Getting these three guys was not the job to be done tonight. The job didn't get done.
See to me this is an unfair argument, albeit the one that I feel the majority of this board has. What exactly was the job? If the reports out there are that Butler would have costed no more than Bradley and #3, then yes, totally agree, Ainge screwed the pooch once again. But if it came down to Butler, or keeping a pick that belongs to the Nets, a team that just traded away 1 of its 2 pro quality players for a late 1st, in next year's draft which is already said to be one of the best in years, I'm not sure what more Ainge could have done.
I was advocating prior to tonight that he should have gotten creative and taken swings for the fences if the superstars weren't there. If we couldn't get Butler/George/etc then try to land young vets that are unknown commodities (i.e. Exum and Lyles). But instead we used the pick to do exactly the same. Take an unknown commodity with a ridiculously high ceiling, and at a position of need no less.
If you want to complain about #16 I'm on board. Not a guy I had even heard of prior to tonight, nevermind scouted. Zizic I think is a steal for us, and clearly Fraschilla agrees. A legit 7 footer, a legit inside game, and only 19 that can be stashed for a few years; not to mention someone who was universally regarded as a 1st round pick tonight.
Otherwise Ainge flipped 2 2nds for a pick that can be as high as 15 in a couple years. A trade anyone in the league would do. And we'll see what happens with the rest. Was it the dream night we had all hoped for? Clearly not. But I truly think Ainge did the best with an awful situation. And this is from someone who is a Ainge-hater on draft night. I think the guy has religiously screwed the pooch when it comes to using picks. Tonight though, I'm at least understandable and amenable to seeing how it works out for us.