Upshaw with the 16th pick. Yes or No?

[knuckleballer]

Does anyone know what his drug addiction is?  Is it pot or something worse?

[tazzmaniac]

Pass at 16.  His problems have to be quite serious to get dismissed from two college teams.  They've extended over a 3 year period so the chances that he's gotten his act together in just a few months is slim.  Being an NBA rookie with the money and travel is not a particularly stable situation for recovering substance abusers.  What are the penalties for failing testing for hard drugs? 

[Tr1boy]

at 16  i think danny reaches for Upshaw. Its a risk you can take. You are not going to cry passing over a RJ Hunter

He might trade the 28 and 33rd to move up to 23,24 and still get Anderson, Wood ,Rhj as the safe pick.

[slamtheking]

at 16  i think danny reaches for Upshaw. Its a risk you can take. You are not going to cry passing over a RJ Hunter

He might trade the 28 and 33rd to move up to 23,24 and still get Anderson, Wood ,Rhj as the safe pick.

no, too high to blow a pick on a head case.  can get a good player at that pick without the baggage.  if anything, I'd take him at 33 where he won't have a guaranteed contract.  if someone else grabs him, so be it.

[tazzmaniac]

at 16  i think danny reaches for Upshaw. Its a risk you can take. You are not going to cry passing over a RJ Hunter

He might trade the 28 and 33rd to move up to 23,24 and still get Anderson, Wood ,Rhj as the safe pick.

I wouldn't call Ainge a risk taker.  He generally goes for the safe play.  If he goes for Upshaw, I think he'd do so by moving up from the #28. 

[Evantime34]

Too much risk picking him at 16. Even if Ainge is a risk taker, he would be a fool not to mitigate the risk by moving down from 16 to pick up an extra asset and still get Upshaw.

What makes the most sense is packaging a second and 28 to move up to get Upshaw. If that isn't enough to get him then I say stay away.

[Tr1boy]

Too much risk picking him at 16. Even if Ainge is a risk taker, he would be a fool not to mitigate the risk by moving down from 16 to pick up an extra asset and still get Upshaw.

What makes the most sense is packaging a second and 28 to move up to get Upshaw. If that isn't enough to get him then I say stay away.

And what  if he has cleaned up his act and becomes the next Drummond?

Its a 2 year risk. If he messes up, you don't offer him the next part of his rookie contract. He is done from NBA for life then

[Tr1boy]

If not upshaw, then what? Take RJ Hunter who could struggle like John Jenkin has? 

Lyles only makes your team marginally better.   Justin Anderson , RHJ might reach their ceilings or might become good role players for the Celts. Again marginally better

Upshaw can help your team get to the next level on the other hand.   

He could screw you with taking him at 16, or he can help the Celts get to the next level.

Bc the celts have multiple picks and the talent level is kind of similar between 16, 17 to 27-28, you can still get a safe pick later.  Upshaw on the other hand I doubt will last until 28. Take the risk

[SHAQATTACK]

Danny gambled with Sully and his bad back.

You gotta wonder where Upshaw would be in the draft , if he had kept his cool and been a straight arrow.


This might be too good for DA to pass up , if the guy falls to 16.


I was wondering what the heat would want to move up to their pick.   They have Whitehead and Bosh coming back .

[Tr1boy]

Danny gambled with Sully and his bad back.

You gotta wonder where Upshaw would be in the draft , if he had kept his cool and been a straight arrow.


This might be too good for DA to pass up , if the guy falls to 16.


I was wondering what the heat would want to move up to their pick.   They have Whitehead and Bosh coming back .

Good call. Btw its Whiteside.

The Heat probably grab Johnson or Oubre as my guess. But also might like Anderson, RHJ with the 16th pick. Then can get a free 33rd pick

So definitely a trade with them is a possibility.   

[clover]

Too much risk picking him at 16. Even if Ainge is a risk taker, he would be a fool not to mitigate the risk by moving down from 16 to pick up an extra asset and still get Upshaw.

What makes the most sense is packaging a second and 28 to move up to get Upshaw. If that isn't enough to get him then I say stay away.

And what  if he has cleaned up his act and becomes the next Drummond?

Its a 2 year risk. If he messes up, you don't offer him the next part of his rookie contract. He is done from NBA for life then

Aren't first-round contracts fully guaranteed?

[clover]

at 16  i think danny reaches for Upshaw. Its a risk you can take. You are not going to cry passing over a RJ Hunter

He might trade the 28 and 33rd to move up to 23,24 and still get Anderson, Wood ,Rhj as the safe pick.

I imagine Danny's hoping to swing a big trade at the draft, but if he doesn't and has only his own picks, I could well see him combining his two first-rounders to get to where Turner or whomever he wants is in the late lottery--and then his two second-rounders to get a late first-rounder.

[Evantime34]

Too much risk picking him at 16. Even if Ainge is a risk taker, he would be a fool not to mitigate the risk by moving down from 16 to pick up an extra asset and still get Upshaw.

What makes the most sense is packaging a second and 28 to move up to get Upshaw. If that isn't enough to get him then I say stay away.

And what  if he has cleaned up his act and becomes the next Drummond?

Its a 2 year risk. If he messes up, you don't offer him the next part of his rookie contract. He is done from NBA for life then

I don't think he is near as athletic as Drummond.

It's not just the risk of having him on your team for two years. It is the risk that someone picked after him will outperform him.

That being said, if the C's pick him I will immediately be more confident that he will be able to behave correctly.

[Tr1boy]

Too much risk picking him at 16. Even if Ainge is a risk taker, he would be a fool not to mitigate the risk by moving down from 16 to pick up an extra asset and still get Upshaw.

What makes the most sense is packaging a second and 28 to move up to get Upshaw. If that isn't enough to get him then I say stay away.

And what  if he has cleaned up his act and becomes the next Drummond?

Its a 2 year risk. If he messes up, you don't offer him the next part of his rookie contract. He is done from NBA for life then

Aren't first-round contracts fully guaranteed?

only 1st 2 seasons

[Tr1boy]

The other thing I worry about Upshaw outside of his outside basketball issue is his ability to box out on the defensive end.   On many occasions last season he got pushed, even by smaller players.   It's like he didn't want the ball enough. Not physical enough/lacks an edge

Worst case: Larry Sanders, Royce White. Gets kicked out of the league

ok chance:  Mark Blount, Speights :  Has the package but can't put it together. Not consistent

best case:  Hassan Whiteside, Drummond:  one of the top shot blockers in the league, averaging double double on a nightly basis