Official Draft Thread 2015-16

[Edug27]

I dont think any of those names are coming here. The Love train is leaving the station...Danny isn't paying a premium for Love. Wanted love if he could get him at a discount via 3-team deal leading up to the deadline. Had conversations that didn't get too far. Love just isn't the final piece that Ainge thought he might be...There are bigger fish to fry now. Only way Love comes to Boston is if Ainge finds the right deal....right deal would be no Smart, No BK pick. No Crowder. No Thomas. So that trade has become unlikely...the deadline was sorta Danny's last effort...once he realized the price was the BK pick and others, he said forget it.

Ainge wants Durant via Free Agency. That's his new "KG". I would look for a pretty significant trade on or around draft day involving the BK pick and others. I'm not exactly sure who that "Ray Allen" would be, but Ainge has time to let the market settle and figure it out. Potential guys to look out for based on simple calculations are Blake, Boogie, Butler. Maybe Okafor is involved, but as a 3-team swap sending Okafor elsewhere with the pick and package going to Philly and the BIg name going to Boston.

If we land the #1 or #2 pick....All bets are off. Ainge could quickly fall in love with Simmons or Ingram to the point where he thinks it's worth being a little more patient. Also, the long-shot possibility that would at least be within sight if we land a top 2 pick is Anthony Davis... Danny could offer a "Hershal Walker" type package where he basically sends all the picks to the Pelies. Still a long shot.

I hate hearing about the "Ray Allen move" to set up Danny acquiring the KG type player. There are different ways to rebuild. And unfortunately, it will have to be through the draft. AD and Blake aren't being traded here. The first disgruntled star, or aging star whos team is ready to rebuild, Danny will be all over. Blake and AD really do not fit those scenarios.

I think there's probably more legs to Danny acquiring a superstar then you think. Many of us optimistic, knowledgeable fans were HOPING that they would be able to pull off a blockbuster by now, but the reality of the situation is that Danny hasn't found the right deal yet. you can't rush it...this offseason leading up to the draft is the moment where Danny will have an insane amount of ammunition. more then ever before. Even more then when he had Big Al, Gerald Green and the #5 pick. Every rebuild is different, including this one.....but the rebuild is very likely going to include a major trade and spending in free agency.

Optimistic is an understatement. And sometimes it's blindly optimistic, believing Danny can turn water to wine whenever he's in the mood for a buzz. Teams aren't going to trade us their elite players for a lottery pick unless the situation calls for it. Monitoring a teams situation is key here, rather than just throwing names at the wall. Which is why I mentioned the team has to be set on a total rebuild, or the star player is on the outs with the organization and a move needs to be made. Love was rumored to be moved for awhile and most always said nothing will happen until he's entering the last year of his deal and Minny would be all in on going a new direction. Which is what happened. AD hasn't even gotten his first big pay day yet and New Orleans will move on from him? Doc of all people is going to trade Blake here for a draft pick? The guy who didn't want to rebuild here in Boston.

The best player we have a shot to trade for right now is Boogie. He fits both scenarios I mentioned. Kings could be looking to rebuild, and he can easily create drama in that organization if he hasn't done enough already.

I still think the best move here is to draft the best player available and develop him, Much like NY and LA are doing now.

[ddb]

I hate hearing about the "Ray Allen move" to set up Danny acquiring the KG type player. There are different ways to rebuild. And unfortunately, it will have to be through the draft. AD and Blake aren't being traded here. The first disgruntled star, or aging star whos team is ready to rebuild, Danny will be all over. Blake and AD really do not fit those scenarios.

I think there's probably more legs to Danny acquiring a superstar then you think. Many of us optimistic, knowledgeable fans were HOPING that they would be able to pull off a blockbuster by now, but the reality of the situation is that Danny hasn't found the right deal yet. you can't rush it...this offseason leading up to the draft is the moment where Danny will have an insane amount of ammunition. more then ever before. Even more then when he had Big Al, Gerald Green and the #5 pick. Every rebuild is different, including this one.....but the rebuild is very likely going to include a major trade and spending in free agency.

Optimistic is an understatement. And sometimes it's blindly optimistic, believing Danny can turn water to wine whenever he's in the mood for a buzz. Teams aren't going to trade us their elite players for a lottery pick unless the situation calls for it. Monitoring a teams situation is key here, rather than just throwing names at the wall. Which is why I mentioned the team has to be set on a total rebuild, or the star player is on the outs with the organization and a move needs to be made. Love was rumored to be moved for awhile and most always said nothing will happen until he's entering the last year of his deal and Minny would be all in on going a new direction. Which is what happened. AD hasn't even gotten his first big pay day yet and New Orleans will move on from him? Doc of all people is going to trade Blake here for a draft pick? The guy who didn't want to rebuild here in Boston.

The best player we have a shot to trade for right now is Boogie. He fits both scenarios I mentioned. Kings could be looking to rebuild, and he can easily create drama in that organization if he hasn't done enough already.

I still think the best move here is to draft the best player available and develop him, Much like NY and LA are doing now.

any deal involving Blake would be far more creative then you think.

[Gomes3PC]

Why don't people question Simmons' wingspan and potential post scoring ability in the NBA? He's 6' 10" with a 6'10" to 7 ft wingspan depending on where the measurement has been done. Randle was extensively killed by the fans for his short arms, yet nobody uttered a word about Simmons. His standing reach is probably similar to Randle's (JR: NBA combine and Nike Hoop same number 8' 9.5") because I flat out don't believe 9' 0.5" from LSU combine when his Nike Hoop Summit reach was 8' 7".

Popular comp for him, Lamar Odom, has a 7' 4" wingspan and there isn't any wingspan data for Magic.

Positive examples with 7ft wingspan are Blake Griffin and LeBron James who have standing reaches of 8' 9" and 8' 10" respectively. But both of them are top 1% athletes in the NBA. So a lot of Simmons's fate could ultimately be determined how athletic he is.

Draymond Green has a bit larger wingspan but you can also add him to positive examples with the annotation that he impacts the game as a star in a not-star role. Simmons would do well in that role, except for the defense, of course, but I doubt he would be humble enough to accept it.

I'm far more worried about Simmons' wingspan for defense than scoring in the post.

[165bows]

Scenario:

Lakers pick 1, take Simmons.
Sixers pick 2, take Ingram.
We try desperately to trade the third pick (Dunn) or the fourth (Bender) for Okafor or Noel or Love or Cousins..

I dont think any of those names are coming here. The Love train is leaving the station...Danny isn't paying a premium for Love. Wanted love if he could get him at a discount via 3-team deal leading up to the deadline. Had conversations that didn't get too far. Love just isn't the final piece that Ainge thought he might be...There are bigger fish to fry now. Only way Love comes to Boston is if Ainge finds the right deal....right deal would be no Smart, No BK pick. No Crowder. No Thomas. So that trade has become unlikely...the deadline was sorta Danny's last effort...once he realized the price was the BK pick and others, he said forget it.

Ainge wants Durant via Free Agency. That's his new "KG". I would look for a pretty significant trade on or around draft day involving the BK pick and others. I'm not exactly sure who that "Ray Allen" would be, but Ainge has time to let the market settle and figure it out. Potential guys to look out for based on simple calculations are Blake, Boogie, Butler. Maybe Okafor is involved, but as a 3-team swap sending Okafor elsewhere with the pick and package going to Philly and the BIg name going to Boston.

If we land the #1 or #2 pick....All bets are off. Ainge could quickly fall in love with Simmons or Ingram to the point where he thinks it's worth being a little more patient. Also, the long-shot possibility that would at least be within sight if we land a top 2 pick is Anthony Davis... Danny could offer a "Hershal Walker" type package where he basically sends all the picks to the Pelies. Still a long shot.

Obviously it is a long, long shot but the LSU-Simmons connection is there with NO. Also it doesn't seem totally coincidental that the Woj article out this morning about Davis completed this way:

Davis is 22 years old, and this was going to be the season the Pelicans made a leap out of the eighth seed into the middle of the Western Conference. New Orleans is 22-33, and 5½ games out of the eighth seed. Injuries have decimated the Pelicans, crushing a roster that already had its share of flaws. When general manager Dell Demps was unable to complete a trade deadline deal to unload Ryan Anderson, the Pelicans became a risk to lose a valued asset for nothing this summer.

Those are issues for a different day, but make no mistake. Davis reminded everyone again, including himself: There's no one like him in the NBA. Those long arms and legs, all that explosiveness and skill, and his game borders on the supernatural. All alone on Sunday – 59 points and 20 rebounds in the Pelicans' victory over the Pistons. Only, these nights are fleeting. He needs help. He's rightfully looked long and hard at himself, but the Pelicans need to surround Anthony Davis with the proper talent, the proper people. Franchise stars can't do it alone – and they sure can't do it with New Orleans' roster.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/what-the-nba-learned-from-anthony-davis--59-point-performance-073633983.html?soc_src=mail&soc_trk=ma

[BfB]

I hate hearing about the "Ray Allen move" to set up Danny acquiring the KG type player. There are different ways to rebuild. And unfortunately, it will have to be through the draft. AD and Blake aren't being traded here. The first disgruntled star, or aging star whos team is ready to rebuild, Danny will be all over. Blake and AD really do not fit those scenarios.

I think there's probably more legs to Danny acquiring a superstar then you think. Many of us optimistic, knowledgeable fans were HOPING that they would be able to pull off a blockbuster by now, but the reality of the situation is that Danny hasn't found the right deal yet. you can't rush it...this offseason leading up to the draft is the moment where Danny will have an insane amount of ammunition. more then ever before. Even more then when he had Big Al, Gerald Green and the #5 pick. Every rebuild is different, including this one.....but the rebuild is very likely going to include a major trade and spending in free agency.

Optimistic is an understatement. And sometimes it's blindly optimistic, believing Danny can turn water to wine whenever he's in the mood for a buzz. Teams aren't going to trade us their elite players for a lottery pick unless the situation calls for it. Monitoring a teams situation is key here, rather than just throwing names at the wall. Which is why I mentioned the team has to be set on a total rebuild, or the star player is on the outs with the organization and a move needs to be made. Love was rumored to be moved for awhile and most always said nothing will happen until he's entering the last year of his deal and Minny would be all in on going a new direction. Which is what happened. AD hasn't even gotten his first big pay day yet and New Orleans will move on from him? Doc of all people is going to trade Blake here for a draft pick? The guy who didn't want to rebuild here in Boston.

The best player we have a shot to trade for right now is Boogie. He fits both scenarios I mentioned. Kings could be looking to rebuild, and he can easily create drama in that organization if he hasn't done enough already.

I still think the best move here is to draft the best player available and develop him, Much like NY and LA are doing now.

Your logic would be fine if there were no such thngs as multi-team trades.

And to date, Ainge has had exactly one summer and two trade deadlines with which to start construction of a contender in earnest. You don't get top tier free agents with a 20 wing club, so phase 1 of this operation was having assets mature in value.

Phase 2 is barely one whole season's worth of games in place - build a competitive on-court product that makes the organization atteactive to other players. IT's arrival at last year's deadline started a rapid ascent in the standings which barely had time to germinate before the summer arrived. They came close to making a huge 3 part move that would have yielded a contender, but ultimately fell short and elected to maintain cap space for another cracj at major acquisitions.

This deadline they progressed that initiative - by all indications BOS and Brad Stevens have moved up many top players "persons of interest" list and BOS's prime draft asset has improved in balue due to BKN's current record. Regardless of if the pick is 1st or 6th, it has tremendous value because it is a pick in the upper talent range of the draft - people due, in fact, want to draft players in that range.

The idea that building through the draft is the only option is just not true - and there has been ample evidence to support that notion.

If you only choose to see not getting Kevin Love from MIN or not getting LMA last summer as proof the team must build through the draft then I don't know what to tell you.

This team is probably closer to being a contender through trade and free agency than they are to building through the draft.

Don't be shocked if the house of cards you've built with your certainty comes crashing down in June.

[Murta]

I'm far more worried about Simmons' wingspan for defense than scoring in the post.

Blake Griffin's inability to defend almost anything would support your argument, but I think that Simmons could be a decent NBA defensive player if he gave his best. I would be more concerned with his head when it comes to D. Kinda reminds me of post-2012 Rondo due to his star status.

[Writebloc]

Will it be a failure is Ainge is drafting with picks 3-8?

[Edug27]

I think there's probably more legs to Danny acquiring a superstar then you think. Many of us optimistic, knowledgeable fans were HOPING that they would be able to pull off a blockbuster by now, but the reality of the situation is that Danny hasn't found the right deal yet. you can't rush it...this offseason leading up to the draft is the moment where Danny will have an insane amount of ammunition. more then ever before. Even more then when he had Big Al, Gerald Green and the #5 pick. Every rebuild is different, including this one.....but the rebuild is very likely going to include a major trade and spending in free agency.

Optimistic is an understatement. And sometimes it's blindly optimistic, believing Danny can turn water to wine whenever he's in the mood for a buzz. Teams aren't going to trade us their elite players for a lottery pick unless the situation calls for it. Monitoring a teams situation is key here, rather than just throwing names at the wall. Which is why I mentioned the team has to be set on a total rebuild, or the star player is on the outs with the organization and a move needs to be made. Love was rumored to be moved for awhile and most always said nothing will happen until he's entering the last year of his deal and Minny would be all in on going a new direction. Which is what happened. AD hasn't even gotten his first big pay day yet and New Orleans will move on from him? Doc of all people is going to trade Blake here for a draft pick? The guy who didn't want to rebuild here in Boston.

The best player we have a shot to trade for right now is Boogie. He fits both scenarios I mentioned. Kings could be looking to rebuild, and he can easily create drama in that organization if he hasn't done enough already.

I still think the best move here is to draft the best player available and develop him, Much like NY and LA are doing now.

Your logic would be fine if there were no such thngs as multi-team trades.

And to date, Ainge has had exactly one summer and two trade deadlines with which to start construction of a contender in earnest. You don't get top tier free agents with a 20 wing club, so phase 1 of this operation was having assets mature in value.

Phase 2 is barely one whole season's worth of games in place - build a competitive on-court product that makes the organization atteactive to other players. IT's arrival at last year's deadline started a rapid ascent in the standings which barely had time to germinate before the summer arrived. They came close to making a huge 3 part move that would have yielded a contender, but ultimately fell short and elected to maintain cap space for another cracj at major acquisitions.

This deadline they progressed that initiative - by all indications BOS and Brad Stevens have moved up many top players "persons of interest" list and BOS's prime draft asset has improved in balue due to BKN's current record. Regardless of if the pick is 1st or 6th, it has tremendous value because it is a pick in the upper talent range of the draft - people due, in fact, want to draft players in that range.

The idea that building through the draft is the only option is just not true - and there has been ample evidence to support that notion.

If you only choose to see not getting Kevin Love from MIN or not getting LMA last summer as proof the team must build through the draft then I don't know what to tell you.

This team is probably closer to being a contender through trade and free agency than they are to building through the draft.

Don't be shocked if the house of cards you've built with your certainty comes crashing down in June.

I feel like you've been singing the same song around here for awhile now. But yes, I'm a big believer of building through the draft and think that's ultimately what we end up doing. But of course Danny can get creative with trades. I'm just stating that there has to be a reason why these teams are trading their star players. I don't believe there's a scenario that'll allow us to bring back players like AD and Blake. Gasol? I can see that. Because it makes sense for Memphis to move on. And there isn't any "Ray Allen deals" to be made that'll convince KD to come here. Zero. But no worries. We'll all be here throughout the offseason to watch things unfold just as we were last summer.

[Edug27]

Will it be a failure is Ainge is drafting with picks 3-8?

There's been a lot of elite players selected 3-8 over the years. So no. It'll be failure if that players doesn't pan out, just as it would be if he were drafting 1 or 2.

[jfs1000d]

I am more intrigued in second round. With 5 picks, none who will be on roster, we gotta chance to take some long shots. I would go after every top euro who is draft eligible with a big buyout and promise all of them. We can draft and then maybe trade guys as they develop or keep them overseas for 3 to 4 years and see who pans out.


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[Parliament10]

Will it be a failure is Ainge is drafting with picks 3-8?

There's been a lot of elite players selected 3-8 over the years. So no. It'll be failure if that players doesn't pan out, just as it would be if he were drafting 1 or 2.

I think he means, (of our 8 picks) #3-8.

[Parliament10]

I am more intrigued in second round. With 5 picks, none who will be on roster, we gotta chance to take some long shots. I would go after every top euro who is draft eligible with a big buyout and promise all of them. We can draft and then maybe trade guys as they develop or keep them overseas for 3 to 4 years and see who pans out.


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After the Minny pick (#35 right now) it's useless. Trade them.

[FakeScreenName123]

is this poeltl guy a white guy with slow feet and an out-dated back-to-the-basket play style?


I don't watch much college ball anymore cos I can't handle a league that markets its coaches as the stars with mostly zone defenses and limited p&r action + you know, all the racism.

[Homerclease]

is this poeltl guy a white guy with slow feet and an out-dated back-to-the-basket play style?


I don't watch much college ball anymore cos I can't handle a league that markets its coaches as the stars with mostly zone defenses and limited p&r action + you know, all the racism.

He is white. Poeltl is a legit 7 footer who is a very good shot blocker and has quick feet to switch and flash on the PnR. Gets a lot of his points by outhustling guys. Think Tyler Zeller but better on the defensive side and with less range on O

[FakeScreenName123]

Think Tyler Zeller but better on the defensive side and with less range on O

thank u fer the info. off to youtubes

[truth18]

is this poeltl guy a white guy with slow feet and an out-dated back-to-the-basket play style?


I don't watch much college ball anymore cos I can't handle a league that markets its coaches as the stars with mostly zone defenses and limited p&r action + you know, all the racism.

Don't forget that it's boring as ****.

[Homerclease]

Think Tyler Zeller but better on the defensive side and with less range on O

thank u fer the info. off to youtubes

Would a less athletic Willie Caulie-Stein sound nicer to your ears?

[FakeScreenName123]

off to youtubes

oh god. If we get the 5th pick there's no doubt in my mind this guys going to be a Celtic. Checks every box for being a big-man Celtic

[FakeScreenName123]

I've unilaterally decided that if we get that pick we should get Dunn. Put Crowder @ C.

[DarkAzcura]

is this poeltl guy a white guy with slow feet and an out-dated back-to-the-basket play style?


I don't watch much college ball anymore cos I can't handle a league that markets its coaches as the stars with mostly zone defenses and limited p&r action + you know, all the racism.

He is white. Poeltl is a legit 7 footer who is a very good shot blocker and has quick feet to switch and flash on the PnR. Gets a lot of his points by outhustling guys. Think Tyler Zeller but better on the defensive side and with less range on O

He definitely has more offensive potential, though. I'll give him that. Has better touch around the rim at the same age. Rich man's Zeller is exactly what I think of him, but that's not a bad thing considering Zeller is a 10/6 big when given minutes. I don't think he will get pushed around as much as Zeller does, either.