A few days ago, I watched the 10 PM CSN show with Mike & Greg. They had Danny Ainge talk about the draft picks on it. Basically the reason he went with Giddens & Walker was because they were "playmakers."
He said, if I remember this correctly, that athletes who can score and have the quickness to get back on D well enough are a diamond commodity that there is never an abundance of. And despite Giddens's headcase label, he thinks the environment could help transform him into the kind of player that fits into the Celtics scheme of doing things.
Danny also went on record to say that when the Celtics during the playoffs went on offensive droughts that were hardly ever seen during the regular season, the problem was a dearth of raw athleticism and explosive energy that the other teams in contrast were able to provide.
From what I can see, the Celtics of old ('05-'07) were kind of like the Hawks who showed up and almost eliminated us in the first round. They really weren't all that good aside from one player (Joe Johnson: Paul Pierce), but they still had a lot of young talent and pieces that could potentially pan out to be something special down the road. One thing that could never be denied about what they would give you IN THE PRESENT was their brute passion. Each and every one of those guys had a mission to get recognized on the big stage, in order to show the world that they're more than just bottomfeeders. In reality, they may have just been borderline playoff teams, but they provided the endless supply of energy that the big boys... the KG's, Allen's, and Pierce's, once in a while, fall short of.
My best guess would be that Ainge is trying to rebuild and win titles at the same time, for a foundation to be set when future players join the C's over the next 5-10 years. It's easy to say that all GM's think along those lines, and have those long term ambitions, but when you look at the Spurs & Suns who either sell all their draft picks or pick Europeans who never come overseas to actually contribute, the reality is --- that just ain't so.
Looking at the Celtics roster of present day, there are a few young guys whose draftings appear consistent with the general theme Ainge has described. Leon Powe is the first one that came to mind for me. Just the way he plays, the endless pennies of passion that explode out from the Leon Powe piggybank, whether it be in a meaningless regular season game OR the NBA FINALS, which so beautifully demonstrates that he really does care that much. He's definitely a game changer when he's on the court, and most certainly can be described as a playmaker too. Big Baby has shown this in spurts, however he has to lose weight for his optimal effectiveness to be seen. Tony Allen could have been really good, but whatever, I digress. The point has been made, and I think no matter how good we'll be, and how many titles we win over the next 4-5 years, Ainge is still very concerned about being a team that can shift into fast break gear, one that is never lacking in energy or collective athleticism.
In short, I think Ainge's vision is not completely centered around adding short term quick fixes around the big 3. He clearly wants to get younger and still have a foundation for when the vet's get too old. Do you think he's doing the right thing, or should he be looking to trade those picks for vets; short term improvements to the team's immediate success?
Topic: Danny still values youth even though we're technically no longer rebuilding (Read 6598 times)