Okay...let me try to defend myself...hold your fire at least long enough for me to type...
What I consider "average" is taking players at the level of the draft that seems appropriate for their ability to be NBA players.
First round: We would probably all agree that top 10 picks should probably end up being star players, or at least starters, last 10 first round picks are probably role players and/or projects, and the middle ten could go either way, but should probably make it in the league, barring injury, in some capacity (including end of bench roster fodder).
The picks (not including those still on rookie contracts; it's too early to call those either way):
Top 10: none (made good trade use of #5 for Ray)
Middle 10:
Marcus Banks, 11, Bust. Worst Celt #11 since Moiso, likely out of the league as soon as the contract McHale gave him is up.
Al Jefferson, 15, good pick. Not a franchise guy/all star yet, but a good player, and potential future all star. Seems appropriate for draft position.
Gerald Green, 18, out of the league. Total bust.
(so far, looks below average to me)
Last 10 1st round(likely role players and projects):
Delonte West, 24, good role/bench player.
Tony Allen, 25, good role/bench player.
Rajon Rondo, 21, good value here, even if he's still working on that 15 foot wide open jumper (sarcasm there-but there is some truth to it, and it's why he fell to 21. He probably looks better/developed better because of such good shooters elsewhere on the floor)
Perkins, 27, good role player. Keep in mind that the Perk we see today is much different than the fat 6'10" kid that Danny drafted. It took him years to develop into a competent role player, and more to start on a contender.
(I think others probably give Danny more credit than I do for the role players here. Perk, TA, and Delonte were appropriate for draft position. Rondo was slightly above, somewhere between superstar and role player, which is what we expect for the 11-20th pick, but he was not far out of there at 21)
(Depending how much credit one gives for Rondo, and takes away for Banks/G.Green, we improve Danny's grade to either slightly below average to average)
Second Round:
I would hope that players picked would make it in the league, somewhere, even in a towel-waving role. Solid rotation players are a plus, out of the league altogether after the rookie deal is a minus.
Brandon Hunter, 56, out of the league.
Justin Reed, 40, out of the league.
Ryan Gomes, 50, good role player/rotation player.
Oriene Green, 53, out of the league.
Leon Powe, 49, good role player/rotation player.
Gabe Pruitt, 32, out of the league.
Glen Davis, 35, role player/rotation player.
(4 out of 7 picks are out of the league. 2 fell in the draft because of health/injury issues, one of which Danny didn't pick up the option on due to his being injured. Still, this is above average, but not outstanding, at this level of the draft, moving Danny's overall grade to...average.)
Intangibles and observations:
I think it's a bit odd that Danny's mid-first round picks seem about as likely to stick in the league as his second rounders.
I credit Danny for taking a chance on injured college players. People need a chance. Those were, by far, his best second round picks, but they fall short of being "steals".
His late first round selections seem better than they are/were because of Perk's development from fat kid to solid starting player.
I think the above makes it pretty clear that he has as many misses as hits, and that the picks are usually appropriate for draft position, with the one exception of Rondo, who should have gone in the middle instead of the last third of the draft (11-20 instead of 21).
Whoa...just looked at this. I'll start another thread with it...
Topic: Speculating on past construction of the Celtics (Read 3027 times)