Mannix: Celts one of three biggest "winners' in this draft:calls Melo :Best Fit"

[MBunge]

At that point, drafting another guy to play the same position would have been stupid.

Strongly disagree. Draft best available and let the players sort it out on the court. If the rotation becomes over crowded make a trade. That's not a bad problem to have versus passing up talent for a long shot at a position of need.

Besides, what about option three? Exercise the Clippers pick next season, or in 2014 or 2015.

1.  You can't box yourself in to where you have to make a trade, which is what you'd have to do with JJJ, Sully, KG, Bass and PJIII on your roster.  

2.  While a project, Melo has talent and an upside better than anyone Boston currently has at the position.  PJIII would be, at most, the 4th best power forward on Boston's roster (if Bass is resigned) and possibly the 5th behind JJJ.  Boston already has 1 or 2 players at that spot they can trade.

3.  There's absolutely NO reason to think the Clippers are going to be worse in the next few seasons.  Meanwhile, Boston only has a handful of players under contract and if KG and Ray both leave, will probably go into full scale rebuilding.

Mike

[Neurotic Guy]

At that point, drafting another guy to play the same position would have been stupid.

Strongly disagree. Draft best available and let the players sort it out on the court. If the rotation becomes over crowded make a trade. That's not a bad problem to have versus passing up talent for a long shot at a position of need.

I think you are correct IF Danny sees the talent/upside differential as sinificant.  But if the talent/upside differential is seen as marginal then you go with filling another position of need.
Warning: Bad analogy coming: Say you were drafting with Kobe, MJ and Hakeem on the board and you have 2 successive picks.  You selct Kobe 1st and then have to choose between MJ and Hakeem.  While MJ would rate higher on most boards, the sensible pick would be Hakeem.     

[The Walker Wiggle]

3.  There's absolutely NO reason to think the Clippers are going to be worse in the next few seasons. Meanwhile, Boston only has a handful of players under contract and if KG and Ray both leave, will probably go into full scale rebuilding.

There's NO reason to to think that Donald Sterling's L.A. Clippers, the league's most infamous franchise may get worse? I respectfully disagree. What if Chris Paul doesn't resign? What if either he or Griffin has a setback, and misses significant time? Or what if you're right, but the Clippers could've been enticed in to sending Boston additional assets in order to free up future picks for trade? (This is the organization that dealt the lottery pick that became Kyrie Irving for a one year cash grab.) We had the rights to the team's pick through 2016, not as risky a proposition as you suggest.

Ainge ought just to have bought a 2nd round pick, 36?, if he had to have a project 7 footer. But Melo isn't a strong enough prospect to justify exercising the Clippers' pick immediately. It was short sighted.

[All Star Matt Clement]

not to me but i mean he is da 22nd pick aint like a lottery pick everytime i watched him i was unimpressed but ima be watchin him close in summer league

Scoop Jackson, is that you?

[The Walker Wiggle]

I agree on the BPA strategy, though. I was hoping Ainge would take both Sullinger and Jones, and then figure out a way to either get back into the 1st/early 2nd for Melo, or take Sacre at #51.

Yeah, I'm just baffled that Ainge felt he couldn't afford to see if Melo would slide, particularly when so many second rounders were for sale, and several other comparable project bigs were going to be available late into the second.

Maybe he just got played by Arn Tellem?

[hwangjini_1]

I'm confused why people keep saying that these 2 picks will help KG?

Doc does not play rookies!!!!!!

Also my wife has back problems, disk in her upper back near her neck. Doctors said she can have surgery but surgery can cause more problems just as easy as it can fix them. This is why most people do not have the surgery. Of course she is a CPA so she can live with it, being 270 lbs getting beat up in the NBA night in and night out, not as easy.

Risky pick, hope it works, still think he's a bad fit for the team either way.

doc doesn't play rookies who aren't ready to play. he played delonte, rondo, TA...even big al (who just kept getting hurt). i have no doubt he would have played moore and JJJ more had there been a real offseason and they had time to get acclimated to the team (since both were 4 year players vs. 1 year players who may need even more time to learn the system). they both played like deers in headlights when they got burn last year...which is why they didn't play that much once we got our rotations set. the idea that doc doesn't play young guys is flat-out wrong...he plays young guys who are ready to play.

thank you thank you thank you get banners....how many times do we see the baseless assertion that doc never plays rookies?

i dont know why more posters haven't pick up on the points you make above.

[Who]

I agree on the BPA strategy, though. I was hoping Ainge would take both Sullinger and Jones, and then figure out a way to either get back into the 1st/early 2nd for Melo, or take Sacre at #51.

Yeah, I'm just baffled that Ainge felt he couldn't afford to see if Melo would slide, particularly when so many second rounders were for sale, and several other comparable project bigs were going to be available late into the second.

Maybe he just got played by Arn Tellem?

It sounded like there was a fair lot of interest in Fab Melo leading up the draft. I'd have been surprised if he lasted much longer if Ainge passed on him. The early to mid 20s felt like the most likely place for him to go.

I thought Ainge did the right thing taking Fab Melo where he did (since he wanted Melo). I don't think he would slipped much further. 

[SCeltic34]

I agree on the BPA strategy, though. I was hoping Ainge would take both Sullinger and Jones, and then figure out a way to either get back into the 1st/early 2nd for Melo, or take Sacre at #51.

Yeah, I'm just baffled that Ainge felt he couldn't afford to see if Melo would slide, particularly when so many second rounders were for sale, and several other comparable project bigs were going to be available late into the second.

Maybe he just got played by Arn Tellem?

It sounded like there was a fair lot of interest in Fab Melo leading up the draft. I'd have been surprised if he lasted much longer if Ainge passed on him. The early to mid 20s felt like the most likely place for him to go.

I thought Ainge did the right thing taking Fab Melo where he did (since he wanted Melo). I don't think he would slipped much further. 

Agreed - the Heat would have taken him if we didn't.

[2short]

hold up Fab Melo is 22? smh dat makes me even more heated at dat wack pick he's a stiff

He's from Brazil an was a soccer player most of his life.  Picked up B-Ball only 5 years ago.  Despite being new to the game, he apparently already has NBA level skills with regard to sho-blocking and some aspects of defense. 

So in Melo we have a huge guy who is athletically skilled enough to play at a high level despite only 5 years playing and being coached.   

Seems like a risk worth taking.

HMMM...didn't you just describe Akeem?

[alley oop]

hold up Fab Melo is 22? smh dat makes me even more heated at dat wack pick he's a stiff

He's from Brazil an was a soccer player most of his life.  Picked up B-Ball only 5 years ago.  Despite being new to the game, he apparently already has NBA level skills with regard to sho-blocking and some aspects of defense. 

So in Melo we have a huge guy who is athletically skilled enough to play at a high level despite only 5 years playing and being coached.   

Seems like a risk worth taking.

...
However, the fact that Stiff Melo played soccer is a huge plus in my book.  Hakeem, Steve Nash soccer players......

Guess who else played soccer? From Wiki:

Garnett also excelled in soccer during his high school days.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Garnett#Early_life

[jdz101]

I don't understand how some of you guys can expect a 7 footer picked at 22 to be a sure thing. 7 footers in the draft are always a risk, no matter where you pick, and it may only pay off once every 3-4 picks or so. When it does pay off though and you get a legit NBA 7 footer, it's like gold.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I'm confused why people keep saying that these 2 picks will help KG?

Doc does not play rookies!!!!!!

Also my wife has back problems, disk in her upper back near her neck. Doctors said she can have surgery but surgery can cause more problems just as easy as it can fix them. This is why most people do not have the surgery. Of course she is a CPA so she can live with it, being 270 lbs getting beat up in the NBA night in and night out, not as easy.

Risky pick, hope it works, still think he's a bad fit for the team either way.

doc doesn't play rookies who aren't ready to play. he played delonte, rondo, TA...even big al (who just kept getting hurt). i have no doubt he would have played moore and JJJ more had there been a real offseason and they had time to get acclimated to the team (since both were 4 year players vs. 1 year players who may need even more time to learn the system). they both played like deers in headlights when they got burn last year...which is why they didn't play that much once we got our rotations set. the idea that doc doesn't play young guys is flat-out wrong...he plays young guys who are ready to play.

Yea, I was agreeing somewhat until you got here. I'm sorry but they did not... when Bass went down, JJJ played fine (not great but he was okay). Then, when Doc had no choice but to give Moore minutes he looked the better of the 2, he scored the ball (well once he got more PT it started to fall) when he shot it (no I'm not just talking about the explosion against Orl), he also did well handling the ball as the PG, and played better and better defense as the season wore on! Neither were world beaters but I think they looked like they weren't afraid of the moment of being in the NBA. The thing that held JJJ back besides being behind KG and Bass was supposed difficulty on picking up Doc's defense (I dunno that for sure). Doc and Ainge both said they wish the rookies got more PT because they didn't have a chance to see what either was really capable of providing, especially with vets ahead of them that were PROVEN!

[gar]

Slowly warming up to the picks. Syracuse dominated early on this season. Melo and KG is one intimidating front line.

[vinnie]

I hope I am wrong, but I honestly doubt that Fab Melo spends much time in Boston this year. Coming from Syracuse, he should be okay with the winter weather in Augusta, Maine.