Kudos to Ainge and the FO

[moiso]

Horford, Smart, and Brown are all top 6 picks. Horford and Brown were both top 3 picks.

What is the point here?  Ainge hasn't done well because he had some good draft positions?  He traded for these good draft positions.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Cleveland has the oldest roster in the NBA. They are cap strapped and will have to make decisions. Danny with the high picks is positioning Boston the outlast the Cavs in the east. Boston's window is just now being unlocked.

I got in an argument with some lebron bandwagoner. he said we will never unseat lebron. I said really? i guess you failed history eh old chap? LOL I said give me 3 more years and we will beat them.

[Darío SpanishFan]

Horford, Smart, and Brown are all top 6 picks. Horford and Brown were both top 3 picks.

This is sooooo weak. IT, Crowder, Bradley, Rozier, even Rondo, were selected outside the lottery and they are such players thanks to Ainge and his people.

If you want even more, who got Brown thanks to a masterful trade? 

[celticsclay]

Horford, Smart, and Brown are all top 6 picks. Horford and Brown were both top 3 picks.

Pretty sure he meant with the Celtics only having 2 top 10 picks.

[celticsclay]

Cleveland has the oldest roster in the NBA. They are cap strapped and will have to make decisions. Danny with the high picks is positioning Boston the outlast the Cavs in the east. Boston's window is just now being unlocked.

Lebron James is so ****n good tho.

He is 32. Could have 2 more years of super elite play (which would be incredible at 34), but even he has acknowledged he is approaching the end and his basketball mortality.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Cleveland has the oldest roster in the NBA. They are cap strapped and will have to make decisions. Danny with the high picks is positioning Boston the outlast the Cavs in the east. Boston's window is just now being unlocked.

Lebron James is so ****n good tho.

He is 32. Could have 2 more years of super elite play (which would be incredible at 34), but even he has acknowledged he is approaching the end and his basketball mortality.

he cannot leave the NBA soon enough. whatever it takes for my celts to win it all. however i feel we can take him in a few years once we are loaded for bear and a true run.

[Wretch]

Horford, Smart, and Brown are all top 6 picks. Horford and Brown were both top 3 picks.

Pretty sure he meant with the Celtics only having 2 top 10 picks.

Exactly.

[drogbagarnett]

I think they've done a wonderful job!

And since the draft can be such a crapshoot...I give more weight to the trades that are completed.

And in the trades department, Ainge and his crew have killed it!...A++

And I give even more weight to the trades that have not been completed that would have put us in a less enviable situation... (how many picks for Winslow again..)

[Moranis]

Cleveland has the oldest roster in the NBA. They are cap strapped and will have to make decisions. Danny with the high picks is positioning Boston the outlast the Cavs in the east. Boston's window is just now being unlocked.

Yes, but the age of their top 4 is James 32, Love 28, Thompson 26, and Irving 25.  Shumpert is 26 and Derrick Williams is 25 both rotation players (they also have had Felder at 22 all year and just signed Tavares who is 25).  Now when you start adding in Jefferson, Jones, and Jones at 36 each, Korver at 35, Frye at 33, Deron Williams at 32, and Smith at 31 you can see why they are the oldest team in the league, but outside of the top 4 only Frye, Korver, and Smith are regular minutes guys in the playoffs.  It is a lot easier to replace some bench players than your core.  The Cavs will be the top team in the East and a top 2 or 3 team in the NBA for as long as James is playing at a high level and even when he tails off they will still have Love, Irving, and Thompson all in their prime for quite awhile longer. 

[Moranis]

Horford, Smart, and Brown are all top 6 picks. Horford and Brown were both top 3 picks.

When I talk about draft slots for GMs (me personally, not OP obviously,) I tend to look at the picks they made. Kind of like I wouldn't count Horford's success for the Celtics as part of their drafting acumen. Same with IT. Those are lumped in for FA discussions and trades for me.

So in effect, this current roster was built with 2 top 10 picks, and tons of savvy moves in trading and FA.

Ah but then San Antonio has no top 10 picks (despite Aldridge and Gasol being top 3 picks).  Same with Houston (despite Harden being a top 5 pick and Gordon and Nene being top 10 picks).  Cleveland only has 2 top ten picks (Irving and Thompson - from the same draft no less) since you can't count James, Love, Deron, Frye.  Golden State just has Curry and Thompson, since you are disregarding Durant and Iguodala.  You can't just disregard players acquired via means other than the draft.

[Moranis]

Horford, Smart, and Brown are all top 6 picks. Horford and Brown were both top 3 picks.

What is the point here?  Ainge hasn't done well because he had some good draft positions?  He traded for these good draft positions.

My point was he was disregarding Horford, which you just can't do unless you do it for all teams. 

[footey]

Horford, Smart, and Brown are all top 6 picks. Horford and Brown were both top 3 picks.

What is the point here?  Ainge hasn't done well because he had some good draft positions?  He traded for these good draft positions.

My point was he was disregarding Horford, which you just can't do unless you do it for all teams.

Meaning to ask you, about the improved play of Rozier of late.  I know this is off topic, but wanted to see if your view of him has changed of late?

[mctyson]

I don't think Ainge wants kudos until the next banner is up.

But he has done a fantastic job at establishing a core that can compete now, with the young talent that could make them a perennial Finals contender for a decade.

[Moranis]

Horford, Smart, and Brown are all top 6 picks. Horford and Brown were both top 3 picks.

What is the point here?  Ainge hasn't done well because he had some good draft positions?  He traded for these good draft positions.

My point was he was disregarding Horford, which you just can't do unless you do it for all teams.

Meaning to ask you, about the improved play of Rozier of late.  I know this is off topic, but wanted to see if your view of him has changed of late?

Rozier has definitely been a pleasant surprise, but I still don't see how he fits the long term plans (unless he replaces Smart, who I still think has a brighter future). 

[Bobshot]

Danny is looking good on Rozier right now. That kid has really come to life in the playoffs. He's playing great--all over the court. He and Horford  and Bradley have really stepped up. A Celtics key in the past has always been their ability to step up in the playoffs.