Brad on the draft

[rondohondo]

Notably, the Celtics head coach said he will closely study seven or eight players his team could consider with the No. 3 overall pick. “You can’t control those things (like the lottery). I think the biggest thing is that there are good players in this draft. And I’m just starting to watch them more closely,” Stevens said. “(Celtics president of basketball operations) Danny (Ainge has) given me a list of seven or eight guys to really look at. And then obviously we have so many other guys coming in at other pick opportunities, and we’ll see everybody come through. It’ll be probably hard for a true sleeper to get by us. So it’s really a great opportunity with the number of picks we have, where we are with that (No. 3) pick in the draft. And there’s so much yet to be determined.”

 

The list of seven or eight potential No. 3 picks could include: Dragan Bender, Kris Dunn, Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown, Buddy Hield, Skal Labissiere, Deyonta Davis and/or Marquese Chriss. Ainge also likely wants Stevens to take a look at Ben Simmons and Ben Ingram just in case either of those players fall (or the Celtics somehow trade up, which seems improbable).
6 hours ago – via Booth Newspapers

After studying all the prospects, Stevens will provide his input to Ainge — who will consider the analysis, but make the final decision himself. “I don’t know (if Simmons or Ingram will slip out of the top two),” Stevens added. “That’s for the other teams to decide. But I do think there are a lot of good players. So what I’ll do, and what we’ll do is — again, Danny and his staff have worked really hard to sift through who they think might be the most likely candidates to be picked in the top ten, top eight, and those are the guys that I’ll watch in no particular order. And then we’ll rank them. We’ll come to a consensus as a staff, but Danny will make the final call and we’ll go from there with whoever is the best available at No. 3.”

[ahonui06]

Seems pretty standard PC answer

[RockinRyA]

I think this dispels nonsense notion that Stevens will leave due to Ainge's drafting. It has been clear that whoever Ainge drafted has Stevens' approval beforehand, so if Ainge drafted Bender, it would be because Stevens was ok with it. I guess I should really ignore the comments of someone who said Beasley would be something. 

[SCeltic34]

I think this dispels nonsense notion that Stevens will leave due to Ainge's drafting. It has been clear that whoever Ainge drafted has Stevens' approval beforehand, so if Ainge drafted Bender, it would be because Stevens was ok with it. I guess I should really ignore the comments of someone who said Beasley would be something. 

Ainge has been known to get input from everyone, even interns.  He gets the final say, but he's open to arguments from others as to why a different player than the one he has in mind might be a better pick.  It's part of what makes him a great GM.

[RockinRyA]

I think this dispels nonsense notion that Stevens will leave due to Ainge's drafting. It has been clear that whoever Ainge drafted has Stevens' approval beforehand, so if Ainge drafted Bender, it would be because Stevens was ok with it. I guess I should really ignore the comments of someone who said Beasley would be something. 

Ainge has been known to get input from everyone, even interns.  He gets the final say, but he's open to arguments from others as to why a different player than the one he has in mind might be a better pick.  It's part of what makes him a great GM.

Exactly, and Brad has a lot of influence on who he drafts so again, the notion that Brad will leave if Bender was drafted is insane. Bender is a huge gamble yeah, but if we draft him, there will be reasons why and Stevens will have to give a nod.

[Chief Macho]

God, I hope they trade it.  I don't trust us in this spot. Danny is gonna let someone really good get by him.  And we' re going to be talking about it for years.

[jambr380]

God, I hope they trade it.  I don't trust us in this spot. Danny is gonna let someone really good get by him.  And we' re going to be talking about it for years.

Hard to disagree with any of this. We are still fresh off the lottery drawing so of course everybody is talking draft, but all along we thought that Danny would trade the pick if it wasn't top 2. Of course they now have to play the game of bringing in players for workouts and such and we will likely have some picks later on in the draft, but I fully expect it to be traded. I hate the pressure of the #3 pick in this draft.

Hopefully somebody comes in and clearly separates themselves from the rest. It will be great for our own pick or for trade if that happens.

[PaulP34]

God, I hope they trade it.  I don't trust us in this spot. Danny is gonna let someone really good get by him.  And we' re going to be talking about it for years.

Yeah this is my fear. If we draft Bender, I would leave if I were Brad Stevens. Please pick Buddy Heild at #3 Ainge he's a no miss type player. You gotta see this. Bender gets drafted, Celtics officially fall off the planet as a basketball team. I will be so dissapointed

[loco_91]

Bender gets drafted, Celtics officially fall off the planet as a basketball team.

[Chris22]

Brown or Dunn, please.
I want a guy who can play at both ends of the floor.

[Celtics4ever]

Bender gets drafted, Celtics officially fall off the planet as a basketball team.

I think that pick could lead to Ainge losing his job down the road, this kid has Darko II written all over him.

[ahonui06]

Bender gets drafted, Celtics officially fall off the planet as a basketball team.

I think that pick could lead to Ainge losing his job down the road, this kid has Darko II written all over him.

I believe CBS would welcome the challenge of coaching Bender and helping him develop into a special player in the NBA. Coaches love challenges and I think Bender would be a great opportunity for Brad from a player development standpoint.

That being said, I wouldn't be opposed if Boston drafted Hield, Dunn or Murray.

[CoachBo]

God, I hope they trade it.  I don't trust us in this spot. Danny is gonna let someone really good get by him.  And we' re going to be talking about it for years.

Or draft a Euroscrub.

I don't trust Ainge in the draft. Not at all.

[hpantazo]

God, I hope they trade it.  I don't trust us in this spot. Danny is gonna let someone really good get by him.  And we' re going to be talking about it for years.

Yeah this is my fear. If we draft Bender, I would leave if I were Brad Stevens. Please pick Buddy Heild at #3 Ainge he's a no miss type player. You gotta see this. Bender gets drafted, Celtics officially fall off the planet as a basketball team. I will be so dissapointed

No offense to anyone in particular, but the "I hope we don't screw up so lets pick the safest looking player" is a losers mentality.

[Rondo9]

God, I hope they trade it.  I don't trust us in this spot. Danny is gonna let someone really good get by him.  And we' re going to be talking about it for years.

Yeah this is my fear. If we draft Bender, I would leave if I were Brad Stevens. Please pick Buddy Heild at #3 Ainge he's a no miss type player. You gotta see this. Bender gets drafted, Celtics officially fall off the planet as a basketball team. I will be so dissapointed

How can a 48 win team "fall off the planet" just by simply adding Bender?