What If Dante Exum Falls To The Celtics?

Draftexpress now has Smart going 4th to Orlando and Utah picking Vonleh with #5.  That means that Dante Exum, whom most people had dropping no lower than 4th, falling to us.

Assuming #6 doesn't go away in a trade, would you take Exum or Gordon or someone else?

Pluses:

Drafting Exum makes Rondo tradeable.  We can get almost anybody we want for Rondo and we won't have to pay Rondo's max-or-near-max contract next year. You want a center? You can get any center you want (except perhaps D12) for Rondo. It would be a Kevin Love/Kevin Garnett trade in reverse for us.


Minuses:

He has never played against competition we can measure him against.


Here's an excerpt from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20140203/nba-prospect-watch-dante-exum/


Exum has shown the foot speed to beat guards off the dribble and frequently get to the rim. His first step is absolutely lethal. He also possesses a 6-foot-9 wingspan and while he isn't explosive dunker, he can finish around the rim with an array of moves with either hand. Unfortunately, Exum has the same issue as another elite point guard in this draft, Marcus Smart: the mechanics on his shot are not consistent, and as a result, neither is his jump shot. The good news for Exum is that NBA teams love to take chances on ultra-talented guards with his size, even with questionable jumpers. The success of the similarly built and talented Michael Carter-Williams in Philadelphia only enhances Exum's case.


From Draftexpress's page on him:

6'6" w/shoes, 196#, 6'9 1/2" wingspan, 31 1/2" no step vertical, 34 1/2" max vertical.






bob


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I voted "Yes" because I think Exum could become an excellent sixth man at several positions.  But I still think the Celtics should trade #6 unless they have already obtained a good center.

Sam

I voted No.

Unless I'm San Antonio, I'm uneasy about taking foreign players who have no record of going up against NCAA D1 or NBA quality players.  I don't see Exum as making Rondo tradeable without first proving himself over a season in the league.

If I'm Danny Ainge, and Smart and Vonleh are taken, I look at Harris at #6.  I also would at least listen to my scouting staff if they wanted to argue for Hood and LaVine, in that order.  I leave Randle, Gordon and Stauskas for others to take a chance on.

Also...

Pretty wild looking at these multiple draft and trade speculation threads.  Almost no two of us would go the exact same route.  Maybe we should do a thread where everyone maps out what they would do this off-season, with whoever gets closest having some sort of gloating rights for the next season.

I voted Yes.

Why does taking Exum (or Mahcus Smaht) automatically lead to trading Rondo away?

gyso

gyso wrote:I voted Yes.

Why does taking Exum (or Mahcus Smaht) automatically lead to trading Rondo away?

gyso

Well ... I don't see Smart and Rondo being a good fit together. Exum has plenty of off ball skills to be an offensive force with Rondo. I see Exum as a star shooting guard in the long term.

KyleCleric wrote:

gyso wrote:I voted Yes.

Why does taking Exum (or Mahcus Smaht) automatically lead to trading Rondo away?

gyso

Well ... I don't see Smart and Rondo being a good fit together. Exum has plenty of off ball skills to be an offensive force with Rondo. I see Exum as a star shooting guard in the long term.

I think Smart, as a 2-guard, would make for a very good back-court with Rondo. Also, providing depth and insurance as a point guard.

I wouldn't see Exum and Rondo as competing for the lead PG spot.  I would envision Exum's primary job as being a swing man between SG and SF as well as backing up Rondo at PG.  I think Exum could potentially become a valuable sixth man.

I understand that Exum's shooting would have to become more consistent for him to be truly effective at the SG and SF positions.  It happened with Bradley, so it's not impossible.  But what I really like is the idea of having a swing man with good handle, especially after the Spurs wound up winning a championship with one of the better collective ball-handling efforts in recent years.

Sam

NYCelt,

Funny, I just had the same thought about starting a "Reconstruction Thread."  However, we all know that our own ideas are the only right ones, so who would declare a winner?

Sam

I'm with Sam on Dante being a sixth man and more of a 2 than a PG.

sam wrote:I wouldn't see Exum and Rondo as competing for the lead PG spot.  I would envision Exum's primary job as being a swing man between SG and SF as well as backing up Rondo at PG.  I think Exum could potentially become a valuable sixth man.

I understand that Exum's shooting would have to become more consistent for him to be truly effective at the SG and SF positions.  It happened with Bradley, so it's not impossible.  But what I really like is the idea of having a swing man with good handle, especially after the Spurs wound up winning a championship with one of the better collective ball-handling efforts in recent years.

Sam

sam,


I believe that Exum sees himself as a point guard first, SG definitely 2nd and as a SF not at all.  I think therein is the heart of the competition.  Your perception of who he should be doesn't agree with his own. Exum has said that he wants to go to a team that "needs him". Well, that's a good attitude, but if he thinks the need he fills is at PG...

He's only 196# too.  That would make him about 35# lighter than other SFs.  He's built to be a SG and, if he has the talents, a very nice-sized PG.

Here's a 6:44 minute long video that shows Exum's possession-by-possession effect when he played against Team USA.  If you look at his skills, he has point guard skills much more than SG or SF skills.  Not crazy about his free throw shooting mechanics either, too much snap and not enough flow.

This was the first time I've seen Exum at all. He replaces Rondo? In what Bizarro universe? I don't like him at all for either PG or SG. Marcus Smart (who is still too short for a SG) is a much better player.

Yes, trade #6 to help get Love and/or Asik.

W,

I should have specified trading #6 for a big.  Here's a question to challenge myself.  I'm hoping the Celts will take care of the center and then determine whether they have enough assets left to take a run at Love (sort of like Romeo and Juliette).

But suppose getting Asik would require so many assets that there wouldn't be enough to get Love.  Would I rather have Asik but no Love (sorry Romeo), or would I rather have Gortat (who would require only cash and wouldn't deplete other assets) and Love?

As much as I'd rather have an intimidator than Gortat, I'd go for door #2 (Gortat and Love).  Besides, Gortat would improve the offense immeasurably, and the Spurs proved to me that the energy of a dynamic offense can energize the defense as well.

Sam

I'd much prefer Gortat and Love.

Just thinking about my immediately previous post, I realize how important timing could be.  Who would be more influenced to come to Boston by the presence of the other on the roster—Gortat (knowing that Love would be his teammate) or Love (knowing that Gortat would be his teammate)?

I'd probably pick the former—Gortat, knowing that Love would be his teammate), but only by a single nose hair.

Sam

Gortat and Love would both be pleased to know that Danny still has picks to use to improve the Celtics if they chose to join Rondo. Getting Asik and Love would probably deplete us of our first round picks for a while.

A scenario where the Celtics get Exum doesn't mean Rondo has to go. Phoenix showed that having two guys considered point guards (Dragic and Bledsoe) can be successful. They didn't make the playoffs, but that was due to the tough nature of the West, because their 48-34 record was pretty good.

Having multiple players who can do multiple things well is also what the Spurs model utilizes, and as we've discussed elsewhere, that could be what Stevens is built to run.

Getting Exum may not be the ideal scenario -- in my mind, using that pick as part of a package to get a center of Love would be -- but it's hardly the worst fallback position.