Danny's drafting pattern: Defence and Athleticism first

[Tr1boy]

Talking with some friends today about past drafts, i realized, for the past few years (Rondo, Giddens, JJJ) , Danny is infatuated with athletic players that can or capable to play outstanding defence. The only 1st round pick outside of these criteria's was Al Jefferson.

If the pattern will continue, Andrew Nicholson, Royce White, Fab Melo, Evan Fournier, John Jenkin fans will be extremly disappointed that none of these type of players have a chance to be chosen by the celtics gm. You can add Quincy Miller, and even a fav of mine Moe Harkless on the list.

What type of players though we can expect to be drafted are (that should be available when we pick):

SF - Jeff Taylor
SG - Jared Cunningham
PF - Perry Jones
PF - Arnett Moultrie
SG - Tony Wroten

The three players from this list i wouldn't mind grabbing are

Jeff Taylor - Has only played about 6-7 years of org basketball. His dunks are thunderous. Like Lebron James/Charles Barkley thunder. Can shoot the three (some games 4-5, others 1-5) so just needs to be more consistent. His bread and butter is his defensive game though. Very athletic, quick and strong

Jared Cunningham - Explosive guard that is great at stealing the ball. His package, body shape and even face remind me that of Avery Bradley. I would love to have another Bradley on the team

Arnett Moultrie - Like a Rashard Lewis but with less skill and more physical tools. At 6'10, great size for pf/sf.

Now i'm not claiming this is the right way to draft players, especially year after year. If you drafted on these two requirements all the time, then you would potentially bypass on great players such as Magic, Bird, Hornacek

Also if you try to create an all defensive team but with none of the players able to create their own shots or come through in clutch, what will it matter in the end anyways right?

with this thought maybe a special player like John Jenkins, should be considered, even though in the end he might only end up being a 3 pt specialist.

Will the way danny evaluates and drafts players continue this year?

[Tr1boy]

delete

[clover]

I fear a run on 4's and 5's before the C's current pick positions.

But of Danny's biggest draft successes--the three I think of as getting greater than MLE contracts--Rondo's of course very athletic, but Perk and Big Al maybe not so much.

The defensive players are the ones he's most inclined to keep on the team (or bring back)--e.g., Rondo, Perk and DWest--but I think there's a chance he'd grab an offensive player he thought he could flip as an asset in a year if that's what's available at some point.

[Tr1boy]

I fear a run on 4's and 5's before the C's current pick positions.

But of Danny's biggest draft successes--the three I think of as getting greater than MLE contracts--Rondo's of course very athletic, but Perk and Big Al maybe not so much.

The defensive players are the ones he's most inclined to keep on the team (or bring back)--e.g., Rondo, Perk and DWest--but I think there's a chance he'd grab an offensive player he thought he could flip as an asset in a year if that's what's available at some point.

Interesting point.

Danny these years , like to draft players that can play nba defense and obtain FA that have nba experience now , have offensive game and are adequate defenders. Unless the draft pick has extraordinary offensive skills you can't teach, i believe he will once again go with an athletic player that can or has potential to play good defense.

Like another mock draft stated, with Pierce on his way out after his contract or sooner, Barnes (will be difficult to get) and Taylor would be very nice fit for the team. There is Jeff Green also but nobody is sure about his long term health

[Tr1boy]

Jeff Taylor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34GQdy-WD54


Jared Cunningham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL0mFywLgbQ


Both of these players again, type that danny like, great defenders. Taylor's thunderous dunks would blow the gardens roof off!

[Change]

Jeff Taylor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34GQdy-WD54


Jared Cunningham

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL0mFywLgbQ


Both of these players again, type that danny like, great defenders. Taylor's thunderous dunks would blow the gardens roof off!

My god this draft is too deep. I don't envy Danny Ainge at all.

Who is this Jared Cunningham fella? I want to know more.

So far I like:

Tony Wroten
Moe Harkless
Terrence Ross
Festus Ezeli
Jeffery Taylor
Jared Cunningham (Added to list now)

[j804]

Yea that Cunningham kid looks nice, can score knack for the ball high motor

[snively]

I think Ainge loves big talent, and, from where he usually picks, he usually goes for the the ones who have struggled in college or have red flags after wowing in high school.

For one, he loves McD's All-Americans (especially from 03/04): Perkins, Big Al, Gerald Green, Rondo, Giddens, Powe, Big Baby, Bradley... all of them picked 15 or later.

Then there are guys like Orien Greene and Bill Walker who were big names in high school and relative duds in college. 

Then there are the tweener upperclassmen like JJJ, Delonte, TA, Justin Reed, E'twaun, Lester Hudson, Gabe Pruitt, Luke Harangody and Brandon Hunter.

And of course the lone foreign guy, Semih. 

Based on this analysis, I'm predicting Will Barton (highly ranked high school player), Fab Melo (McD AA) and William Buford (McD AA, upperclassman) end up as C's.

[Yogi]

Character and IQ are the next two things he looks for.  We'll have some good options for 21 and 22. 

[Change]

Jared Cunningham High School mix:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw26nzKoY64

This guy is [insert adjective here]. Can I say Ray Allen replacement...Too soon?

In a perfect world:

PG-Tony Wroten
SG-Jared Cunningham
SF-Jeff Green

[Tr1boy]

I think Ainge loves big talent, and, from where he usually picks, he usually goes for the the ones who have struggled in college or have red flags after wowing in high school.

For one, he loves McD's All-Americans (especially from 03/04): Perkins, Big Al, Gerald Green, Rondo, Giddens, Powe, Big Baby, Bradley... all of them picked 15 or later.

Then there are guys like Orien Greene and Bill Walker who were big names in high school and relative duds in college.  

Then there are the tweener upperclassmen like JJJ, Delonte, TA, Justin Reed, E'twaun, Lester Hudson, Gabe Pruitt, Luke Harangody and Brandon Hunter.

And of course the lone foreign guy, Semih.  

Based on this analysis, I'm predicting Will Barton (highly ranked high school player), Fab Melo (McD AA) and William Buford (McD AA, upperclassman) end up as C's.

Snively some of the players you listed above , were players taken in the 2nd round. And danny in this round does not care about athletism and defense as much as getting the best avail player. Maybe they had solid four years in college, or they can shoot well, had a good tourney.

Its in the first round (esp around 15-30) that he has sought after guys like Taylor and Cunningham. I like Barton also as people know. Small issue that he has has is his wiry frame and uncertainty of what will happen to his quickness once he bulks up. A bigger roadblock first is, how long it may take for him to bulk up

Taylor looks like he can already defend lebron james/paul pierce. Cunningham looks in excellent shape also to be play in the nba.

If we pick these guys maybe we are not as worried to bring back Pitrus, Dooling, Daniels or forced to sign them  to a long term deals

[LooseCannon]

I fear a run on 4's and 5's before the C's current pick positions.

If this happens, I hope Ainge doesn't reach for a big just for the sake of drafting height in the first round.  If pick 21 rolls around and none of the top 4-5 guys left are PFs or Cs, then I want him to just take the best players and hope to pick up a decent gamble in the second round.

[Tr1boy]

I fear a run on 4's and 5's before the C's current pick positions.

If this happens, I hope Ainge doesn't reach for a big just for the sake of drafting height in the first round.  If pick 21 rolls around and none of the top 4-5 guys left are PFs or Cs, then I want him to just take the best players and hope to pick up a decent gamble in the second round.

totally agree. Unfortunately it is rare to pickup a stud pf or C after the lottery picks.

Celtics are sort of stuck now, choosing the best players avail,  hoping to snag a stud PF/C through FA or a Trade.

[Jon]

Actually, I don't agree with the OP.  

I think that when Danny has looked for athleticism and defense, he's generally bombed (see Marcus Banks and J.R. Giddens, the jury is out on JaJuan Johnson).

I think where Ainge has had almost all of his success is drafting very talented, polished, smart players that have some sort of perceived "fatal flaw" that causes them to slip.  

Examples would be as follows:

-Rondo: can't shoot and attitude problems

-Tony Allen: undersized 2 with questionable attitude

-Ryan Gomes: undersized 4

-Leon Powe: undersized 4 with knee issues

-BBD: undersized 4 with weight issues

-Avery Bradley: undersized 2

-Moore (assuming he pans out): undersized 2

As you can see, in most cases, he's gone with guys who don't fit the classic height requirements of the position, but were quite talented.  

I don't know a ton about the NCAA, but I'd be looking for Ainge to make a move on someone who is either undersized for his position and will consequently slip (maybe Sullinger or even Rivers to some extent) or someone with some sort of baggage (like Royce White).  

[clover]

I think Ainge loves big talent, and, from where he usually picks, he usually goes for the the ones who have struggled in college or have red flags after wowing in high school.

For one, he loves McD's All-Americans (especially from 03/04): Perkins, Big Al, Gerald Green, Rondo, Giddens, Powe, Big Baby, Bradley... all of them picked 15 or later.

Then there are guys like Orien Greene and Bill Walker who were big names in high school and relative duds in college. 

Then there are the tweener upperclassmen like JJJ, Delonte, TA, Justin Reed, E'twaun, Lester Hudson, Gabe Pruitt, Luke Harangody and Brandon Hunter.

And of course the lone foreign guy, Semih. 

Based on this analysis, I'm predicting Will Barton (highly ranked high school player), Fab Melo (McD AA) and William Buford (McD AA, upperclassman) end up as C's.

McD AA angle is interesting--Quincy Miller was ineligible for the award, but he was similarly lauded as a HS player.  Tyler Zeller was a McD AA.

And I think you forgot Ryan Gomes on your tweener upperclassman list.