The best that's got away...

[elcotte]

hadn't heard of Galis until now but if he was as good as advertised, C's could have had a better chance at getting another title in Bird's first 4 years.  Put a scorer like Galis alongside Tiny, Max, Bird and Cowens/Chief instead of Chris Ford -- that would have been a high-scoring starting line-up. 

In terms of the losses, Bowen doesn't hurt so much.  didn't show a lot when here.  Billups was a good trade at the time.  They got Kenny Anderson who provided the vet leadership and PG skills the team needed with a young Toine, Mercer and later PP. Using JJ instead of Brown was a real bonehead move.  Anyone watching those 2 that season could see JJ had more skills. 
I'd actually put Rick Fox ahead of Bowen.  Fox played well when he was here--very good defender but not so great on offense.  went to LA not by choice but because C's wouldn't keep him.  found his niche there.  not sure why he gets boo'ed at the Garden when he comes back.  he certainly doesn't deserve it.

I'd boo him...he was just too arrogant....acted like he was something special...I don't like him at all.

[BballTim]

Clearly Billups was a bad trade Kenny was over the hill when we got him and Billups went on to have a very good All Star level career as the perfect complimentary PG. Pitino should have traded Toine and Mercer.

  I hate Pitino as much as anyone, and I hated him from the onset, but Billups played on 4-5 teams after we traded him before he turned into a good player.

[slamtheking]

Clearly Billups was a bad trade Kenny was over the hill when we got him and Billups went on to have a very good All Star level career as the perfect complimentary PG. Pitino should have traded Toine and Mercer.

  I hate Pitino as much as anyone, and I hated him from the onset, but Billups played on 4-5 teams after we traded him before he turned into a good player.

Exactly.  the argument that the C's should have seen they had a promising player doesn't hold a lot of water.  he had to go through a lot of other teams in several years to finally get his act together.  There's no way C's fans would have had the patience to wait 4-5 years for him to finally develop---especially as the #3 pick in the draft.

[slamtheking]

hadn't heard of Galis until now but if he was as good as advertised, C's could have had a better chance at getting another title in Bird's first 4 years.  Put a scorer like Galis alongside Tiny, Max, Bird and Cowens/Chief instead of Chris Ford -- that would have been a high-scoring starting line-up. 

In terms of the losses, Bowen doesn't hurt so much.  didn't show a lot when here.  Billups was a good trade at the time.  They got Kenny Anderson who provided the vet leadership and PG skills the team needed with a young Toine, Mercer and later PP. Using JJ instead of Brown was a real bonehead move.  Anyone watching those 2 that season could see JJ had more skills. 
I'd actually put Rick Fox ahead of Bowen.  Fox played well when he was here--very good defender but not so great on offense.  went to LA not by choice but because C's wouldn't keep him.  found his niche there.  not sure why he gets boo'ed at the Garden when he comes back.  he certainly doesn't deserve it.

I'd boo him...he was just too arrogant....acted like he was something special...I don't like him at all.

During his time in green he was very humble and workmanlike.  he left it all on the court as any true Celtic should.  He never got the credit he deserved for his defense that should have while he was here -- either from the fans or the refs.

[hardlyyardley]

How about Richard Jefferson instead of Kedrick Brown and Tony Parker instead of Joe Forte the same year we had three #1s and used the first on Joe Johnson (whatever happened to him?)

Billups error was made by four others before he developed into what he has been the last few years

[More Banners]

Danny Fortson.

[DavorCroatiaFan]

NBA draft:
1958: Bennie Swain - Hal Greer was available
1963: Bill Green - Gus Johnson was available
1964: Mel Counts - Willis Reed was available
1965: Ollie Johnson - Van Arsdale Twins were available
1967: Mel Graham - Bob Rule was available
1974: Glenn McDonald - Billy Knight was available
1975: Tom Boswell - Gus Williams and World B. Free were availabl
1976: Norm Cook - Alex English and Dennis Johnson were available
1981: Charles Bradley - Eddie Johnson was available
1983: Greg Kite - Doc Rivers was available
1984: Michael Young - Jerome Kersey was available
1985: Sam Vincent - Terry Porter was available
1989: Michael Smith - Tim Hardaway and Shawn Kemp were available
1992: Jon Barry - Latrell Sprewell was available
1993: Acie Earl - Sam Cassell was available
1994: Eric Montross - Eddie Jones and Jalen Rose were available
1995: Eric Williams - Michael Finley was available
1996: Antoine Walker - Kobe Bryant was available
1997: Ron Mercer - Tracy McGrady was available
2000: Jerome Moiso - Michael Redd was available
2001: Kedrick Brown and Joseph Forte - Richard Jefferson, Troy Murphy, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, Gerald Wallace and Gilbert Arenas were available
2002: Darius Songaila - Louis Scola was available
2005: Gerald Green - David Lee and Monta Ellis were available
2008: JR Giddens - Mario Chalmers was available
But there was a great deal of draft steals in Celtics history so this is just for fun...

[slamtheking]

NBA draft:
1958: Bennie Swain - Hal Greer was available
1963: Bill Green - Gus Johnson was available
1964: Mel Counts - Willis Reed was available
1965: Ollie Johnson - Van Arsdale Twins were available
1967: Mel Graham - Bob Rule was available
1974: Glenn McDonald - Billy Knight was available
1975: Tom Boswell - Gus Williams and World B. Free were availabl
1976: Norm Cook - Alex English and Dennis Johnson were available
1981: Charles Bradley - Eddie Johnson was available
1983: Greg Kite - Doc Rivers was available
1984: Michael Young - Jerome Kersey was available
1985: Sam Vincent - Terry Porter was available
1989: Michael Smith - Tim Hardaway and Shawn Kemp were available
1992: Jon Barry - Latrell Sprewell was available
1993: Acie Earl - Sam Cassell was available
1994: Eric Montross - Eddie Jones and Jalen Rose were available
1995: Eric Williams - Michael Finley was available
1996: Antoine Walker - Kobe Bryant was available
1997: Ron Mercer - Tracy McGrady was available
2000: Jerome Moiso - Michael Redd was available
2001: Kedrick Brown and Joseph Forte - Richard Jefferson, Troy Murphy, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, Gerald Wallace and Gilbert Arenas were available
2002: Darius Songaila - Louis Scola was available
2005: Gerald Green - David Lee and Monta Ellis were available
2008: JR Giddens - Mario Chalmers was available
But there was a great deal of draft steals in Celtics history so this is just for fun...

The only ones that jump out as real misses based on knowing if the C's were looking for BPA or filling a need are: 
1976 : either were better options than Cook.
1989: Smith was an optimistic stretch and Hardaway looked like a sure thing.
1992: The Barry situation was a pure debacle.
2001: pure disaster with Brown and Forte.

Because the C's were looking for specific needs in these years, it explains how they missed other, better players:
1983--Kite was to be Robey's replacement.  Doc wasn't a sure thing then.
1994--Montross was needed to replace Acie.
2005--Gerald was too hyped up not to pick but Lee would have been a great 3rd big man to pick up behind Perk and Al.

All others were pure speculation.  No fault of the C's for picking who they picked.  Most of the other options weren't pegged as surefire players and many didn't work out to be a whole lot better then who we picked based on the years spent in Boston.

[Rondo_is_better]

NBA draft:
1958: Bennie Swain - Hal Greer was available
1963: Bill Green - Gus Johnson was available
1964: Mel Counts - Willis Reed was available
1965: Ollie Johnson - Van Arsdale Twins were available
1967: Mel Graham - Bob Rule was available
1974: Glenn McDonald - Billy Knight was available
1975: Tom Boswell - Gus Williams and World B. Free were availabl
1976: Norm Cook - Alex English and Dennis Johnson were available
1981: Charles Bradley - Eddie Johnson was available
1983: Greg Kite - Doc Rivers was available
1984: Michael Young - Jerome Kersey was available
1985: Sam Vincent - Terry Porter was available
1989: Michael Smith - Tim Hardaway and Shawn Kemp were available
1992: Jon Barry - Latrell Sprewell was available
1993: Acie Earl - Sam Cassell was available
1994: Eric Montross - Eddie Jones and Jalen Rose were available
1995: Eric Williams - Michael Finley was available
1996: Antoine Walker - Kobe Bryant was available
1997: Ron Mercer - Tracy McGrady was available
2000: Jerome Moiso - Michael Redd was available
2001: Kedrick Brown and Joseph Forte - Richard Jefferson, Troy Murphy, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, Gerald Wallace and Gilbert Arenas were available
2002: Darius Songaila - Louis Scola was available
2005: Gerald Green - David Lee and Monta Ellis were available
2008: JR Giddens - Mario Chalmers was available
But there was a great deal of draft steals in Celtics history so this is just for fun...

The only ones that jump out as real misses based on knowing if the C's were looking for BPA or filling a need are: 
1976 : either were better options than Cook.
1989: Smith was an optimistic stretch and Hardaway looked like a sure thing.
1992: The Barry situation was a pure debacle.
2001: pure disaster with Brown and Forte.

Because the C's were looking for specific needs in these years, it explains how they missed other, better players:
1983--Kite was to be Robey's replacement.  Doc wasn't a sure thing then.
1994--Montross was needed to replace Acie.
2005--Gerald was too hyped up not to pick but Lee would have been a great 3rd big man to pick up behind Perk and Al.

All others were pure speculation.  No fault of the C's for picking who they picked.  Most of the other options weren't pegged as surefire players and many didn't work out to be a whole lot better then who we picked based on the years spent in Boston.

[expletive]...

[slamtheking]

NBA draft:
1958: Bennie Swain - Hal Greer was available
1963: Bill Green - Gus Johnson was available
1964: Mel Counts - Willis Reed was available
1965: Ollie Johnson - Van Arsdale Twins were available
1967: Mel Graham - Bob Rule was available
1974: Glenn McDonald - Billy Knight was available
1975: Tom Boswell - Gus Williams and World B. Free were availabl
1976: Norm Cook - Alex English and Dennis Johnson were available
1981: Charles Bradley - Eddie Johnson was available
1983: Greg Kite - Doc Rivers was available
1984: Michael Young - Jerome Kersey was available
1985: Sam Vincent - Terry Porter was available
1989: Michael Smith - Tim Hardaway and Shawn Kemp were available
1992: Jon Barry - Latrell Sprewell was available
1993: Acie Earl - Sam Cassell was available
1994: Eric Montross - Eddie Jones and Jalen Rose were available
1995: Eric Williams - Michael Finley was available
1996: Antoine Walker - Kobe Bryant was available
1997: Ron Mercer - Tracy McGrady was available
2000: Jerome Moiso - Michael Redd was available
2001: Kedrick Brown and Joseph Forte - Richard Jefferson, Troy Murphy, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, Gerald Wallace and Gilbert Arenas were available
2002: Darius Songaila - Louis Scola was available
2005: Gerald Green - David Lee and Monta Ellis were available
2008: JR Giddens - Mario Chalmers was available
But there was a great deal of draft steals in Celtics history so this is just for fun...

The only ones that jump out as real misses based on knowing if the C's were looking for BPA or filling a need are:  
1976 : either were better options than Cook.
1989: Smith was an optimistic stretch and Hardaway looked like a sure thing.
1992: The Barry situation was a pure debacle.
2001: pure disaster with Brown and Forte.

Because the C's were looking for specific needs in these years, it explains how they missed other, better players:
1983--Kite was to be Robey's replacement.  Doc wasn't a sure thing then.
1994--Montross was needed to replace Acie.
2005--Gerald was too hyped up not to pick but Lee would have been a great 3rd big man to pick up behind Perk and Al.

All others were pure speculation.  No fault of the C's for picking who they picked.  Most of the other options weren't pegged as surefire players and many didn't work out to be a whole lot better then who we picked based on the years spent in Boston.

[expletive]...

And your expletive means what?
1996: Antoine Walker - Kobe Bryant was available
1997: Ron Mercer - Tracy McGrady was available
2000: Jerome Moiso - Michael Redd was available
2001: Kedrick Brown and Joseph Forte - Richard Jefferson, Troy Murphy, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, Gerald Wallace and Gilbert Arenas were available

•   Antoine was a high-profile college player and Kobe was an unproven high-schooler.  In his rookie year, Antoine looked like the steal of the draft over Iverson, Marbury and Ray.  No fault to the C’s for picking Toine.  Kobe needed a few years to really hit his stride whereas Toine was hitting the ground running.
•   Mercer  same story as Antoine.  Mcgrady was an unproven high-schooler whereas Mercer was a high-profile college player that looked great his rookie year and sophomore years.  Mcgrady didn’t blossom until after he got off his rookie contract.  No fault to the C’s for picking Mercer.
•   Moiso sucked but so did that entire draft.  C’s needed height so no surprise they went that direction.  Redd definitely turned out to be the better player in that draft but for that matter, so did Eddie House.  Redd was not a surefire pick that they screwed up on.  C’s picked for need and every team in that draft got a pile of garbage.  No major fault to the C’s for not having a lot to pick from.  
•   2001 – I already mentioned that the C’s blew that draft big time so I’m not sure what your point is.

[Rondo_is_better]

NBA draft:
1958: Bennie Swain - Hal Greer was available
1963: Bill Green - Gus Johnson was available
1964: Mel Counts - Willis Reed was available
1965: Ollie Johnson - Van Arsdale Twins were available
1967: Mel Graham - Bob Rule was available
1974: Glenn McDonald - Billy Knight was available
1975: Tom Boswell - Gus Williams and World B. Free were availabl
1976: Norm Cook - Alex English and Dennis Johnson were available
1981: Charles Bradley - Eddie Johnson was available
1983: Greg Kite - Doc Rivers was available
1984: Michael Young - Jerome Kersey was available
1985: Sam Vincent - Terry Porter was available
1989: Michael Smith - Tim Hardaway and Shawn Kemp were available
1992: Jon Barry - Latrell Sprewell was available
1993: Acie Earl - Sam Cassell was available
1994: Eric Montross - Eddie Jones and Jalen Rose were available
1995: Eric Williams - Michael Finley was available
1996: Antoine Walker - Kobe Bryant was available
1997: Ron Mercer - Tracy McGrady was available
2000: Jerome Moiso - Michael Redd was available
2001: Kedrick Brown and Joseph Forte - Richard Jefferson, Troy Murphy, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, Gerald Wallace and Gilbert Arenas were available
2002: Darius Songaila - Louis Scola was available
2005: Gerald Green - David Lee and Monta Ellis were available
2008: JR Giddens - Mario Chalmers was available
But there was a great deal of draft steals in Celtics history so this is just for fun...

The only ones that jump out as real misses based on knowing if the C's were looking for BPA or filling a need are:  
1976 : either were better options than Cook.
1989: Smith was an optimistic stretch and Hardaway looked like a sure thing.
1992: The Barry situation was a pure debacle.
2001: pure disaster with Brown and Forte.

Because the C's were looking for specific needs in these years, it explains how they missed other, better players:
1983--Kite was to be Robey's replacement.  Doc wasn't a sure thing then.
1994--Montross was needed to replace Acie.
2005--Gerald was too hyped up not to pick but Lee would have been a great 3rd big man to pick up behind Perk and Al.

All others were pure speculation.  No fault of the C's for picking who they picked.  Most of the other options weren't pegged as surefire players and many didn't work out to be a whole lot better then who we picked based on the years spent in Boston.

[expletive]...

And your expletive means what?
1996: Antoine Walker - Kobe Bryant was available
1997: Ron Mercer - Tracy McGrady was available
2000: Jerome Moiso - Michael Redd was available
2001: Kedrick Brown and Joseph Forte - Richard Jefferson, Troy Murphy, Zach Randolph, Tony Parker, Gerald Wallace and Gilbert Arenas were available

•   Antoine was a high-profile college player and Kobe was an unproven high-schooler.  In his rookie year, Antoine looked like the steal of the draft over Iverson, Marbury and Ray.  No fault to the C’s for picking Toine.  Kobe needed a few years to really hit his stride whereas Toine was hitting the ground running.
•   Mercer  same story as Antoine.  Mcgrady was an unproven high-schooler whereas Mercer was a high-profile college player that looked great his rookie year and sophomore years.  Mcgrady didn’t blossom until after he got off his rookie contract.  No fault to the C’s for picking Mercer.
•   Moiso sucked but so did that entire draft.  C’s needed height so no surprise they went that direction.  Redd definitely turned out to be the better player in that draft but for that matter, so did Eddie House.  Redd was not a surefire pick that they screwed up on.  C’s picked for need and every team in that draft got a pile of garbage.  No major fault to the C’s for not having a lot to pick from.  
•   2001 – I already mentioned that the C’s blew that draft big time so I’m not sure what your point is.

Easy there, Danny Ainge. All I'm saying is that in retrospect...I would have liked to grab y'know, Kobe Bryant. Or Tracy McGrady. Or Michael Redd. Or any of those players in the 2001 draft over Kedrick Brown and Joe Forte. You don't have to defend what the Celtics did or the logic behind their decisions...

[Spoon]

If every GM could just master the art of time travel. But until then, they are not going to get every move right. So looking back on it is a little silly. Like saying when we drafted Jerome Moiso that Micheal Redd was available. Redd was a 2nd round pick! Everyone missed on him! It's just not fair.

And whether or not Galis could have played in the NBA is very debatable where his athleticism and size would have been exposed. He was made for FIBA and played in an era where there weren't many great athletes in the Euro leagues. He was 5'11" with a very stocky build.

The things you read about Galis from some are just crazy, Like how he would have been the best point guard in the NBA. Or would have led to Celtics to 6 championships. Some Greeks and Euro fans compare him to Jordan. Which would be like American soccer fans comparing the best player in MLS to Pele. In reality he would have been a smaller poor man's Vinnie Johnson in the NBA. 

[CelticBalla32]

Great white buffalo.

[freshinthehouse]

Leading up to the 1996 draft, Kobe and his agent made it clear that there were only 3 cities he'd play for, and Boston wasn't one of them.  If we would've drafted him, we would've ended up getting something like Charlotte got in return, which was Vlade Divac.  Vlade was nothing to sneeze at in his prime, but he was no Kobe.

[ederson]

NICK GALIS - 95% US fans would say WHO??
Galis was Celtics draft pick in 1979. Should be our rookie alongside Bird but broke arm in rookie camp and wouldn't offered a contract. Goes to Greec (his parents were Greek imigrans) and become one of the greatest european player of all-time. be phenomenal...
Peace

I can`t give u enough TPs.
Although Galis gave my team a very hard time for 10-15 years i`m very happy and proud i had the chance to watch him live.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93qc8EzsohM

the first 1.5 is nothing special. The best part starts at 2.52