I've seen a lot of posts regarding the picks since the season has ended. Most of them view these picks in a negative light in terms of trading up. Since when did two first round picks in any sport allow a team to only move up 5 spots in a draft? Especially a deep draft such as this one? I feel that the overall perception of this team in Boston is that they are doomed no matter what, and that as long as the negativity is around no ones expectations will be raised. Its all about how we perceive these picks
For example
If the Spurs or Heat or Thunder had the 21st and 22nd pick, we would be seeing posts such as the following
-How are we going to deal with Drummond in South Beach? Miami has enough to trade into the top 5
-Will Harrison Barnes help the Spurs? 21 and 22 should be enough to move up
-The 21st and 22nd pick is a lot of ammo to move up in this draft
Instead since this is the Celtics we're talking about these are the following posts
-The 21st and 22nd picks don't really have that much value to move up...maybe to 15th or 16th but that's really it
-The only way this team moves up is if it includes JJJ and Bradley in a deal with both picks
-Lets take Emeka Okafor's contract and give up both picks to move up to 10!
-Trade Rondo to Sacremento with the whole [dang] team and it might get us #5 and Tyreke Evans!!!!!
-BLOW IT UP!!!
In my opinion the picks can get the Celtics up to around the top 10, probably 12-13 range which is about right. Any GM who would give up 2 1st rounders to move up five spots and not get at least a 2nd rounder or a player in return with that higher pick should be running a team in the CBA not the NBA.
My issue is that this is a huge opportunity for the Celtics to become the Spurs. They already have a very young all star point guard at a decent rate (but Celtics fans are AFRAID to admit that Rondo is an All Star pg, like someone will make fun of them and throw rocks at them), they probably have Jeff Green coming back, Avery Bradley has become a lock down defensive force at the two. For everyone that has knocked Ainge's drafts besides the Giddens/Walker draft which one did he really miss on? Gerald Green? This board was going nuts when Green fell to the Celtics and at the time that was a no brainer...you cannot fault Ainge for taking Green.
This is a guy who has drafted Tony Allen, Delonte West, Al Jefferson, Jeff Green (for SEA), Avery Bradley, Glen Davis, Leon Powe (Not his fault about Powe's knees)
He also was responsible for the draft day trades of Kendrick Perkins and Ray Allen
I think the man needs to have the benefit of the doubt here. Not too many GM's in sports have Ainge's resume.