Disappointed with #6 and want to trade it? Ask yourself this.

[PhoSita]

I wanted to see Boston get Wiggins or Paker. Now at 6. Trade it. Try you're best to get Love and another few pieces and start competing for the next 5-7 years.

This sounds nice.  But what if Love makes it known that he won't re-sign here, and kills the deal?  What if some other team offers a deal the T-Wolves like more?

Do the Celtics still look to trade the pick?

I guess I can't help feeling that this "Parker / Wiggins / Embiid or trade the pick" mentality is short-sighted and unrealistic.  It was always a long shot that we'd get one of the former group, and it's always more likely that attempts to put together a blockbuster deal will fail than that they will succeed.

Rebuilding requires discipline, and that means being willing to make the most of what you have to work with.  Chances are, that means selecting a player in that second tier of prospects in this draft and then developing him.

[action781]

Honestly there are plenty of exciting prospects in this draft even at #6. Players like Gordon, Vonleh, Saric, and Randle all have all-star potential, arguably just as much as Wiggins or Parker do.

The problem is that they're all power forwards and we already have two young prospects in that spot. That's what makes it a bummer.

Exactly my disappointment.  I have no doubt that there is a player who could turn into an all-star to be picked at #6.  But I think it is likely to be a PG or PF and that potential all-star will never develop into one if he can't get the consistent playing time because of a logjam.  Or perhaps he does get the playing time and that pushes Sullinger/Olynyk back in their development.  It's a uniquely crappy situation for the celtics.  A team like the Washington Wizards would LOVE to have this pick.  Teams like Houston, Lakers, Portland, and others would also salivate over getting some of these players.

[PhoSita]

Honestly there are plenty of exciting prospects in this draft even at #6. Players like Gordon, Vonleh, Saric, and Randle all have all-star potential, arguably just as much as Wiggins or Parker do.

The problem is that they're all power forwards and we already have two young prospects in that spot. That's what makes it a bummer.

Exactly my disappointment.  I have no doubt that there is a player who could turn into an all-star to be picked at #6.  But I think it is likely to be a PG or PF and that potential all-star will never develop into one if he can't get the consistent playing time because of a logjam.  Or perhaps he does get the playing time and that pushes Sullinger/Olynyk back in their development.  It's a uniquely crappy situation for the celtics.  A team like the Washington Wizards would LOVE to have this pick.  Teams like Houston, Lakers, Portland, and others would also salivate over getting some of these players.

Here's where I'm at --

This team lacks high end talent.  Desperately.  Rondo is the only one who's close, in my opinion, and he's one season away from free agency, he's almost 30, and he's still recovering from a major knee injury.

So I'll take any kind of high talent, regardless of positional fit.

Even so, I think there are players who could fit on this team right away, though maybe not in featured roles. 

Smart could get significant minutes as a combo guard, off the bench or replacing Bradley in the starting lineup.  Gordon could get minutes at the 3 and the 4 as a defensive specialist and hustle guy.  Vonleh can play center in today's league, and I think he'd fit next to either of our young bigs.  Saric could start out as a sixth man on the wing and eventually take over Jeff Green's spot as a starter with playmaking ability in addition to shooting and rebounding.

The only player in that range who I think would really not have a clear spot on the team is Randle.  He's too similar to Sullinger and I think he'd be a disaster defensively next to either Sullinger or Olynyk.

None of the guys in range of the #6 is going to be ready to play big minutes and have a featured role yet, anyway.  So it's okay that they'd begin by coming off the bench and playing smaller minutes. 

[biggs]

Here's to hoping the next PP/Sullinger gets flagged as a risk so we can draft them.  Joel please make your injury enough for teams other than Boston to not take the risk

[PhoSita]

Here's to hoping the next PP/Sullinger gets flagged as a risk so we can draft them.  Joel please make your injury enough for teams other than Boston to not take the risk

I think our best chance is that one of the international guys will end up being undervalued due to lack of game tape.

Maybe Exum falls to #6, somehow.  Maybe Saric is there at #6 (likely) and he ends up being every bit as good a wing prospect as Wiggins and Parker.  Maybe Ainge trades up from #17 to take Jusuf Nurkic and he turns out to be another Nikola Pekovic type, only with better rim protection.

[CoachBo]

I wanted to see Boston get Wiggins or Paker. Now at 6. Trade it. Try you're best to get Love and another few pieces and start competing for the next 5-7 years.

This sounds nice.  But what if Love makes it known that he won't re-sign here, and kills the deal?  What if some other team offers a deal the T-Wolves like more?

Do the Celtics still look to trade the pick?

I guess I can't help feeling that this "Parker / Wiggins / Embiid or trade the pick" mentality is short-sighted and unrealistic.  It was always a long shot that we'd get one of the former group, and it's always more likely that attempts to put together a blockbuster deal will fail than that they will succeed.

Rebuilding requires discipline, and that means being willing to make the most of what you have to work with.  Chances are, that means selecting a player in that second tier of prospects in this draft and then developing him.

Ask Grousbeck whether his books looked better in 2006 or 2009?

It would appear the answer would disappoint you.

[crimson_stallion]

I think people just had high hopes that Boston would get some rare luck and strike a top 4 pick. Ultimately . Think everyone was kinda hoping for that,  and anything outside of that was going to be a bit of a disappointment. Some arrow just now disappointed than others.

For me, even though I knew the odds were against us,  I was really hoping we would fall in the top three. Anybl of the top 4 prospects either has start potential,  or fills a need,  or both. If we did fail to get top 4 though, my next hope as a consolation prize was to at least secure top 6, because I really like  Smart and Vonleh and feel both could become stars in this league.

My real fear was that we would fall into 7th or 8th.  This could leave us stuck to choose between Randle, Gordon, Saric and McDermott and see all of those guys as pure role players with very limited star potential. THAT would have left me really disappointed,  knowing we just sufferered through the pains of a lottery season and all we got in return was a future role player.

I'm content with top 6 though.  I think there's still a lot of potential there
there, and I think that both Vonleh and Smart have a chance to surprise and turn out one of the top 3 players in this draft..much like Bosh and Wade did in a draft where the clear cut favorites were LeBron,  Milicic and Melo (in that order) and everyone else was considered a dissapointing consolation.

[crimson_stallion]

Also, for those saying "trade the pick for Love and become contenders", let me ask you this...

Is Love's current team a contender? Has any team he's  played on made the playoffs?  Was his supporting cast this year really any better than the roster we have right now?

I ask because if the answer to these questions is "no", Love is not making us a playoff team...much less a contender.

[action781]

Honestly there are plenty of exciting prospects in this draft even at #6. Players like Gordon, Vonleh, Saric, and Randle all have all-star potential, arguably just as much as Wiggins or Parker do.

The problem is that they're all power forwards and we already have two young prospects in that spot. That's what makes it a bummer.

Exactly my disappointment.  I have no doubt that there is a player who could turn into an all-star to be picked at #6.  But I think it is likely to be a PG or PF and that potential all-star will never develop into one if he can't get the consistent playing time because of a logjam.  Or perhaps he does get the playing time and that pushes Sullinger/Olynyk back in their development.  It's a uniquely crappy situation for the celtics.  A team like the Washington Wizards would LOVE to have this pick.  Teams like Houston, Lakers, Portland, and others would also salivate over getting some of these players.

Here's where I'm at --

This team lacks high end talent.  Desperately.  Rondo is the only one who's close, in my opinion, and he's one season away from free agency, he's almost 30, and he's still recovering from a major knee injury.

So I'll take any kind of high talent, regardless of positional fit.

Even so, I think there are players who could fit on this team right away, though maybe not in featured roles. 

Smart could get significant minutes as a combo guard, off the bench or replacing Bradley in the starting lineup.  Gordon could get minutes at the 3 and the 4 as a defensive specialist and hustle guy.  Vonleh can play center in today's league, and I think he'd fit next to either of our young bigs.  Saric could start out as a sixth man on the wing and eventually take over Jeff Green's spot as a starter with playmaking ability in addition to shooting and rebounding.

The only player in that range who I think would really not have a clear spot on the team is Randle.  He's too similar to Sullinger and I think he'd be a disaster defensively next to either Sullinger or Olynyk.

None of the guys in range of the #6 is going to be ready to play big minutes and have a featured role yet, anyway.  So it's okay that they'd begin by coming off the bench and playing smaller minutes.

I agree about the need for high end talent.  But that talent isn't there yet in any of those players... it needs to be developed.  It's hard for me to buy this PFs development not coming at the expense of our other PFs.  It's possible for it to all work out smoothly, but I don't think it's very likely to.  Whereas developing players across several positions is much easier.  (I don't see Vonleh as a center)

[Monkhouse]

Also, for those saying "trade the pick for Love and become contenders", let me ask you this...

Is Love's current team a contender? Has any team he's  played on made the playoffs?  Was his supporting cast this year really any better than the roster we have right now?

I ask because if the answer to these questions is "no", Love is not making us a playoff team...much less a contender.

I don't get why EVERYONE thinks this way...

Obtaining Love is just a step in the right direction... There is no guarantee any of the prospects will be able to be considered a top 10 player.

I don't understand this illogical thinking that everyone seems to firmly believe, Love can't put any team over the top.

We're not going to be contenders, but in the weak East, we're at least a 3-5 seed. Adding a defensive Center, grabbing a better bench, and getting a good 2nd scorer can make us contenders. I don't get how people think obtaining Love would be selling off the entire farm... Last time I checked, Kevin Love wasn't as worth as much as Kevin Garnett. Also, the rate at which the draft picks are valued have increased a little bit in trade value, due to the restriction of cap space for teams.

[317]

Also, for those saying "trade the pick for Love and become contenders", let me ask you this...

Is Love's current team a contender? Has any team he's  played on made the playoffs?  Was his supporting cast this year really any better than the roster we have right now?

I ask because if the answer to these questions is "no", Love is not making us a playoff team...much less a contender.

West>>>East and Celtics assets>>>Timberwolves assets
the real question is who has better assets post trade Boston or Minnesota.

[Surferdad]

... content with top 6 though.  I think there's still a lot of potential there, and I think that both Vonleh and Smart have a chance to surprise and turn out one of the top 3 players in this draft..much like Bosh and Wade did in a draft where the clear cut favorites were LeBron,  Milicic and Melo (in that order) and everyone else was considered a dissapointing consolation.

It is true that we have short memories about previous drafts. Wade was picked at 5. Pierce and Novitski even farther down. No reason that this year's #6 could not be an all-star someday.

[gpap]

Also, for those saying "trade the pick for Love and become contenders", let me ask you this...

Is Love's current team a contender? Has any team he's  played on made the playoffs?  Was his supporting cast this year really any better than the roster we have right now?

I ask because if the answer to these questions is "no", Love is not making us a playoff team...much less a contender.

The Western Conference is 10 times tougher than the East. If the TWolves were in the East, they would be a 4-7 seed.

Thus, if the Celts get Love, not only do they become a playoff contender, but they also are now more appealing to another free agent, like Carmelo (or whoever) to come to Boston and join Love and Rondo.

Then, the Celts become a real championship contender.

[gpap]

Also, for those saying "trade the pick for Love and become contenders", let me ask you this...

Is Love's current team a contender? Has any team he's  played on made the playoffs?  Was his supporting cast this year really any better than the roster we have right now?

I ask because if the answer to these questions is "no", Love is not making us a playoff team...much less a contender.

I don't get why EVERYONE thinks this way...

Obtaining Love is just a step in the right direction... There is no guarantee any of the prospects will be able to be considered a top 10 player.

I don't understand this illogical thinking that everyone seems to firmly believe, Love can't put any team over the top.

We're not going to be contenders, but in the weak East, we're at least a 3-5 seed. Adding a defensive Center, grabbing a better bench, and getting a good 2nd scorer can make us contenders. I don't get how people think obtaining Love would be selling off the entire farm... Last time I checked, Kevin Love wasn't as worth as much as Kevin Garnett. Also, the rate at which the draft picks are valued have increased a little bit in trade value, due to the restriction of cap space for teams.

Totally agree. I can't believe there are so many fans that don't want to see the Celts acquire Love. The guy is one of the best players in the league.

If you can't turn your luck around with a player like Love then guess what, no one is going to turn the team around.

Certainly not anyone who's going to be drafted number 6.

[celtic -_- pride]

I think you answered a lot of your own questions in your post. You ask why people are upset and then you go on to list why our situation is crappy... I didn't think you needed time to examine our situation after the lottery last night. We've been doing that all year. With that said, I think our loss in the lottery adds another 1-2 years of rebuilding.