so Williams, Shulga, and two future second round picks.  I liked the trade at the time.  I still like Amari Williams.  I had no idea at the time who was going to be good, Kalkbrenner, Penda, Williams, whoever.  No one knows, but the vast majority of second round picks don't amount to much.

Every draft, there are one or two (at most) second rounders that are big surprises, that 29 teams passed on but turned out to be good.  Maybe Kalkbrenner will be one of those from this draft.  Maybe it will be Penda.  Maybe someone else altogether.

The Celtics traded the No. 32 pick in the 2025 NBA draft to the Orlando Magic for the draft rights to players No. 46 (Amari Williams), No. 57 (Max Shulga), and 2026 and 2027 second-round picks

[Roy H.]

So we could have had Kalkbrenner at pick 32 but instead traded that pick to ORL, who took Noah Penda.  I guess they were not all that high on Kalkbrenner either.

Unlike the Celtics, the Magic don't really need another big.

[keevsnick]

So we could have had Kalkbrenner at pick 32 but instead traded that pick to ORL, who took Noah Penda.  I guess they were not all that high on Kalkbrenner either.  But we got 4 second round picks for that, so Williams, Shulga, and two future second round picks.  I liked the trade at the time.  I still like Amari Williams.  I had no idea at the time who was going to be good, Kalkbrenner, Penda, Williams, whoever.  No one knows, but the vast majority of second round picks don't amount to much.

Every draft, there are one or two (at most) second rounders that are big surprises, that 29 teams passed on but turned out to be good.  Maybe Kalkbrenner will be one of those from this draft.  Maybe it will be Penda.  Maybe someone else altogether.

The Celtics traded the No. 32 pick in the 2025 NBA draft to the Orlando Magic for the draft rights to players No. 46 (Amari Williams), No. 57 (Max Shulga), and 2026 and 2027 second-round picks

Usually I'd say the bulk play is the smart one, but I HATED that trade. There's a pretty big drop off in most draft classes between a pick in the early 30's and anything after 45, but especially so in the last draft which was affected by NIL stuff and extremely thin in the back end. Pick #57 is basically worthless, and I just don't see it with Amari Williams at #46. The other two picks they got were best of Celtics/Magic in 2027 (likely to be in 50's) and best of Pistons/Bucks/Magic in 2026 (so probably in the 40's).

You trade #32 for 4 seconds none of which are all likely to be better than #46. That's not a good value trade nba talent wise. They did it so they could have extra seconds to use in money saving trades, and I HATE it when a team sacrifices shots at useful/good players just to be able to save money.

I suppose there's always a chance the 2026 or 2027 second hit, but I don't like the process at all.

[Roy H.]

Raise your hand if you'd feel slightly better about our big rotation if we had Filipowski and Kalkbrenner locked up for four years at a near-minimum salary.

It's so frustrating, because these guys weren't really unknown.  Both were legit prospects at positions of need that the average fan would have taken.  Those picks don't always hit, but gambling on guys who have both size and skill makes more sense than trading down or taking wings with an average outside shot that don't play defense.

[keevsnick]

Raise your hand if you'd feel slightly better about our big rotation if we had Filipowski and Kalkbrenner locked up for four years at a near-minimum salary.

It's so frustrating, because these guys weren't really unknown.  Both were legit prospects at positions of need that the average fan would have taken.  Those picks don't always hit, but gambling on guys who have both size and skill makes more sense than trading down or taking wings with an average outside shot that don't play defense.

Ya, its been known for two years that the C's will need a Center eventually since its been pretty well established that Horford is older than dirt and KP is more fragile then glass. The fact they they were in position to take some intriguing center options and just didn't is very annoying.

[otherdave]

I have always wondered if money was also a factor in trading the 32nd pick.  Picks in the low thirties are now getting contracts similar to first round contracts - more money and years guaranteed than say a pick at 45....

[Roy H.]

I have always wondered if money was also a factor in trading the 32nd pick.  Picks in the low thirties are now getting contracts similar to first round contracts - more money and years guaranteed than say a pick at 45....

It probably does, but to put it in perspective, Kalkbrenner has about as much guaranteed salary as Garza.

[keevsnick]

I have always wondered if money was also a factor in trading the 32nd pick.  Picks in the low thirties are now getting contracts similar to first round contracts - more money and years guaranteed than say a pick at 45....

Kalkbrenner is making the minimum over 4 years with 3rd year non-guaranteed and 4th year team option. You really can't have a more team friendly contract than that and still have 4 years of control. Its essentially a 2 year commitment at the minimum.

Its a better contract with a more team friendly structure than what you've give to the #30 pick. The contract should not be what's stopping them from taking a guy at that spot.

Having a solid backup center under team control at the min for four years would be awesome.

[Vermont Green]

I have always wondered if money was also a factor in trading the 32nd pick.  Picks in the low thirties are now getting contracts similar to first round contracts - more money and years guaranteed than say a pick at 45....

I don't think money is the issue here.  If it was going from the first round to the second round, that is different.  I think this was about BOS not ranking Kalkbrenner that high and figured they could get another big later (it turned out to be Williams) plus 3 other second round picks.  Maybe Kalkbrenner will turn out to be this draft's big miss.  Like passing on Giannis to take Olynyk.

Except it is Williams that is more likely to be the Giannis type pick and Kalkbrenner more the Olynyk type pick.  One more ready now but lower ceiling, one more developmental but with higher ceiling.

Filipowski over Scheierman is more of a 1 for 1 miss.  Enough time has passed that you can declare this a miss.  I guess I don't expect teams to get every pick perfect, especially this late in the draft.  Picks will be misses more often than not.  Every team misses on the second round surprise picks.  Giannis went 15th.  Cody Zeller and Alex Len were picked well before Giannis, for example, in addition to Olynyk.  The Celtics (and a few others) also passed on Kobe Bryant.  I am not all that worked up about passing on Filipowski and Kalkbrenner.