Ainge Has A Good Track Record With Multiple First-Round Picks

http://www.heraldnews.com/article/20140622/SPORTS/140629081/11772/OPINION



CELTICS: Danny Ainge has good track record with multiple first-round picks
The Celtics president of basketball operations will have two first-round choices at his disposal in the NBA Draft on Thursday night, the fourth time that has happened since he took over in 2003. emailprint 0

By Jim Fenton
The Enterprise
Posted Jun. 22, 2014 @ 9:11 pm
Updated Jun 22, 2014 at 9:19 PM


For the fourth time in his tenure as the Celtics’ basketball boss, Danny Ainge has multiple first-round picks to work with in the NBA Draft.

The Celtics will be selecting at No. 6 and No. 17 (courtesy of a trade with the Brooklyn Nets) when the draft takes place on Thursday night.

Ainge, the team’s president of basketball operations, has put together a solid track record when he has more than one first-round pick at his disposal.

Two years ago, the former Toronto Blue Jays third baseman batted .500 when he connected with Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger at No. 21, but whiffed with Syracuse center Fab Melo at No. 22 (the Oklahoma City Thunder’s pick acquired in the Kendrick Perkins trade).

Sullinger, who slipped in the draft because of a back ailment that would require surgery in February 2013, bounced back from that to have a solid sophomore season and has a bright future.

Melo, however, played only six games for the Celtics in the 2012-13 season, spending most of his time with the NBA Development League’s Maine Red Claws.

He was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies and, after being waived, was signed by the Dallas Mavericks, who also waived him. Melo’s last stop was the Texas Legands of the NBA Development League.

In 2004, Ainge was in possession of three picks (the Celtics’ own selection plus first-rounders from the Detroit Pistons and the Mavericks).

The Celtics took Al Jefferson (No. 15), Delonte West (24) and Tony Allen (25), all solid choices in those slots.

Jefferson, who is now with the Charlotte Hornets, is one of the best low-players in the NBA and was the key piece that allowed the Celtics to trade for Kevin Garnett in 2007.

West played 432 games, averaging 9.7 points, with four teams but had emotional issues. His last team was Fujian Xunxing in China.

Allen is a leading defender in the NBA and left the Celtics to sign with the Grizzlies in 2010.

In Ainge’e first year on the job, 2003, the Celtics traded places with the Grizzlies in the first round and ended with guard Marcus Banks at No. 11 and Perkins at No. 27. They dealt away the No. 16 and 20 picks in that transaction.

Banks was ineffective in two-plus seasons with the Celtics and did little in a nine-year career that ended in 2011.

Perkins was an important part of the 2008 championship team, teaming with Garnett to provide solid interior defense. He remains with the Thunder after being dealt in 2011.

Thanks to the trading of Paul Pierce and Garnett to the Nets and the exit of coach Doc Rivers to the Los Angeles Clippers last summer, the Celtics also have two first-round picks in 2015, 2016 and 2018. They would have three first-rounders in 2015 if the Philadelphia 76ers make the playoffs.

Prior to Ainge’s arrival, the Celtics had multiple first-round picks in 2001 (Joe Johnson, Kedrick Brown and Joseph Forte), in 1997 (Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer) and 1978 (Larry Bird and Freeman Williams).

The ’01 draft was a disaster as Johnson was traded after only 48 games and turned into an All-Star while Brown and Forte were not capable NBA players.

Rick Pitino missed out on the No. 1 pick in ’97 and instead of getting Tim Duncan, drafted the “backcourt of the future’’ in Billups and Mercer as No. 3 and No. 6.

Billups was traded after just 51 games while Mercer played only 121 games.

Bird was selected as a junior draft-eligible and was one of the NBA’s best players ever while Williams was quickly traded to the San Diego Clippers.

The Celtics also acquired two first-round players in 1956 when Red Auerbach swung a draft-day deal to obtain the rights to rookie Bill Russell, who had been taken No. 2 by the St. Louis Hawks and became a legend. Tommy Heinsohn was picked by the Celtics that year.



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