The Celts Should Draft Dunn and Build for 2020

[PhoSita]

LeBron James is the king of the NBA and we are all witnesses.

What's more, he's shown no signs of slowing down.  In the regular season, yes, but not in the playoffs.  LeBron may only be top 5 in the league during the regular season, but he's the most dangerous player in the playoffs when jumpers stop falling and size combined with speed and strength still trumps all else. 

Not to mention his running mate, Kyrie, who has only begun to build a great resume as a clutch performer and is still very young.

Why go for "fireworks" this summer when all that's likely to get you is a date with LeBron in the 2nd or 3rd round for the next few years?

Unless you've got Durant, Curry, or Kawhi, why bother?


The Celts should take advantage of all of their draft capital this year and go young.

Take Kris Dunn at #3.  Shop Isaiah, Bradley, and Olynyk along with the other picks to try and get a second top 10 pick.

With the rest of the picks, target young players with great physical tools and high upside.  In particular, target guys who project to have substantial physical advantages over the average player at their position.  No more targeting undersized, underathletic players who are "a great value."

Names like Skal Labissiere, Deyonta Davis, Malachi Richardson, Wade Baldwin, Isaiah Cordinier, Chieck Diallo, Chinanu Onuaku, and so on.


Knock this draft out of the park and let's keep this thing rolling toward 2020.  Smart and Crowder can be the "veteran leaders."  If competing for a title is really the goal, aiming to compete when LeBron is in his twilight years is the only smart way to go.

[Rondo9]

Sigh.....

[Rondo9]

You know the Celtics have a great going on right now. I know you love the Cavs, but right now what the Celtics are doing fine with what they have.

[D Dub]

Sigh.....

[86MaxwellSmart]

No team is as Unbeatable as they seem....Ridiculous to wait around for LeBron to retire....WEAK.

Celtics are only a couple moves from contending-or at least giving these guys a run for their money.

[Beat LA]

LeBron James is the king of the NBA and we are all witnesses.

What's more, he's shown no signs of slowing down.  In the regular season, yes, but not in the playoffs.  LeBron may only be top 5 in the league during the regular season, but he's the most dangerous player in the playoffs when jumpers stop falling and size combined with speed and strength still trumps all else. 

Not to mention his running mate, Kyrie, who has only begun to build a great resume as a clutch performer and is still very young.

Why go for "fireworks" this summer when all that's likely to get you is a date with LeBron in the 2nd or 3rd round for the next few years?

Unless you've got Durant, Curry, or Kawhi, why bother?


The Celts should take advantage of all of their draft capital this year and go young.

Take Kris Dunn at #3.  Shop Isaiah, Bradley, and Olynyk along with the other picks to try and get a second top 10 pick.

With the rest of the picks, target young players with great physical tools and high upside.  In particular, target guys who project to have substantial physical advantages over the average player at their position.  No more targeting undersized, underathletic players who are "a great value."

Names like Skal Labissiere, Deyonta Davis, Malachi Richardson, Wade Baldwin, Isaiah Cordinier, Chieck Diallo, Chinanu Onuaku, and so on.


Knock this draft out of the park and let's keep this thing rolling toward 2020.  Smart and Crowder can be the "veteran leaders."  If competing for a title is really the goal, aiming to compete when LeBron is in his twilight years is the only smart way to go.

Speak for yourself, man .

[PhoSita]

The Celts are a fine little team as constructed.

Isaiah, Crowder, Bradley, Smart.  They will probably win 45-50 games next year even if they don't add anybody significant.  If Danny makes some deals, they could win 50-55 with a couple names like Jimmy Butler and Al Horford in the mix.

But does that get you any further than the Hawks or Raptors the last two years?


Dunn may very well be the BPA at #3.  He will probably be a quality NBA point guard long after Isaiah is retired.  What's more, with his size Dunn has the potential to become a top 10 point guard.  Isaiah has been very good offensively for the Celtics, but I'm not sure he's top 10 even at his best. 


The Celts have an opportunity to reshape the team as an athletic roster with plenty of size and upside.  Taking a step back this summer might mean they're more of a 25-35 win team for a couple years, but they won't be winning anything of significance during that time anyway.

[Rondo9]

The Celts are a fine little team as constructed.

Isaiah, Crowder, Bradley, Smart.  They will probably win 45-50 games next year even if they don't add anybody significant.  If Danny makes some deals, they could win 50-55 with a couple names like Jimmy Butler and Al Horford in the mix.

But does that get you any further than the Hawks or Raptors the last two years?


Dunn may very well be the BPA at #3.  He will probably be a quality NBA point guard long after Isaiah is retired.  What's more, with his size Dunn has the potential to become a top 10 point guard.  Isaiah has been very good offensively for the Celtics, but I'm not sure he's top 10 even at his best. 


The Celts have an opportunity to reshape the team as an athletic roster with plenty of size and upside.  Taking a step back this summer might mean they're more of a 25-35 win team for a couple years, but they won't be winning anything of significance during that time anyway.

The Celtics won 48 games with the roster they have now. I think a guy like Dunn will maybe increase it. This was a team that had (at first) no all star and still won games thanks to the growth of their young players like Bradley, Crowder and even Olynyk whom I felt improved his defense. What you're proposing just seems like an overreaction to the Cavs victory, we all know that the Cavs will be the best team in the east weahter they won this finals or lost. But I don't think the Celtics should take a step back when they were successful with their young players.

[PhoSita]

The Celts are a fine little team as constructed.

Isaiah, Crowder, Bradley, Smart.  They will probably win 45-50 games next year even if they don't add anybody significant.  If Danny makes some deals, they could win 50-55 with a couple names like Jimmy Butler and Al Horford in the mix.

But does that get you any further than the Hawks or Raptors the last two years?


Dunn may very well be the BPA at #3.  He will probably be a quality NBA point guard long after Isaiah is retired.  What's more, with his size Dunn has the potential to become a top 10 point guard.  Isaiah has been very good offensively for the Celtics, but I'm not sure he's top 10 even at his best. 


The Celts have an opportunity to reshape the team as an athletic roster with plenty of size and upside.  Taking a step back this summer might mean they're more of a 25-35 win team for a couple years, but they won't be winning anything of significance during that time anyway.

The Celtics won 48 games with the roster they have now. I think a guy like Dunn will maybe increase it. This was a team that had (at first) no all star and still won games thanks to the growth of their young players like Bradley, Crowder and even Olynyk whom I felt improved his defense. What you're proposing just seems like an overreaction to the Cavs victory, we all know that the Cavs will be the best team in the east weahter they won this finals or lost. But I don't think the Celtics should take a step back when they were successful with their young players.

The Celts had a nice team this year, but place their success in context.  They were nowhere near being able to compete at the level of either of the teams we just watched in the Finals.

What's the name of the game here?  Is it winning 50+ games and maybe winning a playoff series or two?

Or is it about competing for a title?

In three or four years, Isaiah Thomas will be just about done.  Bradley will probably be playing for a different team for max money, and he'll also be on the back end of his career.

Kris Dunn will be entering his prime, along with any other guys the Celts take in this draft.


If all we care about is seeing incremental improvement and maybe winning a playoff series, then going all-in this summer to try and win 50+ games for a few years sounds like a respectable plan.  The Celts are well positioned to be in the mix for second place behind the Cavaliers.

[Rondo9]

The Celts are a fine little team as constructed.

Isaiah, Crowder, Bradley, Smart.  They will probably win 45-50 games next year even if they don't add anybody significant.  If Danny makes some deals, they could win 50-55 with a couple names like Jimmy Butler and Al Horford in the mix.

But does that get you any further than the Hawks or Raptors the last two years?


Dunn may very well be the BPA at #3.  He will probably be a quality NBA point guard long after Isaiah is retired.  What's more, with his size Dunn has the potential to become a top 10 point guard.  Isaiah has been very good offensively for the Celtics, but I'm not sure he's top 10 even at his best. 


The Celts have an opportunity to reshape the team as an athletic roster with plenty of size and upside.  Taking a step back this summer might mean they're more of a 25-35 win team for a couple years, but they won't be winning anything of significance during that time anyway.

The Celtics won 48 games with the roster they have now. I think a guy like Dunn will maybe increase it. This was a team that had (at first) no all star and still won games thanks to the growth of their young players like Bradley, Crowder and even Olynyk whom I felt improved his defense. What you're proposing just seems like an overreaction to the Cavs victory, we all know that the Cavs will be the best team in the east weahter they won this finals or lost. But I don't think the Celtics should take a step back when they were successful with their young players.

The Celts had a nice team this year, but place their success in context.  They were nowhere near being able to compete at the level of either of the teams we just watched in the Finals.

What's the name of the game here?  Is it winning 50+ games and maybe winning a playoff series or two?

Or is it about competing for a title?

In three or four years, Isaiah Thomas will be just about done.  Bradley will probably be playing for a different team for max money, and he'll also be on the back end of his career.

Kris Dunn will be entering his prime, along with any other guys the Celts take in this draft.


If all we care about is seeing incremental improvement and maybe winning a playoff series, then going all-in this summer to try and win 50+ games for a few years sounds like a respectable plan.  The Celts are well positioned to be in the mix for second place behind the Cavaliers.

The Celtics are rebuilding/competiting right now. It all depends on how much improvements they make in the draft and how much growth the young players go through. Again this is a process, no one is saying they are contenders. Just keep building the team, draft well and hope for more success with your young players. Turning it back is pointless because you have a great coach and players willing to play. And how do you know that Isaiah will fall off a cliff and Bradley getting max money? The Celtics are rebuilding, but it's doing it through wins and growth instead of tanking.

[PhoSita]

By the way, I'm NOT advocating tanking. 

I'm suggesting the Celts should take Dunn if he's the BPA, even if that means trading Isaiah, and they should focus on building up the roster around players who will be in their prime 4-5 years from now.

Trying to win anything of significance in the next few years is foolhardy without an MVP caliber player.

[D Dub]

By the way, I'm NOT advocating tanking. 

I'm suggesting the Celts should take Dunn if he's the BPA, even if that means trading Isaiah, and they should focus on building up the roster around players who will be in their prime 4-5 years from now.

Trying to win anything of significance in the next few years is foolhardy without an MVP caliber player.

When you say BPA, does the P stand for player or potential?   

The way I see it, Hield is much better player right now, but based on the established rule set of measuring rookies, Dunn makes imagine a player like Steph Curry?

[PhoSita]

By the way, I'm NOT advocating tanking. 

I'm suggesting the Celts should take Dunn if he's the BPA, even if that means trading Isaiah, and they should focus on building up the roster around players who will be in their prime 4-5 years from now.

Trying to win anything of significance in the next few years is foolhardy without an MVP caliber player.

When you say BPA, does the P stand for player or potential?   

The way I see it, Hield is much better player right now, but based on the established rule set of measuring rookies, Dunn makes you imagine a player like Steph Curry?

I think Hield will be a great shooter and average defender at the next level.  Mostly operating off-ball.  To me he looks like a Wes Matthews or J.J. Redick type player.

Dunn has the tools to be a physically dominant player at maybe the most important position (lead playmaker / ballhandler).

[Rondo9]

By the way, I'm NOT advocating tanking. 

I'm suggesting the Celts should take Dunn if he's the BPA, even if that means trading Isaiah, and they should focus on building up the roster around players who will be in their prime 4-5 years from now.

Trying to win anything of significance in the next few years is foolhardy without an MVP caliber player.

They ARE building up the roster. It just that they are winning games. Forget Lebron, he'll be there regardless.

[dannyboy35]

I agree with the OP and it's why it drives me crazy with some of the players we've given minutes to. I don't want to try to lose games. Just give minutes to the players we think have a chance at a high ceiling at whatever amount of wins it would cost.