RGM Pre-Draft Summit

[APerna]

Hey posters,

First of all, congratulations on winning the NBA Title, as a Pacers' fan I'm rather jealous.

I put together a ton of these on the NFL forums heading into the draft and they were wildly successful. I hope for the same here, and I know the population of these boards will lend itself to many responses.

Editor Chris Reina and I have put together these seven questions for you all to answer, with the best answers making it into posted pieces on our main page. The only thing that I ask is that you please limit your responses to two sentences per question. Please try your best to heed that request, it makes the Summits easier to read and quicker to put together.

Thanks gang, and best of luck in the Draft.

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?
2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
7. Who would you like your team to select?

[sully00]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?
To stay healthy, retain Posey, find an effective back up PG and C.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
The effort and focus on the defensive end, sharing the ball on the offensive end, and the overall level of intensity they played with game in and game out.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Rajon Rondo, I was a huge fan of his coming into the season but I was really surprised at how he elevated his game to the level of his all star teamates. By the end of the finals he was a true asset to the team as opposed to a possible weak link.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Sam Cassell, I didn't expect as much as some did when he came here but the tires are bald not just his head.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Supremely.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
With the age on the roster they could use help at almost anywhere except undersized PF, which is of course were the talent will be at the end of the first round. Because of the inability to find even a decent back up Center in free agency that has to be a focus.

7. Who would you like your team to select?
Devon Hardin, Courtney Lee, or Bill Walker.

[TheSheriff]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?
Keep Posey, have Rondo and Perk continue to improve, and not have a substantial dropoff from the big three

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Defense, chemistry, and leadership

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Rajon Rondo

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Almost everyone was great, so Sam Cassell

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Very confident, for obvious reasons.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Backup center (i would prefer a veteran point because Pruitt is basically a rookie PG)

7. Who would you like your team to select?
DeVon Hardin or Roy Hibbert

[SonicYouth34]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?
If Posey leaves, a replacement for him and a younger big man with length (like PJ brought).

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
D-FENCE!

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Posey, he was better than I ever though he could be and was one of the main reasons we won the title.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Everyone was good IMO./b]

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
[b]Extremely, in Danny I trust.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
A big man and a back up swingman

7. Who would you like your team to select?
Bill Walker would be great if he fell, but a big man like Hardin would be good as well.

[DelMonte West]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?
Maintain (or more likely bolster) their bench support while continuing to manage minutes efficiently for Ray, Pierce, and Garnett.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Focus, unselfishness, defense, and perhaps the best team unity I've ever seen.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
I don't want to say Rondo since I thought he was showing signs of potential as early as last preseason...probably either Powe or Big Baby.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Cassell, but given his age I wasn't too surprised.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Very!

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
There's actually quite a few, despite our success. I'd personally like to see some height and athleticism brought aboard, but which team wouldn't? It really depends on how things are looking with regards to Posey, TA's potential body of work next year, and the further development of Gabe Pruitt (especially if the team is looking at him as a PG first/SG second or vice-versa). I doubt Eddie House and Cassell return, so I wouldn't rule out the likes of Mario Chalmers making it to our team somehow depending on how those views are held by the organization...

7. Who would you like your team to select?
I'll be honest; I haven't really followed this crop of players at all this year, since the focus on the draft has decreased so much since last offseason (for obvious reasons). I liked Brandon Rush all along but never thought there was any way he'd be available after #15 (still don't). I'd love to pick up Robin Lopez, but he'll likely be gone by #19. I'd be happier selecting either a reasonably athletic big or a slashing wing with our pick than a jump-shooter, undersized PF, PG, or combo guard, but it all goes back to this team's roster decisions moving forward. Still, I trust DA's eye for prospects and look forward to seeing how things play out into the wee hours next week.

[KyleCleric]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?
The Celtics need to re-sign Posey, re-sign House or another point guard possibly via the draft, and add some length and strength inside which could be a returning PJ Brown or Scot Pollard or some free agent or draft pick.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
The biggest strength was obviously defense. The team personalities just meshed perfectly this season and of course the team was deep talented throughout.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Rajon Rondo was absolutely terrific this season and in the playoffs. He improved so much over last season that I can’t wait to see how he has improved again for the fall.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Tony Allen was slightly disappointing I guess. He has all the talent in the world, but just does not have the confidence to use it.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Danny Ainge is absolutely terrific. He will do what this team needs him to do to put the Celtics back on their way for another NBA championship.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
The Celtics do not have any real needs in the draft as they likely will not rely on this rookie. I do expect them to add a project type player or strong college performer that can perhaps add depth, but more likely help the team into the future.

7. Who would you like your team to select?
If Roy Hibbert or Robin Lopez drops, I’d be ecstatic. I doubt they’ll fall that much so probably Davon Jefferson, Bill Walker, or Chris Douglas-Roberts.

[Datruth345]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?
Return with the same focus & desire to win as they showed this season. From the very first preseason game they were the hungriest team in the league, they didn't let up for 116 games


2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Defense, Unity, & Head Coach


3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Alot of people will say Rajon Rondo, so i will go in another direction, Leon Powe had a great season. He was buried on the end of the bench for most of the begging of the season, but stepped into the rotation when KG went down and flat out produced. This season in games which Powe got 25 or more minutes he put up a guady stat line of 17 points 8.7 boards on 58% shooting averaging 7.5 trips to the free throw line.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Sam Cassell

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Extremely, i have no doubt in my mind about this front office and it's abilities

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
The 2 biggest needs are a backup 1 and height in the frontcourt. In addition Tony Allen's deal is expiring and James Posey could seek the big payday elsewhere, so a lock down perimeter defender would be desperately needed if one or both do not return.

7. Who would you like your team to select?
Alexis Ajinca, Bill Walker, DeVon Hardin

[billfromBoston]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?

-->>Health is a given. The key is retaining the coaching staff and adding an infusion of a couple of key personnel at positions of need. Center/Wing/Point need to be addressed, but with title-hungry players who will push the incumbents.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

-->>Star power, pure and simple. A lot was made of the depth vs. top-end talent argument during pre-season. While defense was a huge factor in the teams success, it was the overwhelming talent of the super star trio of GPA that allowed the team to learn on the job and still bring home a title.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

-->>Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins: Perk was expected and capable of defending and rebounding, Rondo capable of ball-handling, penetration, and defense. What was unexpected was their ability to dominate at times during the post-season. They were impact players at times.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

-->>Tony Allen. Allen's two-way ability and propensity for explosive scoring bursts would have made him a key 6th man type of the bench. The bench didn't get consistent scoring from a single player until Leon Powe's emergence late-Allen dropped the ball.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

-->>Highly confident: Title success should give the Celtics their choice of available veteran free agents and the 30th pick, (in Ainge's hands) should yield a quality asset. Many are focused on the now, Celtics management has continually shown an eye for planning for the future.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

-->>Best talent available. Since 2000, player's drafted in the late first round statistically have a 14% chance of starting in their first year. The team will be drafting for a future contributor in all likelihood.

7. Who would you like your team to select?[/quote]

-->>Wing talent historically has the highest ceiling that deep in the draft. The team coincidentally needs a high-end talent to groom behind Pierce/Allen. Foster, Hairston, Giddens, Walker all have quality upside.

[LongTimeFan]

7. I think we really need to draft a big. If that means moving Powe or Baby, so be it. Tony will be fine next year. This is a contract year and he's ours.

I'm hoping for the lessor Lopez. We need six more fouls for Bynum & Howard.

[Dirty Water]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?

Keep Posey. I'd almost be willing to do whatever it takes. House would be nice too.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?

Team Defense. Even notoriously weak defenders like Ray Allen bought into the system.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?

Aside from some bonehead plays and obvious weaknesses... Rajon Rondo.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?

Sam Cassell, although it wasn't that surprising. However, I expected him to have at least something left in the tank. Anything.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?

On a scale of 1 to 10... 9.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?

The biggest team need is a backup C or a backup G. Not sure if the Celtics need it from this draft. I'd go with the consensus best player available if I had to make the pick.

7. Who would you like your team to select?

Trade the pick.

[U2larkin04]

1. What do the Celtics need to do in order to repeat next year?
I think they need to keep a strong bench, try to re-sign Posey. Just keep that bench together or improve it.

2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Defence without a doubt.

3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
I think everyone else answered this question pretty dang good already, so I'm just going to be different and say P.J. Brown. He didn't really play in the regular season too much (and wasn't signed until near the end), but once the playoffs came around he was gold for us.

4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
I want to say Tony Allen, but given the injury, I wasn't expecting too much out of him, so it wasn't really a suprise. I guess I will have to say Sam Cassell. Despite his age, a lot more was definitely expected out of him and it seems all we got were a couple good games (when he was shooting well, he played great), but it seems all he did was shoot.

5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
I'm pretty confident with the front office. I think they'll do what they need to do and re-sign James Posey and find some good replacements (assuming they leave) for PJ Brown and Sam Cassell. I definitely think I can trust Ainge more than ever this year with drafting, because he is drafting in the area where he always finds steals.

6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
I'd say our biggest needs are either a good backup Center or Guard. I definitely like DaVon Hardin if he's available for us at 30. I also love Bill Walker and think if he's there, we should take him. He's not exactly a need, but I see a lot of potential in him and think Danny should definitely pull the trigger if he's available.

7. Who would you like your team to select?
I should've probably read this question before answering the previous one. But like I said, I think Hardin and Walker are great, so I'd love Danny to get one of the 2, but I trust him.

[APerna]

Thanks gang, I'll use those nice responses.

Congratulations again on the title...