The Celts Should Draft Dunn and Build for 2020

[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.

Trading your  best player isn't tanking? Isaiah isn't going anywhere (for now) I think you'll be seeing the Celtics win games next year. 

[jay]

I think drafting Dunn and then trading Thomas, Jerebko, Olykyk, and the Nets 2018 pick for Butler makes a ton of sense.

Dunn, Bradley, Butler, Crowder, Horford?

6th man - Smart.

That team is pretty young outside of Horford.  Hopefully draft a big with the Nets pick in 2017.

[Rondo9]

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.

Like who Jordan Mickey?

[CelticSooner]

Whatever Ainge's plan is I hope he sticks to it. Being afraid LeBron and altering course doesn't seem like something he would do.

[Beat LA]

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.

Question - I posed this idea in another thread, but as I know that you're a fan of this guy, as am I, I think it's appropriate in this thread, as well: why not trade IT and KO to the Pelicans for 6 and use it to take Poeltl?  For New Orleans, KO, at least in theory, lol, gives them insurance in the likely event that Ryan Anderson walks, and with Eric Gordon both always being hurt and a free agent, coupled with Jrue Holiday's inability to stay on the court, IT gives them a cheap and dependable offensive weapon to pair with Davis.  Combine this with taking Dunn at 3, and you've now got the bookends of your starting lineup, and we can get the rest of our new starters at 16 and so on this year and the finishing touches next year, imo (well, hopefully, anyway).  What do you think?  It's hard to pass on a big guy with Poeltl's size, speed, defense, and skill set, imo.  Just an idea .

[KG Living Legend]

 Agreed with your overall point Pho. If Dunn is the best player take him and shuffle parts around.

 However if you really want to build for A multiple title run in the 2020's why not draft Murray or Bender who will only be 23 years old by then. Dunn will be 27 and starting his decline. Isn't that so strange.

[passesofftodj]

Dunn is the second best talent in this draft.  Barring injury or other unknown issues I see him as the only other potential superstar besides Simmons.

[jpotter33]

I mean, I'd be fine with going young, but we have to make a commitment to it and trade anyone that will get in the way of our players' development - IT, Bradley, etc.

If we'd go that way, I'd offer the boat to get into the top-2 of this draft. I think deals could be made for either of the picks, though you'd probably overpay with some of our high-end role players like Crowder and Bradley, maybe even IT.

If we couldn't do that, then I'd do what I could to grab another top-8 pick or so. If we take Dunn at 3, then a top-8 pick would nab us one of Murray, Chriss (hopefully), Bender, Brown, or Hield, whoever falls. I'd try really hard to get number 6 from New Orleans without giving up Crowder, but I'd do it if need be. Otherwise, we could always get number 8 from Sacramento, I think.

Building around a core of Smart, Dunn, and let's say Bender/Chriss would be pretty solid, and we'd still probably contend for a playoff spot in the East while Brooklyn did our tanking for us.

[TheSundanceKid]

Take the BPA, continue to compete, only add top level talent in FA (Durant) or guys that could evolve into that (I have no examples this summer). The East is still wide open after the Cavs, one injury, one good matchup and who knows what happens.

[crimson_stallion]

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.

The Spurs looked almost unbeatable this year, and they crumbled almost embarrassingly to the Thunder.

The Warriors looked like the best team in history based on their record, and they almost got knocked out by the Thunder.

Then the Cavs went on to beat the Warriors, after allowing themselves to fall into a 1-3 hole...then taking advantage of the Warriors as they crumbled *yet again*.   

All of this shows one thing clearly - no team in this league is unbeatable. Not one of them.  It's all the more reason why Boston should not give up. 

Everybody thought the Thunder had no hope against the Spurs and Warriors.  They slaughtered the Spurs and almost embarrassed the Warriors.  The Clippers were going strong until Blake and CP3 went down - something you never could have predicted.

At the end of the day, winning a championship is partly talent, partly luck.  Sometimes you win, sometimes the other team loses.  The OKC series proved that Golden State was vulnerable, Cleveland just learned from that series and took advantage of the vulnerability.  Next year somebody will do the same thing to the Cavs, and it may not be one of the teams anybody expects. 

Boston cannot beat Clevleand as currently assembled, in a 7 game series.  But we have a lot of assets this off-season, and it wouldn't take much int he way of additions for us to give them a really hard time.  Adding Butler and Dwight Howard (for argument's sake) would make us a matchup nightmare for Cleveland.  There are many options for us - I can guarantee you Danny and BS are not laying down and waving the white flag. Lebron doesn't have that much left in him at this rate.  He won't be able to play at this level for much longer.

[konkmv]

We can beat anyone in the league..  With this roster.. Let Danny do his work.. Next year we will have a top 6 team.. Every year a step closer...

[adam.jones614]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpVOLfGXYw4

Talk about an overreaction. The Warriors are still the best team, with probably the Spurs, then the Cavs but that is debatable. The Cav's benefited from the fact that Golden State was injured/burned out and lost Green for a crucial game at home.

You add even just Horford and Okafor to this team with any amount of wing depth and i'd like the Celts to give Cleveland a serious run for their money in a series. Come on man, we're so close.

No turning back now

[Celtics4ever]

The Cavs were toast until the league handicap this series by tossing Green.   LeBron had a great series but that is what gave them life.  It literally took the nails out of the coffin.

We can beat anyone in the league..  With this roster.. Let Danny do his work.. Next year we will have a top 6 team.. Every year a step closer...

Playoffs said otherwise, we are getting better but we have a ways to go.

[slightly biased bias fan]

The Cavs were toast until the league handicap this series by tossing Green.   LeBron had a great series but that is what gave them life.  It literally took the nails out of the coffin.

We can beat anyone in the league..  With this roster.. Let Danny do his work.. Next year we will have a top 6 team.. Every year a step closer...

Playoffs said otherwise, we are getting better but we have a ways to go.

Green handicapped his own team by constantly kicking players in the junk...there was obviously a pattern and he was lucky he didn't get an ejection/suspension for Steven Adams kick.

[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.

Like who Jordan Mickey?

I don't know about Mickey but Rozier I think proved he deserved more time. Olynyk not getting into the game until 3 minutes, sometimes less in the first qtr in favor of Sully drives me crazy. Things like that. I know Rozier is another guard but I'd just prefer we play more small ball to get him on the court. I'm not getting crazy, saying a ton of minutes but he got all but garbage time until needed in the playoffs.