Press Conference Schedule is Up! 2010 Celticsblog Draft: Draft Board

[RebusRankin]

The Memphis Grizzlies select Andray Blatche.

[StartOrien]

thanks was debating a few guys, but figured selecting Diddy would build a good idendity for my team, which'll allow easier decisions going forward.

[mgent]

"Guys who can be a number one option on a finals team"
Duncan
Dirk
Carmelo
Deron
CP3

So, does Paul Pierce belong on that list?

If not, are we just deluding ourselves that Banner 18 is in the near future? Or are we banking everything on Rondo making a quantum leap?

Interesting mention.  I think the celtics of '08 and the celtics of next season will be more of a team effort to win a championship than relying on a #1 option.  I think instead of "can be the number 1 option" it would be more appropriately (while verbosely) named "can be relied on as a number 1 option".  Even Pierce said that down 2 at the end of a game that Ray should take the final shot, not him.  Those guys on that list could win a title while refusing to defer to a teammate for the final shot (unless dishing out the necessary assist).

Otherwise, you'd have to technically include Chauncey Billups on that list too, right?  It could be argued that Billups and Pierce were not the most important players on their teams.  I'm not sure either could win a title on a team that they were undisputably the most important player.  The players above could be.  Although I don't necessarily put Deron in that list.

I'm glad someone picked up the bait here.

I think there's a certain amount of tautology behind these tiers. There's a "conventional wisdom" that there's only a handful of truly elite players, because they have been the best players on the most recent Finals contenders.

Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Deron Williams haven't even sniffed the NBA Finals, and yet they're given elite status. Why is that?

Perhaps the list above should be expanded to about 20, e.g. the best player/alpha dog for every single team in the NBA.

Neither has Kevin Durrant.  Is he tier 2?

That's an excellent question, actually.

You'll have to ask someone who endorses the idea of these tiers for their rationale why Durant is ahead of Duncan or Dirk.

Deron Williams has never had as good a team as Paul Pierce had in 08 when KG was sniffing the end of his prime, or '10 when Rondo jumped into elite status. Williams also never played for a team that emphasized a team concept on defense quite like these Celtics.

I don't think Paul Pierce is capable of being counted on to be a #1 option night in night out like say Kobe is.

Kobe might not always score the most points, but 9 nights out of 10 he'll be right there, and he'll take the most shots.

Williams might also not always score the most points, but he facilitates the offense single handily in Utah a lot of the time, so its kind of the same thing.

Chris Paul and Carmelo are also in the same list for the same reasons as Deron (scorers, or scoring facilitators on a elite level)

Durant is a cut above because he's shown he can be a winner and lead the league in scoring, and he's only 21

If Paul Pierce was a ball hog and took the most shots every night like Kobe, he could easily be a number one option on a finals team, especially if he had Pau Gasol.  In fact I still considered him our number 1 option last year, even though he wasn't always taking the most shots.

[wdleehi]

The Memphis Grizzlies select Andray Blatche.

Talent wise, he belongs here.


But because of the immaturity he has shown for years, I would not touch him.

[Gainesville Celtic]

This pick is being shipped off:

Jason Richardson

Not sure where Richardson is headed. But he's a player I like a lot and gave a long look towards drafting before deciding on Eric Gordon.

More highway robbery by Champkind (moved up from 10th Rd to 7th to drop back 9 spots), but for some reason Jason Richardson always seem underappreciated/undervalued in CBlog Draft. He's still a top 12 SG IMO (and shot better/more 3PTs than Ray Allen last season)

[Fafnir]

The Gorillaz select

Baron Davis

absolutely unbelievable he lasted this long. I thought a lot about taking him and pairing him with Westbrook in the backcourt but just couldn't bring myself to. IMO Davis is far better than the last about 1/2 dozen PGs taken.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisba01.html

I don't see it. He's too often injured our check out at this stage of his career. his last two years have varied between bad to below average. The talent is still there but 25% usage on a player with TS% of .500 or worse? Yuck!!!

[wdleehi]

This pick is being shipped off:

Jason Richardson

Not sure where Richardson is headed. But he's a player I like a lot and gave a long look towards drafting before deciding on Eric Gordon.

More highway robbery by Champkind (moved up from 10th Rd to 7th to drop back 9 spots), but for some reason Jason Richardson always seem underappreciated/undervalued in CBlog Draft. He's still a top 12 SG IMO (and shot better/more 3PTs than Ray Allen last season)

Yep.  He was another SG/SF I thought about.

[StartOrien]

This pick is being shipped off:

Jason Richardson

Not sure where Richardson is headed. But he's a player I like a lot and gave a long look towards drafting before deciding on Eric Gordon.

More highway robbery by Champkind (moved up from 10th Rd to 7th to drop back 9 spots), but for some reason Jason Richardson always seem underappreciated/undervalued in CBlog Draft. He's still a top 12 SG IMO (and shot better/more 3PTs than Ray Allen last season)

I had him BY FAR best sg/sf available.


Yep.  He was another SG/SF I thought about.

[RebusRankin]

The Memphis Grizzlies select Andray Blatche.

Talent wise, he belongs here.


But because of the immaturity he has shown for years, I would not touch him.

He fits my youth movement and hey you can always take 1.

[Greenbean]

The Gorillaz select

Baron Davis

absolutely unbelievable he lasted this long. I thought a lot about taking him and pairing him with Westbrook in the backcourt but just couldn't bring myself to. IMO Davis is far better than the last about 1/2 dozen PGs taken.

I used to love B. Diddy. He lost quite a bit of his game. He is a chucker who shoots an unbelievably low percentage. As he loses his athleticism, I cant see him as much of a contributor to winning basketball going forward.

[Gainesville Celtic]

The Gorillaz select

Baron Davis

absolutely unbelievable he lasted this long. I thought a lot about taking him and pairing him with Westbrook in the backcourt but just couldn't bring myself to. IMO Davis is far better than the last about 1/2 dozen PGs taken.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisba01.html

I don't see it. He's too often injured our check out at this stage of his career. his last two years have varied between bad to below average. The talent is still there but 25% usage on a player with TS% of .500 or worse? Yuck!!!

for us old skoolers/non-sabermatricians.... what is usage and why is 25% bad?!?

[mgent]

This pick is being shipped off:

Jason Richardson

Not sure where Richardson is headed. But he's a player I like a lot and gave a long look towards drafting before deciding on Eric Gordon.

More highway robbery by Champkind (moved up from 10th Rd to 7th to drop back 9 spots), but for some reason Jason Richardson always seem underappreciated/undervalued in CBlog Draft. He's still a top 12 SG IMO (and shot better/more 3PTs than Ray Allen last season)

He was the only guy available who is capable of being a go-to scorer, without any glaring weaknesses.  He and Chauncey will be a formidable duo in the backcourt.

[wdleehi]

The Memphis Grizzlies select Andray Blatche.

Talent wise, he belongs here.


But because of the immaturity he has shown for years, I would not touch him.

He fits my youth movement and hey you can always take 1.

I have just had my fill of him in the DC area.  Good talent, terrible attitude and approach to the team game.

[Fafnir]

The Gorillaz select

Baron Davis

absolutely unbelievable he lasted this long. I thought a lot about taking him and pairing him with Westbrook in the backcourt but just couldn't bring myself to. IMO Davis is far better than the last about 1/2 dozen PGs taken.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisba01.html

I don't see it. He's too often injured our check out at this stage of his career. his last two years have varied between bad to below average. The talent is still there but 25% usage on a player with TS% of .500 or worse? Yuck!!!

for us old skoolers/non-sabermatricians.... what is usage and why is 25% bad?!?

Basically its an estimate of how many of his teams possessions he uses when he's on the court. Here is the leaders for the NBA last year:

1. Dwyane Wade-MIA 34.9
2. LeBron James-CLE 33.5
3. Carmelo Anthony-DEN 33.4
4. Kobe Bryant-LAL 32.3
5. Kevin Durant-OKC 32.0
6. Monta Ellis-GSW 29.4
7. Dirk Nowitzki-DAL 28.8
8. Danny Granger-IND 28.7
9. Chris Bosh-TOR 28.7
10. Stephen Jackson-TOT 27.5
11. Amare Stoudemire-PHO 27.3
12. Derrick Rose-CHI 27.2
13. Chris Kaman-LAC 27.1
14. J.R. Smith-DEN 26.9
15. Al Harrington-NYK 26.8
16. Brandon Roy-POR 26.7
17. Corey Maggette-GSW 26.7
18. Rodney Stuckey-DET 26.4
19. Joe Johnson-ATL 26.3
20. Tyreke Evans-SAC 26.2

Basically it means that Baron is a chucker and dominates the ball. His TS% of around .500 is really bad for someone who takes so many shots.

[indeedproceed]

The Gorillaz select

Baron Davis

absolutely unbelievable he lasted this long. I thought a lot about taking him and pairing him with Westbrook in the backcourt but just couldn't bring myself to. IMO Davis is far better than the last about 1/2 dozen PGs taken.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisba01.html

I don't see it. He's too often injured our check out at this stage of his career. his last two years have varied between bad to below average. The talent is still there but 25% usage on a player with TS% of .500 or worse? Yuck!!!

for us old skoolers/non-sabermatricians.... what is usage and why is 25% bad?!?

It means he keeps others from shooting because he's always using the ball, but he doesn't make enough shots/ft's to justify it.