I'm calling it...our #3 draft pick for 2016. Buddy Hield. Boom.

[chambers]

Buddy Hield is the guy.
I believe we're going to trade down to #4, the Suns will take Bender, we will take Hield with #4.
We'll get #13 from the Suns for the trade and may even be able to move into the top 10 if we can combine the #16 and #13 somehow. (or just draft both).

Why do I think Hield is our guy?
The main reason for me taking Hield is purely and simply his scoring ability. This guy doesn't just shoot threes- he can finish around the basket with incredible athleticism and agility. He can split defenders like Harden and finish with his left hand.[/b]
His work ethic (shoots 6 hours a day, every day during the season) is utterly inspiring- he's a born leader like Marcus Smart but can lead us on the offensive end.

Buddy Hield has the overall offensive game to become the best shooting guard in the NBA combined with the attitude that the truly great NBA players have like Kobe and MJ. This isn't an exaggeration at all. To get as good as he has gotten in such a short period of time and shoot the three ball night in and night out is the sign of greatness.

I'm not sure what we're going to do with Smart and Bradley because one of them (probably Bradley) will go to a contender so Buddy can start by his sophomore year.

This guy is going to be an incredible scorer in the NBA and he's only getting better.
He's also possibly going to rival Klay Thompson as the best three point shooting SG in the NBA but with a better dribble/drive game.

Buddy Hield is the perfect modern day shooting guard. There's a very good chance that Buddy Hield is actually going to be better than Klay Thompson one day, because you know he's going to become an excellent defender with his IQ and work ethic.
When the three point is as valuable as it is now in the NBA, Hield has the size, footwork, pure talent and confidence, with just enough athleticism to be 'quick'..... combined with an elite Kobe Bryant level work ethic.

The Celtics will pick Buddy Hield with #3

For your own sake, watch this and remind yourself of this kids gifts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lySjhxRYjvM

good to read the optimism, but i am not in agreement on hield. i am not saying he stinks or is sucky or suckily stinks or even stinky sucky. 

rather, i know he can shoot, but the rest of his offense, and defense, is not as rave-worthy as you point out. or, at least i have not seen anything yet to say he is that good.

he ball handling is not impressive, not terrible though.

his passing is pedestrian, not bad.

his decisions on driving to the basket often leaves him playing 1 on 2/3 basketball.

he clearly does NOT have a great first step, but he does have a very good step-back jumper. which he will need since he does NOT have a great first step.

on defense, he will probably improve, but i didnt see anything that made me go "wow."

in short, there are better players in the draft at #4 i think. i would be happy with hield at #6 or more, but not at #s 3, 4, or 5.

Points taken Hwang. Appreciate your constructed and meaningful response/argument as usual.
One point I'd offer is that Hield, like Klay Thompson and Ray Allen, doesn't neccessarily need a blazing first step because of his shooting threat- he tends to get overplayed and he is actually extremely good at attacking close outs by driving and by driving and pulling up/back.

[footey]

It's funny, just when I have made up my mind on whom we should draft (Bender), I read this suggestion and re-evaluate. That's what makes this draft so interesting, especially with the multiple picks including the very valuable 3rd pick. My two biggest issues with Hield are his age and his position. But if he becomes the next MJ, or Steph, then those two concerns are ridiculous. Not saying that he will, he won't, but the point is that we tend to focus on the negatives too much sometimes. His scoring ability is proven, his 3 point shooting proclivity is proven, and most importantly he seems to have a work ethic similar to Ray Allen, which is special.  He measures real well, too.  If PHX is so intent on Bender, and we are luke warm on the kid, then I could see a trade along these lines unfolding.  TP.

[PhoSita]

(1) I really just don't see the point of trading down a slot to pick up another first that we won't be able to use or trade for anything meaningful

(2) To me Hield's best case scenario is something along the lines of a J.R. Smith / Wes Matthews type shooting guard.  That's pretty nice, and the Celts could use a guy like that, but not the sort of player who will take the Celts to another level.


I'm all in on trading for Butler or somebody else established, then if that fails going after Okafor, then if that falls through, taking a swing on Bender. 

Ending up with a seven footer who might be another Kirilenko or Kukoc type guy, in today's league, would not be such a bad Plan C.

Hield is going to be better than JR Smith and Wes Mathews. He's going to be something like Klay Thompson and possibly even better.

I too would prefer a trade for Butler and wouldn't mind an Okafur trade. I like Bender at #4 but if we keep the pick, Buddy is my guy.

Klay Thompson is arguably the second best shooter of all time; that's a pretty unrealistic expectation.

He's a great shooter, so is Buddy Hield.
Klay Thompson shot 39.8% in his Junior year at Washington State over 246 attempts.
Hield shot 45.7% over 322 attempts.
50/45/88 overall is a guy that's going to be a great NBA shooter.

Doug McDermott's a pretty great shooter too, right?

Jaycee Carroll has demonstrated his abilities as a great shooter, too.  Overseas.

Then there's Shan Foster.  Wonder why he isn't tearing up the league?


I think Buddy Hield will be a nice player.  People just need to step back and remember that lots of guys that throw flames in college don't turn into NBA stars.  Lots of players demonstrate their ability to hit tons and tons of shots against college defenders, with the college three point line.  They typically go on to be excellent shooters at the professional level, if they make it. 

Thing is, being an excellent shooter doesn't make you an excellent player.  You've got to have above average peripheral abilities, too.  It's not as if Hield is one dimensional as a player.  He just doesn't exactly stand out all that much in terms of playmaking, getting inside, finishing at the rim, rebounding, forcing turnovers, or anything else.  He's just a really excellent scorer and shooter.

[chambers]

(1) I really just don't see the point of trading down a slot to pick up another first that we won't be able to use or trade for anything meaningful

(2) To me Hield's best case scenario is something along the lines of a J.R. Smith / Wes Matthews type shooting guard.  That's pretty nice, and the Celts could use a guy like that, but not the sort of player who will take the Celts to another level.


I'm all in on trading for Butler or somebody else established, then if that fails going after Okafor, then if that falls through, taking a swing on Bender. 

Ending up with a seven footer who might be another Kirilenko or Kukoc type guy, in today's league, would not be such a bad Plan C.

Hield is going to be better than JR Smith and Wes Mathews. He's going to be something like Klay Thompson and possibly even better.

I too would prefer a trade for Butler and wouldn't mind an Okafur trade. I like Bender at #4 but if we keep the pick, Buddy is my guy.

Klay Thompson is arguably the second best shooter of all time; that's a pretty unrealistic expectation.

He's a great shooter, so is Buddy Hield.
Klay Thompson shot 39.8% in his Junior year at Washington State over 246 attempts.
Hield shot 45.7% over 322 attempts.
50/45/88 overall is a guy that's going to be a great NBA shooter.

Doug McDermott's a pretty great shooter too, right?

Jaycee Carroll has demonstrated his abilities as a great shooter, too.  Overseas.

Then there's Shan Foster.  Wonder why he isn't tearing up the league?


I think Buddy Hield will be a nice player.  People just need to step back and remember that lots of guys that throw flames in college don't turn into NBA stars.  Lots of players demonstrate their ability to hit tons and tons of shots against college defenders, with the college three point line.  They typically go on to be excellent shooters at the professional level, if they make it. 

Thing is, being an excellent shooter doesn't make you an excellent player.  You've got to have above average peripheral abilities, too.  It's not as if Hield is one dimensional as a player.  He just doesn't exactly stand out all that much in terms of playmaking, getting inside, finishing at the rim, rebounding, forcing turnovers, or anything else.  He's just a really excellent scorer and shooter.

McDermott is an incredible shooter. Imagine if McDermott had Hield's athleticism and offensive game in the half court? Now that would be some player right? A guy that can shoot like McDermott and Thompson and also get to the hole off the dribble... who's game will benefit even more from NBA spacing...that would be some player...

[Celtics18]

I'm with you on this one, Chambers.  I understand that many evaluators and prognosticators are wary of college seniors.  They don't have the upside of nineteen year olds.  But, I see something special in Buddy Hield.  He's a natural scorer, and I think that in the NBA where the floor is more open, he'll learn to find easier looks than he did in college.  I wouldn't be surprised to see this guy competing for scoring titles within a couple of years.

There's the chance that he could end up being a fairly one-dimensional catch and shoot role player at the next level, but I see him attaining higher levels than that.

As far as the professional prognosticators go, most of the ones I've heard speak cautiously about him, but all seem afraid to completely write him off as a role player.  I keep hearing quotes like; "don't be surprised if he continues to exceed expectations."

[greece66]

(2) To me Hield's best case scenario is something along the lines of a J.R. Smith / Wes Matthews type shooting guard.  That's pretty nice, and the Celts could use a guy like that, but not the sort of player who will take the Celts to another level.

^this

Hield is overhyped.

[esel1000]

I've been on the Hield bandwagon for awhile... My only issue taking him 3 is that if he's available at 5 or 6 I'd rather trade down, pick up a few assets and take him there.

But I do think he'll be a good scorer in the league, and the potential is there for him to develop into something more. The work ethic is obviously there as well. I think he'd be a really good fit on this team.

[Ilikesports17]

(2) To me Hield's best case scenario is something along the lines of a J.R. Smith / Wes Matthews type shooting guard.  That's pretty nice, and the Celts could use a guy like that, but not the sort of player who will take the Celts to another level.

^this

Hield is overhyped.

Ive gone back and forth here.

Hield does seem to have a very high ceiling for me. Ive heard quite a few people say he could be a JJ Redick type player (more or less saying hes gonna be a lights out 3 point shooter with not a ton else). But then you have to factor in the fact that Hield (I think) is a slightly better athlete and projects as a much better defender. JJ Reddick with some more slashing ability and solid to above average defense is a really really good player.

I think projecting him as a prime Wes Matthews is pretty fair, but to say thats his ceiling seems harsh to me.

I dont like the JR Smith comp because Smith's knuckleheadedness takes so much away from him as a player.

[hpantazo]

I think Heild is not a top 5 worthy player. I really think we can take Bender at 3 and still use our remaining picks to trade up and grab Heild at 10 or so. Getting both Bender and Heild out of this draft would be great.

[Ilikesports17]

I think Heild is not a top 5 worthy player. I really think we can take Bender at 3 and still use our remaining picks to trade up and grab Heild at 10 or so. Getting both Bender and Heild out of this draft would be great.

Id be absolutely shocked if hield fell to 10. shocked.

[mef730]

It's funny, just when I have made up my mind on whom we should draft (Bender), I read this suggestion and re-evaluate. That's what makes this draft so interesting, especially with the multiple picks including the very valuable 3rd pick...

When it comes to picking who we should draft, I tend to be somewhere in between "knows just enough to be dangerous" and "victim of my last conversation." Thus, I've stopped taking too much of what I read here seriously. It's nice to see what other people say, but I could end up driving myself crazy in a fit of cognitive dissonance if I tried to process it all in any logical manner.

Mike

[hpantazo]

I think Heild is not a top 5 worthy player. I really think we can take Bender at 3 and still use our remaining picks to trade up and grab Heild at 10 or so. Getting both Bender and Heild out of this draft would be great.

Id be absolutely shocked if hield fell to 10. shocked.

Someone will fall, and Heild, with his age and generally accepted limited ceiling , is a good candidate to fall. GMs fall in love with guys that they think have high potential during the process leading up to the draft. Some guys will get big hype in the next few weeks.

[Celtics18]

I think Heild is not a top 5 worthy player. I really think we can take Bender at 3 and still use our remaining picks to trade up and grab Heild at 10 or so. Getting both Bender and Heild out of this draft would be great.

Id be absolutely shocked if hield fell to 10. shocked.

Someone will fall, and Heild, with his age and generally accepted limited ceiling , is a good candidate to fall. GMs fall in love with guys that they think have high potential during the process leading up to the draft. Some guys will get big hype in the next few weeks.

By the same token, GMs fall in love with guys who they get to see up close and personal in interviews and private work outs.

Buddy Hield is a strong candidate to be a "fall in love with" type guy.  He could very easily move up rather than down.

[Casperian]

It's funny, just when I have made up my mind on whom we should draft (Bender), I read this suggestion and re-evaluate. That's what makes this draft so interesting, especially with the multiple picks including the very valuable 3rd pick...

When it comes to picking who we should draft, I tend to be somewhere in between "knows just enough to be dangerous" and "victim of my last conversation." Thus, I've stopped taking too much of what I read here seriously. It's nice to see what other people say, but I could end up driving myself crazy in a fit of cognitive dissonance if I tried to process it all in any logical manner.

Mike

That's the spirit! 

[Surferdad]

Work ethic and character are important traits.  I believe these are hallmarks of "The Celtic Way" and hope Ainge makes those considerations as important as skills and physical gifts.

I believe Hield is a guy who can prove this doubters wrong that he doesn't have much more upside.

I firmly believe the C's lost the ATL series because Bradley was out and Crowder was not 100%.  Bradley mainly because of his outside shot.  To me, Hield is already a better outside shooter than Bradley.  I say, take Hield and entertain offers for Bradley/picks.