Danny Ainge exploring options with Brooklyn Nets pick, but thinks top of the draft is deep

http://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2017/01/boston_celtics_trade_rumors_20_218.html



Boston Celtics trade rumors 2017: Danny Ainge exploring options with Brooklyn Nets pick, but thinks top of the draft is deep




Danny Ainge, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations, must smile as he thinks about the draft picks his team is owed. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)




Jay King | mjking@masslive.com By Jay King | mjking@masslive.com




on January 05, 2017 at 10:05 AM




One way or another, the Boston Celtics should be in good shape on draft night this year. If they keep the Brooklyn Nets pick, they will acquire a lottery talent from a deep draft. If they trade it, they should be able to add an established stud.

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge will have plenty of options. During a radio interview Thursday morning, he said opposing teams have begun to call about the Nets pick but "nothing's close or imminent."

"Yeah there are people calling," Ainge said on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich show. "It's a valuable pick so we're going to explore that."

Ainge is also evaluating all the top prospects. If the season ended after Wednesday night's games, the Celtics would own the best odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick, thanks to the right to swap picks with Brooklyn. Toucher & Rich asked Ainge whether this draft -- generally considered rich in talent -- is deeper than the last couple of drafts.

"Every draft is different," Ainge replied. "I think that sometimes you have the top one is better than other drafts (or) the top two. This one is a little bit more equal in the top few picks of the draft as it appears right now. This is something that we're spending all our time (on). We have people all over the world evaluating this as we speak. So I think that at this point in time, I think that, yeah, there's four or five guys -- there's not a lot of separation at the top of this draft."


Ainge also said he has not talked to Isaiah Thomas or Avery Bradley about possible contract extensions. Both will be eligible for extensions this summer if the Celtics remain under the cap, but they have made it clear they would like to chase top free agents.

"Those are things that can't happen until the summer time anyway. Isaiah knows that we love him. He loves playing in Boston and he knows that we love him as well. And same with Avery Bradley," Ainge said. "I think they're a good combination. Both of those guys know how much we appreciate them as players and all they've done, and what they're becoming. So yeah, there's going to be a time when we'll sit down and have conversations with all of our guys. But in the meantime we're trying to build a championship-caliber team."



bob
MY NOTE:  With all due respect to Danny, I don't believe anything he says about this type of stuff.  If we get the #1 pick watch him change his tune and talk about how there is a clear separation between the consensus #1 and everybody else.  Having said that, with Brooklyn in dead last, teams know this will be a good pick, almost certainly no lower than #5.  Danny, talking about parity at the top, is hedging his bets if we slip.  If we have an Achilles Heel, it is that Philly, Miami and the rest have incentive to tank the last half of the year while Brooklyn doesn't because we have their pick and they are fighting for their jobs next year.


.

I think Danny secretly relishes this time of year when he can have so much fun with fans, media, and other GMs because he loves messin with everyone.

Tom WesterholmVerified account
‏@Tom_NBA

Somewhere, Danny Ainge is cackling uncontrollably.




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bob


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Bob

I think DA is right on point regarding the depth at the top.

I think it is highly unlikely he would trade the pick unless it involves us getting a stud in return.

DA could play the wait and see game and move the pick on draft night.

Also I do not think Philly is still in tank mode.

dboss

dboss wrote:Bob

I think DA is right on point regarding the depth at the top.

I think it is highly unlikely he would trade the pick unless it involves us getting a stud in return.

DA could play the wait and see game and move the pick on draft night.

Also I do not think Philly is still in  tank mode.  

dboss

dboss,

I agree that Philly is not in tank mode anymore.  "The Process", as it was called, has been officially terminated per GM Bryan Colangelo.  They're just not winning.  Considering their wealth of young talent that's not good.  I think that was the result of the "pick the best player available" philosophy on draft night. So now they have a log jam in the front court and no back court.

Danny and Brad have both said they don't want to get younger, they want to get a little older.  Another rookie is probably not what they want however Danny will not give up a #3 (currently #1) pick for a "nice player".  I absolutely agree with you on that.  I also think that, unless Brooklyn continues to nose dive and the teams around them (e.g. Philly and Miami) start to win and put some distance between them and the Nyets there will be no trade involving that pick until after the lottery seeding is official on May 16th.


bob

When you look at the top of the draft,all one and done kids.

Now and then a guy is drafted at the top comes in balling but these youngsters are no where near ready to contribute.

DA will be talking to AB and IT over the summer to see if they are willing to accept a home town discount.  If they opt not to accept they run the risk of getting injured during the 2018 season and that could impact their market value.  At the same time both have been grossly underpaid and now they do deserve a big time raise.

I think is is probably unlikely that both will get paid  if DA still has plan to snag another Stud whose salary would potentially be in the Max range.  I wonder how GS is going to deal with the Curry contract coming up.

There really is not enough CAP space to carry (4) max level players on the roster and still have enough money to sign rotation players.

If the Euro Zizic is truly talented it could allow the Celtics to keep both AB and IT and use the high Nets Pick this year to add a scorer.  

If the kids Brown and Rozier develop quickly they could be very valuable contributors on a consistent basis next year.  Boston would have an interesting team of solid veterans, some mid level experience and some serious young talent to take us into the future.  Young players are good for the salary cap

A lot of teams have already shot themselves in the foot by overpaying for some players.  

dboss

That pick could turn into Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum or Malik Monk and we have our shooting wing or are at least set with a volume scorer at SF or G.  Josh Jackson is probably the best overall player among those expected to enter the 2017 draft, we may need the first pick to get him.  Tatum or Monk would make a great consolation prize.

It would be nice to go big and take Harry Giles, but his injuries are a little troubling at this point.  Have to see what the rest of the season brings.  Enough bigs that we could get a decent PF/C in round 2.

Markelle Fultz is another intriguing player, but my guess is he's the type of player we would select for another team as part of a pre-arranged draft day deal. He's looking like he could go somewhere in the top 3.

Picks may be far more valuable to keep rather than package and deal this year.  The right one could help make us more appealing to a veteran FA, or allow us to put one of our more established players on the block and see what we're offered in return.  Like Brown, that top pick should be one who can step in and contribute right away.  The potential is there for a player who is more developed than Brown and ready for bigger minutes quickly.

NYCelt

The more I think about this the more I think this pick is dependent on their plans this summer with IT and AB.  If the Celtics do not intend to extend both of them this draft needs to be used to replace either one of them.  

Josh Jackson is a potential A+ player at SF and Boston could go in that direction if they decided to trade Crowder.  We already have Brown as the Backup SF behind Crowder so I do not see them drafting Jackson unless they intend to move either Crowder or Brown.

If we think that Brown is our future starting wing then Jackson does not make a lot of sense unless you can project him or Brown as a SG which is also another possibility that would certainly lead one to believe that AB is going to be moved.

There are so many possibilities to consider.

When I look at the needs on this team I see a need for a center, PF and a scorer off the bench (who can play more than one position)  

Danny drafted a PF and a Center last year.  He may very well want to see what they have before busting up the chemistry on this team.  If that is his thinking he will retain the 2017 pick and make enough roster moves over the summer to free up some space for the stashes.  

We still have the 2018 Nets pick in the wings.  So many options.

Danny may feel that adding a high price player through trade or free agency is not the way to go.  It may be better to build and develop players through the draft, take your lumps along the way as they learn the game and ultimately put a team on the court that will be able to play with anybody.

Danny will be tempted to move the pick.

dboss

dboss,

I think you're right about a lot being dependent on the future of IT and AB.  In my post above, I'm making a lot of assumptions.  Of course we all know the saying about what happens when we "ass-u-me!"

So as long as I'm making one of those of myself, here are the guesses that went into my thinking on our draft targets...

We keep IT.  High scoring PG whose passing and playmaking have always been underrated, but are working out well.  Bradley potentially on the block, but only because we have another strong defender at G in Smart.  I personally want to see us keep Bradley, but he's our strongest bargaining chip outside of that Nets pick.  It's just business.  Crowder and Brown can defend, but neither is going to give us the shooting we need.  One will stay, one will go, if we get a shot at Jackson.  Jackson is the best player in the draft, IMO, and would quickly become an upgrade to our frontcourt.

In the highly possible scenario we don't get a shot at Jackson, throw all this out and take someone like Tatum.  One of Brown or Crowder still go.

Call it a gut feeling, because that's mostly what it is, but the more I try to see and read about Yabusele and Zizic, the less I think they ever become what we need.  Zizic maybe might get a small shot here.  I think what I consider as last years blown opportunities make this years draft that much more critical.  If I had the time, I could do a whole thread and post on that one!  So I agree with you, our biggest needs will still be a shooter and big, defense oriented forward. I just don't think we got either through the last draft.

Regards

Teams are having to rethink their plans on adding expensive free agents.

The Celtics gave AH a ton of cash. I wonder what IT and AB will want. How much can a team spend on 3 Players and still have enough left to fill out a competitive roster.

The good thing is that Boston has until Feb 2018 To make a decision on AB and IT. DA may keep his powder dry for a while longer.

Dboss