Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0 - Celtics Picks

[Kane3387]

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft2012/story/_/id/7745192/nba-mock-draft-version-2

With the 18th pick the Boston Celtics select:

Royce White

Position: SF
Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 240 pounds
Age: 20
School: Iowa State
Analysis: White has as much talent as virtually anyone in this draft. But there are questions about some off-court issues and an anxiety disorder that includes the fear of flying. I think Doc Rivers might be the perfect coach to get through to him.

With the 22nd pick via the Clippers the Boston Celtics select:

Dion Waiters

Position: SG
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 215 pounds
Age: 20
School: Syracuse
Analysis: Danny Ainge has never been one to shy away from troubled talent, and in Waiters he could land a star. While size is a much bigger need, Waiters' abilities to get to the basket and score in transition are impressive. If he has matured, the Celtics could be getting a steal here.

Here is the order of the entire Mock Draft and the picks based on the present standings.

1)Charlotte - Anthony Davis
2)Washington - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
3)New Orleans - Thomas Robinson
4)Portland via NJ - Bradley Beal
5)Toronto - Andre Drummond
6)Detroit - Cody Zeller
7)Sacramento - Harrison Barnes
8)Cleveland - Perry Jones III
9) Utah via GS - Damian Lillard
10) Milwaukee - James Michael Mcadoo
11)Portland - Tyler Zeller
12)New Orleans via Minny - Kendall Marshall
13)Phoenix - Jared Sullinger
14)Houston - Jeremy Lamb
15) Houston via NY - John Henson
16)Denver - Terrence Jones
17)Minnesota via Utah - Austin Rivers
18)Boston - Royce White
19)Philly - Terrence Ross
20)Memphis - Meyers Leonard
21)Houston via Lakers via Dallas - Quincy Miller
22)Boston via LAC - Dion Walters
23)Atlanta - Tony Wroten Jr.
24)Indiana - Patric Young
25)Celveland via Lakers - Jeff Taylor
26)Orlando - Arnett Moultrie
27)Golden State via SA - Moe Harkless
28)Miami - Draymond Green
29)OKC - Mason Plumlee
30)Chicago - Andrew Nicholson

[Who]

Why is Meyers Leonard ranked down at #20?

He sounds like a top ten pick from his profile on draftexpress. Anybody got any insights? About why he is ranked so low?

[Celtics18]

Why is Meyers Leonard ranked down at #20?

He sounds like a top ten pick from his profile on draftexpress. Anybody got any insights? About why he is ranked so low?

Because this draft is ridiculously deep.  There is going to be some really good talent around in that 17-25 range where the Celtics are getting two picks.  Hopefully, Danny picks the right guys.

[rondohondo]

I would be ecstatic if those were our picks. I might go with Fab Melo with the clippers pick.

Other than Melo there are no other true centers that will be available in the late 1st round so if Melo  and Waiters are available I would go with Melo .

Then in the second round I would draft John Jenkins, the kid is a lights out shooter at the SG spot that is good off the ball, which is perfect with Rondo.

If we can't get royce white I would take Jae Crowder with one of our 1st rounders

[Finkelskyhook]

Royce White will be available in the second round.  Lottery talent with too much baggage.

[Chris]

Royce White will be available in the second round.  Lottery talent with too much baggage.

I'll be honest, I am also not convinced of the lottery talent.  He is a bit too much of a tweener for my liking.  I think, if he can get his head straight, he will be a quality NBA player, but I don't think he is good enough to be a difference maker, even if he does get over his issues.

[Chris]

I am really not a fan of either of those picks for the C's.  They are getting a lot of headaches, and I am not sure the upside is nearly as high as Ford makes it sound. 

[diconzo]

Someone whos stock is "falling" that I hope goes to us is John Henson. He's not getting worse, its just new people emerging as higher picks. Like Avery "fell" in the 2010 draft. He had an injury and people somewhat forgot about him.

[Cman]

agreed with much of the above sentiment.
I'm not a big fan of players with baggage.

Just to throw out a different name, what are people's thoughts on Tony Wroten? Good backup PG for Rondo?

[ManUp]

I would much rather grab Terrence Ross or Meyers Leonard than White. I don't think White, with his issues, is worth the risk in such a great draft. The risk is too high, considering there will be guys with similar upside around. I like the Waiters pick, but I would love Moultrie. I'd be very happy if we could come away with Ross and Moultrie.

[CFAN38]

I am really not a fan of either of those picks for the C's.

I agree terrible picks for the Cs. Both guys are tweeners without true positions. Whites anxiety is a huge red flag, maybe the Cs trade up into the 2nd if he falls but not worth a 1st round guaranteed contract gamble .

If the draft goes as Ford suggests then the Cs need to do the following

stay at 18 and 22 and draft Terrance Ross and Moe Harkless or Arnett Moultrie

or they either trade up from 18 for sullinger at 13 or trade up from 22 for Leonard at 20. Maybe #22 plus JJJ for #20 and a 2nd.

Terrance Ross and Meyers Leonard would be a home run, best play available and they fill needs.

[rondohondo]

I am really not a fan of either of those picks for the C's.  They are getting a lot of headaches, and I am not sure the upside is nearly as high as Ford makes it sound. 

Totally disagree with the Royce White part, the kid is going to be really good IMO. I think he is a big difference maker and would be a big building block for the future . He has great skill and very good athletic ability with a Karl Malone type Body and Lebron James like court vision.

I mean look at some of the numbers he has put up against other front court players that will be in this draft

Royce White VS Thomas Robinson
Game 1
White = 18pts,17 rebs, 4ast,1 stl, 2 blk, 5 TO ,7/14 FG'S
Thomas= 11pts,14 rebs, 2ast,0 stl, 3 blk, 0 TO ,4/10 FG'S

Kansas Won

Game 2
White = 18pts, 9 rebs,5 ast,0 stl, 0 blk, 5 TO, 6/11 FG'S
Thomas= 13 pts,7 rebs,0 ast,1 stl, 1 blk, 5 TO,

Iowa St won



Royce White VS Perry Jones

Game 1
White =14pts, 5 rebs,4 asts ,0 blks,0 stl, 7 TO'S, 7/13 FG'S
Jones =18pts, 7 rebs,2 asts ,0 blks,1 stl, 2 TO'S, 8/13 FG'S

Baylor won

Game 2
White =11 pts, 11 rebs, 4 asts,1 blk,0 stl,3 TO'S, 3/8 FG'S
Jones =10 pts, 12 rebs, 0 asts,o blk,1 stl,0 TO'S, 5/11

Iowa st won

Roy White VS Drummond/Oriakhi
   
    Royce White = 15pts,12 rebs, 2 asts, 1 blk,0 stls, 6/9
Drummond/Oriakhi= 4 pts, 6 rebs,1 ast, 2 stls, 5 blks, 2/8

Iowa St won

Royce White VS Anthony Davis/Terrence Jones

White = 23pts, 9 rebs,4 ast,3 stls,1 blk,3 TO'S, 9/12 FG'S

Davis = 15pts,12 rebs,5 ast,0 stls,2 blk,3 TO, 4/9 FG'S
Jones =  8pts,11 rebs,3 ast,1 stls,2 blk,1 TO, 3/9 FG'S


Averages
White=16.5 PPG,10.5 RPG,4 APG,1 SPG,1 BPG,4 TOPG, 56%FG,

Thats some pretty [dang] good talent that he went against in these 6 games , 3 lottery pick big men(possibly 4 with Terrence Jones) and he more than held his own in these games. His team went 3-3 against these teams which is very respectable especially when you take into account that he got revenge vs Kansas and Baylor in the 2nd games against those team leading his team to wins.

He obviously has some weaknesses. He is turning the ball over 4 times a game and is only a 50 %ft shooter. I think he can definitely improve both of those areas. He won't have the ball in his hand every play in the NBA like he has in college and will have better understanding when and when not to make the pass. He has great court vision you can just tell if you have ever watched him play .

He is basically an automatic 15/10/5 guy in the NBA IMO . Those are Rondo like numbers. If he is around when the c's pick at 17 there's no way you can pass on a kid with this much talent,IQ and physical ability. Hell I would even trade up to get the kid if that's what it takes. After Anthony Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist I think White has the most talent and upside and he already has an NBA Body

Get this kid Danny !!!

[Galeto]

I can't see Ainge picking Royce in the first round.  It doesn't fit his profile at all.  Ainge loves guys with athleticism and long wingspans as much as any decision maker in the draft.  Marcus Banks, Bradley, Giddens, Green, Tony Allen and Rondo were all ridiculous top-shelf athletes, with Delonte being the only small who wasn't a great athlete.  His bigs like Jefferson and Perkins weren't great athletes but had great size and very long arms.  White has neither great size or athleticism.

In the second Ainge goes with guys who might not have the prototypical physical profiles but were great, productive college players like Gomes, Powe, Big Baby and Harangody.  White fits in better with how Ainge likes to draft in the second than the first.

[Galeto]

If Quincy Miller is available and Ainge reasonably believes Miller's athleticism will bounce back from his ACL surgery, I think he'll be the pick.  He would only be available that late in the first because of physical concerns. Having not seen him before his ACL tear, I don't know what kind of athlete he was before but he was still a top five recruit with a bevy of skills. Ainge likes to hit home runs at that point in the draft and Miller could be one.

Miller goes 6'9 with a reputed 7'4 wingspan, has a nice handle and overall grasp of the game.  On the downside, he has a slow set shot that limits what kinds of shots he can get off and is a frail and weak as any prospect next to Will Barton.  In the late teens, facing a future where you need high upside players, I think he'd be worth the gamble.

[clawlin]

Royce White has too much baggage for a soon-to-be rebuilding team.  The guy has terrible anxiety issues and is afraid of flying on airplanes, something he will have to do a lot.  I do hope this kid can build his confidence to overcome his issues, he has great talent, but if his issues are really that debilitating, he could fall to the second round.  This drop, in my opinion, would not be a bad thing, he could play in the D-League where he can focus more on his anxiety and showcase his talent.

On the topic of our actual picks, I think, based on Ford's assumptions, that the first pick should be used to get either Terrence Ross or Meyers Leonard.  We need a center, and Leonard is not a reach by any means at that pick.  Ross is the more talented of those two, and is a sharpshooter and a legitimate 2, and could learn from a (potentially) re-signed Ray.

The second pick, I think, is pretty easy. Arnett Moultrie is really high on some boards, and for good reason.  He is tremendously talented, and has the potential to play three positions.  He is active and energetic, and can get things done. Dion Waiters, while intriguing, would not get much PT. Do we really need one Moore young combo guard that Bradley?