One Week Before the Draft and My Pick for #3 is...

[Granath]

It's one week before the NBA draft and my choice for the #3 selection is...

Drum roll
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...I don't care.

Seriously, I don't care. I hope the Cs get a good player. I want the team to improve. But I don't care who that player is.

I haven't watched every single game that Dunn, Hield, Murray, etc. have played for the last 2-4 years. I haven't been privy to the pre-draft workouts, the interviews or the combine. I haven't seen if someone is guarding a chair or flying through the air like Superman.

So I have no idea if Bender is a budding All-Pro or a Euromistake. I don't know if Hield and Dunn are too old or they decided to stay in college to hone their games and they'll make instant impacts. I don't know if Murray is slow or he's just Paul Pierce-like in that he looks slow but can't be stopped. I don't know if Brown is the next Wade or the next Gerald Green. I have my opinions of course. But I don't really know anything for certain and I'm exceptionally dubious of anyone who claims they do.

So whoever gets drafted (or traded) on June 23rd, I'm not going to complain. I'm not going to moan. I'm not going to say "oh, this is a mistake" right off the bat. I'm going to wait, evaluate and see how things turn out. Because the guys making these selections (1) know more than I do and (2) are better at it than I am. And that goes for every other person on Celticsblog, no matter how much they protest - the management knows more than they do and they're better at it.

However, with all this said I can guarantee you something about those picks on the 23rd. I can guarantee you that I am going to cheer for them.

Peace!

[wiley]

Nothing I hate more than the bashing of our draft picks on draft day.  I prefer bemoaning that the guy we wanted isn't a Celtic or the trade we wanted doesn't take place.  But on draft day give Danny and the pick the benefit of the doubt I say, especially since much generated venom is out of complete ignorance.  Give guys props on draft day for making the NBA.

I'm more likely to complain about a trade for established players if I don't like it.  Because we have a body evidence to go on.

I wanted Hood over Young but didn't moan about it on draft day.  I wanted Dieng, Shroeder or maybe freak instead of Kelly, but I didn't bash Kelly on draft day.

[timriffic]

my pick is Murray, then trade smart for okafor and #16

[saltlover]

Nothing I hate more than the bashing of our draft picks on draft day.  I prefer bemoaning that the guy we wanted isn't a Celtic or the trade we wanted doesn't take place.  But on draft day give Danny and the pick the benefit of the doubt I say, especially since much generated venom is out of complete ignorance.  Give guys props on draft day for making the NBA.

I'm more likely to complain about a trade for established players if I don't like it.  Because we have a body evidence to go on.

I wanted Hood over Young but didn't moan about it on draft day.  I wanted Dieng, Shroeder or maybe freak instead of Kelly, but I didn't bash Kelly on draft day.

I'm with you in general, but I've already declared that I will mock any team that picks Skal in the lottery (or maybe it was top 20, I'll have to check), Celtics included.  So if that pick happens, I will have to follow my prior assertions.  Otherwise, I may later point to my former posts years later when my guy is a star (like I do for Draymond Green), but I'll defer on draft night, and for awhile thereafter.

[max215]

I have my preferences, but I too will give Danny benefit of the doubt. However, I feel it would be reasonable to criticize a trade for an established player; if Danny gives up Jae in a Butler trade, I'm criticizing him.

[PhoSita]

I'm sure I will feel a certain way about the draft picks, and I will be happy to share those feelings. What the heck else is this board for?

But once the picks are made, the picks have become players and it's time to move forward. So the next thing I want to do is just take stock of what happened on draft day, for better or for worse, and then look at what the team needs and priorities ought to be heading into free agency.

[droopdog7]

Yup, I'm with you.  I have my ideas but I don't really know the best prospect.  I HOPE DA picks bender but not because I think he will be a star but because that would mean Ainge thinks bender will be a star.

[greenhead85]

Since we are choosing a lottery player I guess we pick someone who could be perceived as a steel-nerved contributor in a championship roster. If Danny chooses to pick #3, my choice would be any of the following:

Ingram, BSimmons, Dunn, Chriss, Murray or Hield.

[hpantazo]

I think we are using #3 to get Butler, it's pretty much a Dunn deal

[spikelovetheCelts]

I think we are using #3 to get Butler, it's pretty much a Dunn deal

I for one hope we get a big from Phily. I like our guards unity. But Butler and crowder are buds so it maybe special. This Thursday should be crazy fun. Hopefully we will get a Celtic Blessing.

[gift]

I have my preferences but it takes me .65 seconds on average after the pick to talk myself into whoever that player is.

[hwangjini_1]

I think we are using #3 to get Butler, it's pretty much a Dunn deal

actually, dunn may turn out to the best player in the draft and be as good as butler.

i like bender, but i would not squeal in disgust should ainge move down 1-2 spots in the draft to have dunn and another asset.

[BitterJim]

I agree wholeheartedly.  My first choice is Butler, and my second is Dunn, but after that I really don't care.  I trust Danny.

[acieEarl]

The pick getting traded would not surprise me at all.

If we do keep the pick I'd like to see us grab Murray, Brown, or Hield. Not sold on the Dragon and screw Dunn if he won't work out.

[action781]

It's one week before the NBA draft and my choice for the #3 selection is...

Drum roll
Drum roll
Drum roll

...I don't care.

Seriously, I don't care. I hope the Cs get a good player. I want the team to improve. But I don't care who that player is.

I agree with you, to an extent.  I don't care if we take Hield, Dunn, Bender, or if we trade it for Okafor or Butler.

I feel very confident that Dunn and Hield will both be all-stars 5 years from now.  Bender has the potential to be that incredibly important modern day NBA big man that can shoot, pass, and switch on pick and rolls that he's worth the roll of a dice.  Not crazy about Murray or Chriss, but I've been wrong on players before so won't be that mad.

I think the depth of this draft after picks 1 and 2 reminds me of the 1998 draft.  There were a lot of very good players in that draft and several of them became all-stars and a few of them became busts.  It really doesn't matter *that much* whether you drafted VC (5), Pierce (10), or Dirk (9).  You got a great player out of any of those selections.  Pierce and Dirk both won a ring for their teams.  VC made two finals appearances against one of the most dominant teams of the post-Jordan era.  What mattered is how you constructed the rest of the team.  Even Antawn Jamison (4) had a pretty good career that you've gotta be pretty happy about if we can get that kind of career out of this #3 pick.