It's the 2016 Draft that matters most for Boston

http://hardwoodhoudini.com/2015/08/25/2016-draft-matters-boston/



It's the 2016 Draft that matters most for Boston
by C.J Maffris 15h ago



When the calendar reaches 2016, that’s when the Celtics can start to make their move to become title contenders. After all the trades, contract extensions, and free agent signings, fans will finally get a feel as to what Danny Ainge meant when he said “rebuild”. The team had cap flexibility this offseason, but was never really in the picture for some of the big name free agents out there. So if you can’t sign established talent, you have to draft them. So out of all the drafts that are coming up, the 2016 Draft is the most important. The Celtics cannot afford to get any of their potential first-round picks wrong in 2016 (and they could have a lot of first-round picks).

First everyone looks at how the Boston Celtics were able to get not one, but two unprotected first-round picks from the Brooklyn Nets. That could come to haunt Brooklyn, as many experts predict this team to be one of the worst franchises next season. That could end up giving Boston a top-five or better pick. It’s not guaranteed to happen, but it gives the Celtics a chance to finally gain a top-tier talent in the draft. Especially with the three top-prospects who are expected to enter the draft (Ben Simmons LSU, Skal Labissiere Kentucky, Jaylen Brown Cal). Brooklyn’s pick should be coveted as a real possibility to turn into one of the prospects mentioned. Let’s say the pick ends up being fourth or worse, there still some intriguing talent at positions the Celtics need. It all depends on how Brooklyn plays next season.

As captivating that Brooklyn pick looks, the Celtics cannot just assume it will become their “golden ticket” to the title picture. Thankfully for Boston, general manager Danny Ainge proceeded to gather more draft picks for the Celtics. More importantly, it was a draft pick the team acquired after sending away Rajon Rondo to Dallas for 2016. After the emoji-filled breakup between the Mavericks and DeAndre Jordan, no one seems to know how to gauged the team this upcoming season. Mark Cuban has been linked to comments stating that the team would tank if they missed out on Jordan. The pick that Boston received is a top-seven protected pick, which would mean that Dallas would end up keeping the pick if the team tanked.



However, Mark Cuban later came out to say that Dallas is not interested in tanking. That keeps things interesting for Boston, to the effect that this draft pick might be coming to them. ESPN’s Forecast believes that Dallas has done enough to make the playoffs in 2016, which doesn’t help Boston in gaining a lottery pick. However, that would mean that the team would do better than the favorite underdog to talk about in the Utah Jazz, and the possibly sneaky-good Phoenix Suns. Those three teams will battle for the final playoff spot, which could turn Dallas’ pick into a lottery pick. But many are unsure how the team will look with Deron Williams (and his injured knees) and JaVale McGee added into the fold. Those moves do not scream title contender, so the team could end up being a lot worse than many are predicting. This makes Dallas another team for Celtics fans to keep an eye on.

So the best case scenario for the Celtics is Brooklyn becoming one of the worst teams in the league with Dallas’ record being the 8th worst in the NBA. Add that to the Celtics’ own pick and that could a promising position to be in, but there’s even more to look at for the upcoming season. If the Minnesota Timberwolves draft pick falls between thirteenth or worse, the Boston Celtics would receive that pick as well. That’s right Celtics fans, to get a grand total of four first-round picks, Minnesota has to become a fringe playoff team (just like Boston last year). This pick almost seems like a pipe-dream, but the roster that the Timberwolves have created does seem promising. Now I say promising, as if I expect the T-Wolves to be the 8th seed in the Western Conference. I don’t, nor do I believe this team will be a fringe playoff team this season. That probably won’t happen till next year at the earliest, but Celtic fans can dream.


After looking at all the other factors with possibly acquiring draft picks, it can get lost that the Celtics do own their own draft pick. While some might find this ridiculous to say, it would benefit the Celtics if they did not make the postseason next season. Adding another lottery pick could go a long way for the team to speed up the rebuilding process. Plus if everything goes the Celtics way they could have four lottery picks! Four lottery picks gives the team more chances to land a superstar player. It’s about playing the odds and I like having four in the lottery.

That means they will have to scout like crazy to make sure they pick the right player. It’s nice to have high draft picks, but it means nothing if the team doesn’t scout well. Ainge needs to be careful and make sure that it’s this draft that he finds that superstar diamond in the rough. The team will never have more first-round picks than they will this upcoming season (barring trades). How fast could the Celtics turn things around if they could draft four times in the lottery to end up finding: a LeBron James type, a Jimmy Butler type, a Klay Thompson type, and a Steph Curry type in one draft? Anything is possible, but that means that the team has to go all in for 2016. Otherwise this whole rebuild saga might turn more into a nightmare than a fairy tale.



bob
MY NOTE: This is the year the 1st of the Nets' true gems come into play. I don't care who they are playing, we should all be rooting for the opposing team vs the Nets this year.


.

It won't be hard to root against the Nets!

So if I've got this right, we should at worst end up with three first round picks next draft?  With a good shot one will be at least in top five to, say, seven range?

If used that's not bad at all.  If traded, certainly high enough for some leverage.

If some of the glut of guards or power forwards we have now show some real promise, that could allow us to target a center or small forward via draft or trade.

OK.  My two favorite teams are the Celtics and whoever is playing the Nets.

Here is the Nets regular season schedule.  Anybody wanna take a cut or two at how many wins they might get?


http://espn.go.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/BKN/seasontype/2/brooklyn-nets



2016 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

OCTOBER OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV TICKETS

Wed, Oct 28
vs
Chicago
7:30 PM

Fri, Oct 30
@ San Antonio
8:30 PM

Sat, Oct 31
@ Memphis
8:00 PM


NOVEMBER OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV TICKETS

Mon, Nov 2
vs Milwaukee
7:30 PM

Wed, Nov 4
@ Atlanta
8:00 PM

Fri, Nov 6
vs Los Angeles
7:30 PM

Sat, Nov 7
@ Milwaukee
8:30 PM

Wed, Nov 11
@ Houston
8:00 PM

Fri, Nov 13
@ Sacramento
10:00 PM NBATV

Sat, Nov 14
@ Golden State
10:30 PM

Tue, Nov 17
vs Atlanta
7:30 PM

Wed, Nov 18
@ Charlotte
7:00 PM

Fri, Nov 20
@ Boston
7:30 PM

Sun, Nov 22
vs Boston
6:00 PM

Wed, Nov 25
@ Oklahoma City
8:00 PM

Sat, Nov 28
@ Cleveland
7:30 PM

Sun, Nov 29
vs Detroit
6:00 PM

DECEMBER OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV TICKETS

Tue, Dec 1
vs Phoenix
7:30 PM

Fri, Dec 4
@ NY Knicks
7:00 PM ESPN

Sun, Dec 6
vs Golden State
6:00 PM

Tue, Dec 8
vs Houston
7:30 PM

Thu, Dec 10
vs Philadelphia
7:30 PM

Sat, Dec 12
vs Los Angeles
5:00 PM

Mon, Dec 14
vs Orlando
7:30 PM

Wed, Dec 16
vs Miami
7:30 PM

Fri, Dec 18
@ Indiana
7:00 PM

Sun, Dec 20
vs Minnesota
1:00 PM

Mon, Dec 21
@ Chicago
8:00 PM

Wed, Dec 23
vs Dallas
7:30 PM

Sat, Dec 26
vs Washington
4:00 PM

Mon, Dec 28
@ Miami
7:30 PM

Wed, Dec 30
@ Orlando
7:00 PM

JANUARY OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV TICKETS

Sat, Jan 2
@ Boston
3:00 PM

Mon, Jan 4
vs Boston
7:30 PM

Wed, Jan 6
vs Toronto
7:30 PM

Fri, Jan 8
vs Orlando
7:30 PM

Sat, Jan 9
@ Detroit
7:30 PM

Mon, Jan 11
vs San Antonio
7:30 PM

Wed, Jan 13
vs NY Knicks
7:30 PM

Fri, Jan 15
vs Portland
7:30 PM

Sat, Jan 16
@ Atlanta
7:30 PM

Mon, Jan 18
@ Toronto
7:30 PM

Wed, Jan 20
vs Cleveland
7:30 PM

Fri, Jan 22
vs Utah
7:30 PM

Sun, Jan 24
vs Oklahoma City
3:30 PM

Tue, Jan 26
vs Miami
7:30 PM

Fri, Jan 29
@ Dallas
8:30 PM

Sat, Jan 30
@ New Orleans
7:00 PM

FEBRUARY OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV TICKETS

Mon, Feb 1
vs Detroit
7:30 PM NBATV

Wed, Feb 3
vs Indiana
7:30 PM

Fri, Feb 5
vs Sacramento
7:30 PM

Sat, Feb 6
@ Philadelphia
7:30 PM

Mon, Feb 8
vs Denver
7:30 PM

Wed, Feb 10
vs Memphis
7:30 PM

Fri, Feb 19
vs NY Knicks
7:30 PM

Sun, Feb 21
vs Charlotte
6:00 PM

Tue, Feb 23
@ Portland
10:00 PM NBATV

Thu, Feb 25
@ Phoenix
9:00 PM

Sat, Feb 27
@ Utah
9:30 PM

Mon, Feb 29
@ Los Angeles
10:30 PM

MARCH OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV TICKETS

Tue, Mar 1
@ Los Angeles
10:30 PM

Fri, Mar 4
@ Denver
9:00 PM

Sat, Mar 5
@ Minnesota
8:00 PM

Tue, Mar 8
@ Toronto
7:30 PM

Fri, Mar 11
@ Philadelphia
7:00 PM

Sun, Mar 13
vs Milwaukee
8:00 PM

Tue, Mar 15
vs Philadelphia
7:30 PM

Thu, Mar 17
@ Chicago
8:00 PM

Sat, Mar 19
@ Detroit
7:00 PM

Tue, Mar 22
vs Charlotte
7:30 PM

Thu, Mar 24
vs Cleveland
7:30 PM

Sat, Mar 26
vs Indiana
6:00 PM

Mon, Mar 28
@ Miami
7:30 PM

Tue, Mar 29
@ Orlando
7:00 PM

Thu, Mar 31
@ Cleveland
7:00 PM

APRIL OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV TICKETS

Fri, Apr 1
@ NY Knicks
7:30 PM

Sun, Apr 3
vs New Orleans
1:00 PM

Wed, Apr 6
@ Washington
7:00 PM

Fri, Apr 8
@ Charlotte
7:00 PM

Sun, Apr 10
@ Indiana
6:00 PM

Mon, Apr 11
vs Washington
7:30 PM

Wed, Apr 13
vs Toronto
8:00 PM



bob



.

I agree with everything here. When the C's play the Nets, I hope to see playoff intensity from the Green for surely this is our best bet to improve while not screwing up the draft. Hawk