Hey Danny you can't Draft Big Guy's

[droopdog7]

For whatever reason it does seem like Ainge has a strong preference for undersized, underathletic, skilled big men.  He has very rarely drafted any of these pogo stick, roll-down-the-lane-and-dunk type guys.

His draft record selecting bigs who are underappreciated due to a lack of physical tools is pretty good though.

The reason is simple.  Danny's philosophy seems to be to draft good basketball players rather than reaching for certain positions.  Clearly he doesn't always hit but seems like a solid strategy.  Never mind that good bigs are more rare than good smells.

[guava_wrench]

I think he have done a decent job, given his draft position.

These picks are great for the spot Danny was picking:

- Glen Davis
- Leon Powe
- Jared Sullinger
- Semih Erden

Time only will tell how good Yabu and Zizic is.

Along with Perk and Gomes.

And Al Jefferson, the best of the bunch.

[PhoSita]

For whatever reason it does seem like Ainge has a strong preference for undersized, underathletic, skilled big men.  He has very rarely drafted any of these pogo stick, roll-down-the-lane-and-dunk type guys.

His draft record selecting bigs who are underappreciated due to a lack of physical tools is pretty good though.

The reason is simple.  Danny's philosophy seems to be to draft good basketball players rather than reaching for certain positions.  Clearly he doesn't always hit but seems like a solid strategy.  Never mind that good bigs are more rare than good smells.

Yeah, I understand the strategy.

I think it limits the upside of his picks, especially at the big positions, though. 

The Celtics could really use a big man with an intense physical dimension to his game.  They've needed that for a while now, actually.

You can't build a team entirely out of physical freaks, but you're at a disadvantage if your whole team is premised on taking advantage of a market inefficiency re: skilled guys with below average measurements.

[ederson]

to be accurate he tried once to draft based on athletisism getting fab melo. it didn t work out very well

[KG Living Legend]

For whatever reason it does seem like Ainge has a strong preference for undersized, underathletic, skilled big men.  He has very rarely drafted any of these pogo stick, roll-down-the-lane-and-dunk type guys.

His draft record selecting bigs who are underappreciated due to a lack of physical tools is pretty good though.

The reason is simple.  Danny's philosophy seems to be to draft good basketball players rather than reaching for certain positions.  Clearly he doesn't always hit but seems like a solid strategy.  Never mind that good bigs are more rare than good smells.

Yeah, I understand the strategy.

I think it limits the upside of his picks, especially at the big positions, though. 

The Celtics could really use a big man with an intense physical dimension to his game.  They've needed that for a while now, actually.

You can't build a team entirely out of physical freaks, but you're at a disadvantage if your whole team is premised on taking advantage of a market inefficiency re: skilled guys with below average measurements.

 Good points Pho.


 He even did the same thing again with Yabu. Nice physical gifts and actually he has some athleticism for a change.

 But he's undersized! Again! Just like Mickey, Bass, Baby Davis, Leon Powe, Ryan Gomes. And now Yabu. He just Loves 6'7" Power forwards because that's six of them right there.

 That's why Zizic is a revelation almost 7 feet with a 9'3" standing reach. And he plays like a real big. With plus athleticism.

[Cman]

I think he have done a decent job, given his draft position.

These picks are great for the spot Danny was picking:

- Glen Davis
- Leon Powe
- Jared Sullinger
- Semih Erden

Time only will tell how good Yabu and Zizic is.

Along with Perk and Gomes.

And Al Jefferson, the best of the bunch.

Yep. So I guess Danny can draft bigs. It just depends on who is available and where the Cs are picking.

[CelticGuardian]

Danny left superior bigs on the board when he drafted Olynyk, there he had the draft position at #13, knowledge of Celtics' eternal rebounding and rim protection problem... and still he got the finesse player, leaving more physical guys like Gorgui Dieng and Rudy Gobert... now Avery Bradley is our leading rebounder. But its all good guys, he signed Tyler Zeller.

[PhoSita]

to be accurate he tried once to draft based on athletisism getting fab melo. it didn t work out very well

Drafting on physical tools is inherently risky, so one failed pick is hardly proof of anything.

Also, Fab was impressive physically in some respects, but he was pretty slow and uncoordinated.  Not what I would call a natural athlete.

[alldaboston]

I would have kept Deyonta Davis.

Yeah that's the one move i wish he didn't make. but it would have been tough to clear another roster spot for him, unless he too agreed to be stashed.

[Moranis]

I would have kept Deyonta Davis.

Yeah that's the one move i wish he didn't make. but it would have been tough to clear another roster spot for him, unless he too agreed to be stashed.

you just don't sign Jackson.  Problem solved.

[alldaboston]

I would have kept Deyonta Davis.

Yeah that's the one move i wish he didn't make. but it would have been tough to clear another roster spot for him, unless he too agreed to be stashed.

you just don't sign Jackson.  Problem solved.

I would keep Jackson still. He was projected to be picked in the midteens to 20s range, a few mock drafts even had him in the lottery. He's a talented player, and it's very shocking that he slid to us. A guy with his talent level should definitely be kept imo.

[LooseCannon]

I would have kept Deyonta Davis.

Yeah that's the one move i wish he didn't make. but it would have been tough to clear another roster spot for him, unless he too agreed to be stashed.

To be clear, the Celtics never actually had Davis.  They agreed to trade the pick and selected Davis for Memphis, because that is who the Grizzlies wanted.  If they hadn't made a deal, Ainge might have ended up passing on Davis and taking another stash candidate like Ivica Zubac or Zhou Qi.

[BitterJim]

For whatever reason it does seem like Ainge has a strong preference for undersized, underathletic, skilled big men.  He has very rarely drafted any of these pogo stick, roll-down-the-lane-and-dunk type guys.

His draft record selecting bigs who are underappreciated due to a lack of physical tools is pretty good though.

The reason is simple.  Danny's philosophy seems to be to draft good basketball players rather than reaching for certain positions.  Clearly he doesn't always hit but seems like a solid strategy.  Never mind that good bigs are more rare than good smells.

Yeah, I understand the strategy.

I think it limits the upside of his picks, especially at the big positions, though. 

The Celtics could really use a big man with an intense physical dimension to his game.  They've needed that for a while now, actually.

You can't build a team entirely out of physical freaks, but you're at a disadvantage if your whole team is premised on taking advantage of a market inefficiency re: skilled guys with below average measurements.

 Good points Pho.


 He even did the same thing again with Yabu. Nice physical gifts and actually he has some athleticism for a change.

 But he's undersized! Again! Just like Mickey, Bass, Baby Davis, Leon Powe, Ryan Gomes. And now Yabu. He just Loves 6'7" Power forwards because that's six of them right there.

 That's why Zizic is a revelation almost 7 feet with a 9'3" standing reach. And he plays like a real big. With plus athleticism.

If those guys were 7' tall, they would have been gone a lot earlier. When you have the picks that Danny's had, you get flawed prospects

You're not gonna find a smart, inside player, with prototypical size, great defense and rebounding plus the ability to pass and score from outside late in the draft because those players rarely exist in general, and when they do they go early.  Instead you have guys who might be a few of those things, but have major flaws.  Some are dumb as bricks, some are soft, some have awful hands, some are short.  Of those types that are available, Danny tends to go for the shorter players with more complete games (and given his relative success taking these guys, it makes sense).

Saying "Danny likes short bigs" is disingenuous.  He would take a big with the same talent but better size any day of the week, but it's a false dilemma.  The choice isn't "6'10 guy or 6'7 guy", it's "6'10 guy with huge holes in his game or 6'7 guy with way fewer holes".  Yes, those guys with huge holes in their games but good size sometimes turn into good or great players, but the vast majority turn out to be busts.  Of all the holes late-draft big man prospects have, height is just the one Danny worries least about

[KG Living Legend]

 Sounds like your in denial Jim. That's Ok. We are there for you every step of the way.

 We drafted 6'7" Yabu this year #16 over 6'11" Henry Ellenson, 6'10" pogostick Brice Johnson, 6'11" Deyonta Davis All of whom were projected to go higher than Yabu.

[Moranis]

For whatever reason it does seem like Ainge has a strong preference for undersized, underathletic, skilled big men.  He has very rarely drafted any of these pogo stick, roll-down-the-lane-and-dunk type guys.

His draft record selecting bigs who are underappreciated due to a lack of physical tools is pretty good though.

The reason is simple.  Danny's philosophy seems to be to draft good basketball players rather than reaching for certain positions.  Clearly he doesn't always hit but seems like a solid strategy.  Never mind that good bigs are more rare than good smells.

Yeah, I understand the strategy.

I think it limits the upside of his picks, especially at the big positions, though. 

The Celtics could really use a big man with an intense physical dimension to his game.  They've needed that for a while now, actually.

You can't build a team entirely out of physical freaks, but you're at a disadvantage if your whole team is premised on taking advantage of a market inefficiency re: skilled guys with below average measurements.

 Good points Pho.


 He even did the same thing again with Yabu. Nice physical gifts and actually he has some athleticism for a change.

 But he's undersized! Again! Just like Mickey, Bass, Baby Davis, Leon Powe, Ryan Gomes. And now Yabu. He just Loves 6'7" Power forwards because that's six of them right there.

 That's why Zizic is a revelation almost 7 feet with a 9'3" standing reach. And he plays like a real big. With plus athleticism.

If those guys were 7' tall, they would have been gone a lot earlier. When you have the picks that Danny's had, you get flawed prospects

You're not gonna find a smart, inside player, with prototypical size, great defense and rebounding plus the ability to pass and score from outside late in the draft because those players rarely exist in general, and when they do they go early.  Instead you have guys who might be a few of those things, but have major flaws.  Some are dumb as bricks, some are soft, some have awful hands, some are short.  Of those types that are available, Danny tends to go for the shorter players with more complete games (and given his relative success taking these guys, it makes sense).

Saying "Danny likes short bigs" is disingenuous.  He would take a big with the same talent but better size any day of the week, but it's a false dilemma.  The choice isn't "6'10 guy or 6'7 guy", it's "6'10 guy with huge holes in his game or 6'7 guy with way fewer holes".  Yes, those guys with huge holes in their games but good size sometimes turn into good or great players, but the vast majority turn out to be busts.  Of all the holes late-draft big man prospects have, height is just the one Danny worries least about

Skipping 15 and 16 because they are too recent, the last 2 drafts (i.e. 13, 14) have had the following big guys taken after at least one of Boston's selections: Jusuf Nurkic, Clint Capela, Nikola Jokic, Gorgui Dieng, Rudy Gobert.  That obviously doesn't count a PF like Dario Saric either.  What do those guys have in common?  They are foreign.  Perhaps Ainge was just ignoring Europe.  Maybe that is why he took KO over Giannis.  Maybe he finally realized the folly of his ways, which is why Boston selected two Europeans in the first round this past draft.