Chad Ford Mock Draft 3.0

[trickybilly]

Bender looks great in highlight videos, but what I read about him is that he's a long way from being mature enough physically to play significant minutes in the NBA, and he might not even declare for this draft considering he's playing so few minutes overseas.  If the Celts do draft him, we might not watch him until 2018.

Let the kid slide this draft, if he doesn't declare this year get him with next years cherry pick.

[alewilliam789]

If we end up with the 3rd overall pick and Ingram and Simmons are off the board then the Celtics should grab Ivan Rabb because:
1. His ceiling is higher than Bender's because he is a better athlete

2. Rabb is a less raw prospect than Bender because he has shown a post game and consistent outside touch

3. Rabb is just a more established prospect because we have more tape and Bender isn't getting any run with Macabai Tel Aviv.

Of course I'm going to hear it from the people that believe he's the next Porzingis, but very seldom do players come around like KP and Ford even acknowledges that he isn't as good as KP.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Danny keeps the pick if it lands Top 2--?

Trades it if it's 3 or later-?

[A Future of Stevens]

If we end up with the 3rd overall pick and Ingram and Simmons are off the board then the Celtics should grab Ivan Rabb because:
1. His ceiling is higher than Bender's because he is a better athlete

2. Rabb is a less raw prospect than Bender because he has shown a post game and consistent outside touch

3. Rabb is just a more established prospect because we have more tape and Bender isn't getting any run with Macabai Tel Aviv.

Of course I'm going to hear it from the people that believe he's the next Porzingis, but very seldom do players come around like KP and Ford even acknowledges that he isn't as good as KP.

While I see what you are saying, three major aspects of Bender's game give him a larger upside. His ability to play perimeter defense is already ahead of where kristaps is now. His ability to switch and closeout on shooters is honestly the best I've ever seen for an 18 year old 7 footer. His defensive bball iq is off the charts. (I hate the kristaps comparison tbh. He's more like a perimeter defensively oriented danilo)

He also is a legit 7'1 (7'2 wingspan isn't amazing but it isn't terrible) who has the ability to spread the floor. This is such a rare commodity that people tend to overlook how impactful this is in the modern nba. We could have the flexibility to go small with a 7 footer based on his skills.

And lastly, his passing game. The thing with this kid is that he honestly sees the game occuring slower then everybody else. He has a knack for making the right pass, and has even shown the ability to get a rebound and run the fast break. Normally not a huge deal, but he has the exact same physical specs as WCS (not counting athleticism), yet he plays as a point forward.

I think Ivan Rabb will end up like a rich man's faried. Tons of hustle in an undersized frame (I'm not positive he is actually 6'11 like he claims, more like the 6'9 he's been measured at) and minor post game (rabbs case).

For bender I believe the upside is something like a hybrid between danilo (shooting) and Marc gasol (not his size but his defensive bball IQ, and passing ability)

[Evantime34]

If we end up with the 3rd overall pick and Ingram and Simmons are off the board then the Celtics should grab Ivan Rabb because:
1. His ceiling is higher than Bender's because he is a better athlete

2. Rabb is a less raw prospect than Bender because he has shown a post game and consistent outside touch

3. Rabb is just a more established prospect because we have more tape and Bender isn't getting any run with Macabai Tel Aviv.

Of course I'm going to hear it from the people that believe he's the next Porzingis, but very seldom do players come around like KP and Ford even acknowledges that he isn't as good as KP.

While I see what you are saying, three major aspects of Bender's game give him a larger upside. His ability to play perimeter defense is already ahead of where kristaps is now. His ability to switch and closeout on shooters is honestly the best I've ever seen for an 18 year old 7 footer. His defensive bball iq is off the charts. (I hate the kristaps comparison tbh. He's more like a perimeter defensively oriented danilo)

He also is a legit 7'1 (7'2 wingspan isn't amazing but it isn't terrible) who has the ability to spread the floor. This is such a rare commodity that people tend to overlook how impactful this is in the modern nba. We could have the flexibility to go small with a 7 footer based on his skills.

And lastly, his passing game. The thing with this kid is that he honestly sees the game occuring slower then everybody else. He has a knack for making the right pass, and has even shown the ability to get a rebound and run the fast break. Normally not a huge deal, but he has the exact same physical specs as WCS (not counting athleticism), yet he plays as a point forward.

I think Ivan Rabb will end up like a rich man's faried. Tons of hustle in an undersized frame (I'm not positive he is actually 6'11 like he claims, more like the 6'9 he's been measured at) and minor post game (rabbs case).

For bender I believe the upside is something like a hybrid between danilo (shooting) and Marc gasol (not his size but his defensive bball IQ, and passing ability)

TP for the breakdown.

I've heard Kirilenko used as a comparison before and I think that might be apt.

Even if his potential is that much would you take him at 3 even if he isn't coming for two years?

[A Future of Stevens]

If we end up with the 3rd overall pick and Ingram and Simmons are off the board then the Celtics should grab Ivan Rabb because:
1. His ceiling is higher than Bender's because he is a better athlete

2. Rabb is a less raw prospect than Bender because he has shown a post game and consistent outside touch

3. Rabb is just a more established prospect because we have more tape and Bender isn't getting any run with Macabai Tel Aviv.

Of course I'm going to hear it from the people that believe he's the next Porzingis, but very seldom do players come around like KP and Ford even acknowledges that he isn't as good as KP.

While I see what you are saying, three major aspects of Bender's game give him a larger upside. His ability to play perimeter defense is already ahead of where kristaps is now. His ability to switch and closeout on shooters is honestly the best I've ever seen for an 18 year old 7 footer. His defensive bball iq is off the charts. (I hate the kristaps comparison tbh. He's more like a perimeter defensively oriented danilo)

He also is a legit 7'1 (7'2 wingspan isn't amazing but it isn't terrible) who has the ability to spread the floor. This is such a rare commodity that people tend to overlook how impactful this is in the modern nba. We could have the flexibility to go small with a 7 footer based on his skills.

And lastly, his passing game. The thing with this kid is that he honestly sees the game occuring slower then everybody else. He has a knack for making the right pass, and has even shown the ability to get a rebound and run the fast break. Normally not a huge deal, but he has the exact same physical specs as WCS (not counting athleticism), yet he plays as a point forward.

I think Ivan Rabb will end up like a rich man's faried. Tons of hustle in an undersized frame (I'm not positive he is actually 6'11 like he claims, more like the 6'9 he's been measured at) and minor post game (rabbs case).

For bender I believe the upside is something like a hybrid between danilo (shooting) and Marc gasol (not his size but his defensive bball IQ, and passing ability)

TP for the breakdown.

I've heard Kirilenko used as a comparison before and I think that might be apt.

Even if his potential is that much would you take him at 3 even if he isn't coming for two years?

Let me preface this by saying I fall into the category of people who want title competition over anything else.

I've watched a lot of bender tape, and he is easily my 3rd favorite player in the draft. If he didn't come over for a year or two it might actually benefit him due to our roster crunch. Bender has the upside to be legitimate cornerstone of a contender (notice I said upside, not guarantee.) With this many picks in the draft and young players, we should swing for the fences a few times. We already have a good foundation, and even if he only becomes a 15 and 5 (worst case scenario at prime), he would still be a great passer and perimeter defender who sees the game fantastically. 

So yes I would go with him over anyone else at 3. Simmons and Ingram are the 1 and 2 in this draft, but man bender is a great risk reward prospect (especially given our system)

[guava_wrench]

If we end up with the 3rd overall pick and Ingram and Simmons are off the board then the Celtics should grab Ivan Rabb because:
1. His ceiling is higher than Bender's because he is a better athlete

2. Rabb is a less raw prospect than Bender because he has shown a post game and consistent outside touch

3. Rabb is just a more established prospect because we have more tape and Bender isn't getting any run with Macabai Tel Aviv.

Of course I'm going to hear it from the people that believe he's the next Porzingis, but very seldom do players come around like KP and Ford even acknowledges that he isn't as good as KP.

I don't know anything about any of the prospects, but the mock draft has Rabb at 11. Do many people think Rabb is worth the 3rd pick?

You compare Rabb to Bender, but it isn't like we are desperate for a 4. The Bender pick is based on getting the best available asset. Unless you really think Rabb is worth a 3. Picks this early are always going to be very subjective, but I'm just going by what I see most people saying.

[walker834]

The answer is no he isn't.  I haven't even seen him play and can tell you his upside is not that of a player deserving of the 3rd pick.  I'm not even sure Rabb fits us as a player. We have Mickey who is similar to in a lot of ways to be honest. You  have to be careful with some of these prospects that way.

Bender I can tell just by looking at him that he is more the type of player we would target even if he is a complete bust.

That's not a knock on Rabb either. I actually like him as a player. I think he is a more explosive Jordan Mickey though.  Mickey was called a poor man's Bosh.  Rabb is somewhere between the two as far as a prospect coming out.

If we took Rabb it would more likely be to trade him somewhere.  He's a jeff green kind of prospect.  Good but mid leveling.

[PhoSita]

I think #3 will probably be a decision between taking the foreign mystery box in Bender or going with the American with a grown man body but questionable jumper / peripheral skills in Brown.

For some teams, Dunn will probably be in the mix in the top 5.  Poeltl and Skal too. 


Based on his draft history, my guess is Ainge would go for Brown or Skal there.

[walker834]

I agree Ainge would gamble and reach on a guy like Skal before he'd take Rabb which is probably the right thing to do. Or he would take Rabb and trade him.  Brown and Bender are really the two guys at #3 imo.

Ellenson is a good prospect too but we have Sully.  Dunn makes no sense for us.  Solid player though.

[walker834]

Speaking of Ellenson nbadraft.net doesn't even have him in their mock so not sure what his deal is. But he is a guy we could take imo.   Nice center who runs the floor like a madman.  I didn't realize he runs the floor like that.  He might climb up my wish list pretty quick just looking at videos here actually.

He's Sully but a center and with straight line speed.  Maybe not the rebounding. But plays the game the right way with toughness.  Very active big man though. Reminds me a bit of kevin love how active he is.

Next to Simmons he might be the next best thing as far as bigs that have any real footage.  Simmons is hard to project because he is so tall but plays like a SF.

Poeltl isn't terrible either. Usually I like to stay away from these white guy centers but he has good skills around the  basket.

[JBcat]

Besides Bender who we could stash overseas with the Nets pick who out of the other 4 foreign players projected in the first round do people like the most who we could also stash overseas between Furkan Korkmaz, Jonathan Jeanne, Timothe Luwawu, Zhou Qi with ours and the Mavs pick?

[KG Living Legend]

If we end up with the 3rd overall pick and Ingram and Simmons are off the board then the Celtics should grab Ivan Rabb because:
1. His ceiling is higher than Bender's because he is a better athlete

2. Rabb is a less raw prospect than Bender because he has shown a post game and consistent outside touch

3. Rabb is just a more established prospect because we have more tape and Bender isn't getting any run with Macabai Tel Aviv.

Of course I'm going to hear it from the people that believe he's the next Porzingis, but very seldom do players come around like KP and Ford even acknowledges that he isn't as good as KP.

While I see what you are saying, three major aspects of Bender's game give him a larger upside. His ability to play perimeter defense is already ahead of where kristaps is now. His ability to switch and closeout on shooters is honestly the best I've ever seen for an 18 year old 7 footer. His defensive bball iq is off the charts. (I hate the kristaps comparison tbh. He's more like a perimeter defensively oriented danilo)

He also is a legit 7'1 (7'2 wingspan isn't amazing but it isn't terrible) who has the ability to spread the floor. This is such a rare commodity that people tend to overlook how impactful this is in the modern nba. We could have the flexibility to go small with a 7 footer based on his skills.

And lastly, his passing game. The thing with this kid is that he honestly sees the game occuring slower then everybody else. He has a knack for making the right pass, and has even shown the ability to get a rebound and run the fast break. Normally not a huge deal, but he has the exact same physical specs as WCS (not counting athleticism), yet he plays as a point forward.

I think Ivan Rabb will end up like a rich man's faried. Tons of hustle in an undersized frame (I'm not positive he is actually 6'11 like he claims, more like the 6'9 he's been measured at) and minor post game (rabbs case).

For bender I believe the upside is something like a hybrid between danilo (shooting) and Marc gasol (not his size but his defensive bball IQ, and passing ability)

 Tp Future Stevens, I thought the same thing watching Rabb play, no way he's 6'11" right now.