Celts Have Guarantee to Reggie Jackson?

[GregB]

I don't understand the logic in reaching for a Big when you're picking 25th in the draft. BPA has always been my favored strategy as better players = better trade chips. Get as many good players as you can and then sort it out later. Ainge has always said people make mistakes in the draft when they reach for size. I can definitely see him being high on a guy like Reggie Jackson.

Exactly, and I believe this is how Danny works. Danny will have a draft board, and when 25 comes up, whoever is left standing at the top of his, he will pick. You get the best player you can, and figure things out from there.

The problem is regardless of who Danny drafts, unless their is a significant amount of injuries, Doc won't play them. Danny and Doc actually think we can make a run. Miami gets another year to gel, possibly a MLE( I find it hard to believe they will go to hard cap ) We get another year older and with the same cap restrictions moving forward as Miami. We will be competitive, but don't see how we will be a better team than last year. Doc and Danny are just pandering to sell tickets. This team is not a true title contender and we have no real pieces to make a move.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

I don't understand the logic in reaching for a Big when you're picking 25th in the draft. BPA has always been my favored strategy as better players = better trade chips. Get as many good players as you can and then sort it out later. Ainge has always said people make mistakes in the draft when they reach for size. I can definitely see him being high on a guy like Reggie Jackson.

Exactly, and I believe this is how Danny works. Danny will have a draft board, and when 25 comes up, whoever is left standing at the top of his, he will pick. You get the best player you can, and figure things out from there.

IMO, BPA is a good strategy when you're a lottery team and don't have that much depth. Here's my problem with this strategy concerning the Celtics - we're still trying to contend for the title, so it's probably not likely that Doc gives our young players much playing time (e.g. Avery Bradley, Giddens, Walker) unless it's due to injuries (Harangody and Semih when Shaq/Perk/JO were injured). If we take Reggie Jackson (or any other PG/SG), he'd have to beat out Rondo, Delonte, Ray, Bradley, and Wafer to get any PT. Highly unlikely he's able to beat out all of those guys. I'm guessing he wouldn't even be able to make the top 12 and suit up for most games. So if we take a combo guard with that 25th pick, he will rot on the bench and have very low trade value (no PT = no showcase for other teams). Also, having a glut of combo guards essentially opens the door for other teams to give us lowball offers since they know we'll be trying to clear out the logjams.

BPA works well for lottery teams who can afford to give all of their players a little bit of burn. Not so much for teams trying to contend. At the very least, you take a player that can play a little bit - showcase them enough to raise their trade value, then pawn them off for a veteran.

[Banks2Pierce]

Doc and Danny are just pandering to sell tickets. This team is not a true title contender and we have no real pieces to make a move.

Not buying this. We were a true title contender this year. Overtime in game 4 with less than half of the real Rondo shows that.

[King Of The 4th]

Doc and Danny are just pandering to sell tickets. This team is not a true title contender and we have no real pieces to make a move.

Not buying this. We were a true title contender this year. Overtime in game 4 with less than half of the real Rondo shows that.

If there's anything we've learned from the last 3 years is that we can never count on our Big 3 or Rondo to be 100% healthy by the time the playoffs roll around. Unless Danny uses some of the cap space we're trying to free up for next year on some solid bench players, we'll more or less have the same result this year as we had last year.

Oh and I do agree that this isn't a ticket selling stunt. If anything, next year is just an extended preseason for Danny to evaluate who he keeps in a giant rebuilding year in 2012.

[nasbahceltic]

I don't understand the logic in reaching for a Big when you're picking 25th in the draft. BPA has always been my favored strategy as better players = better trade chips. Get as many good players as you can and then sort it out later. Ainge has always said people make mistakes in the draft when they reach for size. I can definitely see him being high on a guy like Reggie Jackson.

Exactly, and I believe this is how Danny works. Danny will have a draft board, and when 25 comes up, whoever is left standing at the top of his, he will pick. You get the best player you can, and figure things out from there.

IMO, BPA is a good strategy when you're a lottery team and don't have that much depth. Here's my problem with this strategy concerning the Celtics - we're still trying to contend for the title, so it's probably not likely that Doc gives our young players much playing time (e.g. Avery Bradley, Giddens, Walker) unless it's due to injuries (Harangody and Semih when Shaq/Perk/JO were injured). If we take Reggie Jackson (or any other PG/SG), he'd have to beat out Rondo, Delonte, Ray, Bradley, and Wafer to get any PT. Highly unlikely he's able to beat out all of those guys. I'm guessing he wouldn't even be able to make the top 12 and suit up for most games. So if we take a combo guard with that 25th pick, he will rot on the bench and have very low trade value (no PT = no showcase for other teams). Also, having a glut of combo guards essentially opens the door for other teams to give us lowball offers since they know we'll be trying to clear out the logjams.

BPA works well for lottery teams who can afford to give all of their players a little bit of burn. Not so much for teams trying to contend. At the very least, you take a player that can play a little bit - showcase them enough to raise their trade value, then pawn them off for a veteran.

But then who's to say that those guys are even gonna stand in his way? If the NBA eliminates the MLE then sign and trades are gonna be the next route team's resort to adding new players. I think Wyc even indicated that we could see alot of action with regards to sign and trades this offseason. Additionally, in season trades and injuries could also affect this dynamic. Dealing from a position of strength makes an in season trade alot easier to handle in order to supplement a team's weakness.

I'm not advocating for Jackson at all. If there is a Big with the same draft grade/talent then I'm all for adding the big. I just think the strategy of going with BPA is much more sound as it gives you the most options going forward.

[GregB]

Doc and Danny are just pandering to sell tickets. This team is not a true title contender and we have no real pieces to make a move.

Not buying this. We were a true title contender this year. Overtime in game 4 with less than half of the real Rondo shows that.

We will see. . Avery Bradley or someone out of the blue would need to have a huge year. Jermaine needs to stay healthy. The odds JO stays healthy is not great. Do we resign Baby ? Lots of question marks.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

But then who's to say that those guys are even gonna stand in his way? If the NBA eliminates the MLE then sign and trades are gonna be the next route team's resort to adding new players. I think Wyc even indicated that we could see alot of action with regards to sign and trades this offseason. Additionally, in season trades and injuries could also affect this dynamic. Dealing from a position of strength makes an in season trade alot easier to handle in order to supplement a team's weakness.

I'm not advocating for Jackson at all. If there is a Big with the same draft grade/talent then I'm all for adding the big. I just think the strategy of going with BPA is much more sound as it gives you the most options going forward.

Yup. I hear what you're saying. I'm not against Reggie Jackson at all either, PROVIDING he'd be able to beat out our current PG/SGs on the roster, or if Ainge already has plans made to trade/release Delonte or Bradley. If not, then it would be a bad idea to take him. Logjams are fine and dandy with PFs and Cs, since size is such a commodity in the NBA. Tweener guards are a dime a dozen.

Even if we take a big who Doc can find 5mpg for every night, then we take him over a more talented guard who would just be a DNP or D-League player for the whole season. Again, we have no time to showcase young players, unlike lottery teams who already enter games with the impression that they will lose.

[threrf23]

Doc and Danny are just pandering to sell tickets. This team is not a true title contender and we have no real pieces to make a move.

Not buying this. We were a true title contender this year. Overtime in game 4 with less than half of the real Rondo shows that.

If there's anything we've learned from the last 3 years is that we can never count on our Big 3 or Rondo to be 100% healthy by the time the playoffs roll around. Unless Danny uses some of the cap space we're trying to free up for next year on some solid bench players, we'll more or less have the same result this year as we had last year.

I generally agree with Rondo To KG. Even with a young/healthy roster it is tough to count on everyone being 100% healthy in the playoffs.

The other thing is, our competition will also be improving over the offseason, is most likelihood.

The cap space saved up for next year - that wasn't a mistake IMO even if we don't keep it. For one, it ensures we are in a great position in the event the entire next season is cancelled due to the lockout. Not likely, but there's a chance.

And regardless it does mean that if there is a new $45 mil hard cap taking effect down the road, and I doubt that happens, we could add $15 mil in salary this offseason and still be slightly under that cap in '12-13. With amnesty or other exceptions, we would be in a much better position than most teams and could still possibly find a way to maneuver enough caproom to sign a max guy.

Or if the guys we want on multi-year deals this offseason fall through, we still have the option of maintaining all of our to-be capspace by signing one year deals...

[Banks2Pierce]

The last 2 seasons have seen the younger guys getting hurt on us in freak incidents. The Big 3 has actually held up through the playoffs in 3/4 years. That's just bad luck.

[Celts17Pride]

DraftExpress

I can tell you 100% that its false. Wish I could say more. Soon hopefully. RT @JDPappa3: You buying that Boston promised Reggie Jackson? 3 minutes ago via Seesmic Desktop

This sounds like Jason Givony (DraftExpress) knows something specific that is going down. Interesting.

[gocelts]

Eh...I dont buy it...If we go point guard I'd much rather have Mack.

[Celts17Pride]

Wouldn't surprise me to see Ainge take Reggie Jackson. After all didn't the Mavs just beat Miami by running a two point guard offense (Kidd, Barea).

[nasbahceltic]

Just an FYI, Chad Ford has us taking Jeremy Tyler in his latest mock.

From Insider:

Analysis: The Celtics are going to start rebuilding soon and they need to hit a home run again the same way they did with Rajon Rondo. Tyler could be that guy. If he had played in college, he might have had a chance to be a top-10 pick with his talent.

He's long, athletic and raw, but if he succeeds, he could be a major pickup for the Celtics. JaJuan Johnson, Justin Harper and Jon Leuer are also possibilities.

[Marvel]

I'm all for Harper and Tyler at 25, if Reggie's gone.

[joneb]

I just don't understand the benefit of offering a guarantee. Why would you compromise your ability to be flexible if a highly rated prospect falls to you? It makes no sense to me. I'd much rather go with a guy like Jeremy Tyler that plays a position we desperately need to fill, if he's still on the board. If a player agrees not to work out for other teams in exchange for a guarantee, it isn't much of a factor unless the player is relatively unknown. A player that was in a major conference like Reggie Jackson is hardly an unknown to the basketball world.

I like Avery Bradley and Delonte West, and would like to see both of them in green next season behind Rondo and Ray. I'd also like to see Wafer come back. Where does Jackson fit in? The only way this makes sense is if some other GM has a hankering for Avery, and Ainge has a deal lined up. Otherwise it's very disappointing news to me. We need help in the frontcourt, and we need length and athleticism. If guys like Tyler, Jajuan Johnson or Vucevic are available, we should grab them.

[jmr07019]

I don't think West is a guarantee to be on the C's next year. He's only play over 65 games twice in his career and Ray is the oldest of the big 3. If we do take Jackson I think West is gone.

Don't get me wrong I like Delonte and he's a good option to fill a hole w/o using resources. But he can be improved upon.

[Marvel]

Yeah, i get a feeling West won't be wearing green next year. Unless he totally settles for the veteran min, which i don't see happening as he's more likely leaning towards a longer deal.

[theman]

Priority should be a legit 6'5"-6'6" SG or a PF/C prospect. Dannys drafting has been bad recently. I realize we have been good so we havent had great picks. But we havent had a draft pick contribute anything since Glen Davis and I hate Glen Davis.

This.

I don't know if we really need another athletic combo guard who can't shoot but Danny seems to see something special in him. If Danny thinks he's the best talent we can get with our pick, then I'm inclined to believe him.

Not this.

Danny has really seemed to ignore the draft lately. He seems to think since he landed KG and Allen he can just coast by signing free agent vets to min contracts. But the hand writing is on the wall and the Celtics will ave to rebuild next year. A good draft this year will make that process a lot less painful.

[eloper]

Priority should be a legit 6'5"-6'6" SG or a PF/C prospect. Dannys drafting has been bad recently. I realize we have been good so we havent had great picks. But we havent had a draft pick contribute anything since Glen Davis and I hate Glen Davis.

This.

I don't know if we really need another athletic combo guard who can't shoot but Danny seems to see something special in him. If Danny thinks he's the best talent we can get with our pick, then I'm inclined to believe him.

Not this.

Danny has really seemed to ignore the draft lately. He seems to think since he landed KG and Allen he can just coast by signing free agent vets to min contracts. But the hand writing is on the wall and the Celtics will ave to rebuild next year. A good draft this year will make that process a lot less
painful.

Avery Bradley for all we know could have excelled in a different situation. We still don't really know what he is, though so far he doesn't look like a great pick. Regardless, it's hard to develop a guy with potential when he's stuck on the bench. It's not like anyone drafted after him has shown much of anything yet other than Landry Fields (who'd of been a HUGE reach at that pick).

Harangody has/had as good of a shot as anyone drafted after him to be an NBA contributor.

Erden was a solid pick, getting a serviceable 7 footer in the late 2nd round is actually a pretty nice find.

Bill Walker was a quality draft pick, unfortunately Doc didn't understand that he could shoot 3s and totally wasted him.

Giddens was awful, there were a few solid players picked after him (especially Jordan), who would have fit in nicely here.

Pruitt was pretty bad too, Gasol would have been awesome at that pick, but again, very few thought Gasol was ever going to be more than an NBA backup (and for good reason, his game was very rigid....he's made some HUGE strides since then).


To me the only picks you can really fault him for were Pruitt and Giddens, every other pick we've had has been average to good. He hasn't hit a home run since Rondo, but pretty hard to do that in the late 1st round, on a playoff team that doesn't have minutes for their incoming rookies.

[theman]

I don't think West is a guarantee to be on the C's next year. He's only play over 65 games twice in his career and Ray is the oldest of the big 3. If we do take Jackson I think West is gone.

Don't get me wrong I like Delonte and he's a good option to fill a hole w/o using resources. But he can be improved upon.

If the idea is to find a Ray and not a Rondo replacement why not Malcolm Lee? He has the size for the position. Or even Travis Leslie?

I see no reason for Danny to make a promise to Jackson unless it is to bait other teams into taking him and leaving someone else to the Celtics.

More likely, this rumor is coming from Jackson's camp in a hope to drive up his own stock.