All things Draft Pick. #3

[pasfru]

Is Lonzo in play?

I seriously doubt it. This feels so much like it has to be Tatum. Why? Because that's the one player they probably could feel reasonably sure was going to be there at 3. You don't do this deal if you're aiming for Ball or Jackson, knowing LA is interested in both.

My guess is the pick is Tatum, with Jackson as the fall-back in the unlikely event LA picks Tatum. Or alternatively they could trade back to 5 and 10 maybe if Tatum is gone.

But if you're interested in both Jackson and Ball, you're still guaranteed one or the other. I don't see the problem.

[pasfru]

Let's slow down hyping up next years draft. Let's see how they all look during the college season first.

Meanwhile, over in Madrid...

[aim2please]

It's so weird not knowing are the C's keeping this pick, or are they working on another trade for a Butler/PG type player. I don't think it's healthy to get attached to another prospect and then be like #$@='?#"]$@

But I can't help myself. Draftexpress updated their mock draft, and I have to say I'm glad that Tatum is at #3 and not Jackson. I have my concerns with Tatum as a player, but it's easier for me to talk myself into liking him.

I have to say that Tatum and Fox are two guys I've been most impressed with in terms of personality, demeanor, interviews and just overall the way they handle themselves. Obviously talent is the key, but stuff like that is also very important IMO. That's one of the reasons why I'm not that high on Jackson and Smith.

If you can get past the fact that he idolized Bryant, you're really going to enjoy this interview. I love how calm, confident and poised he looks like.

Watch on YouTube

[TheOGJabroni]

Lets not forget the quotes of danny saying "we start to detirmine who these guys before we they even play a college game" its likely danny has felt this way about fultz for a long while.

I never got the sense Ainge was excited about Fultz. In fairness that could be just me.

I have a weird sense about that too. It's funny because sometimes people assume Danny is all smoke and mirrors but if I remember some of his quotes about this draft, it's pretty evident that he didn't feel there was just one guy. It's just that no one (including myself) actually believed him. Everyone assumed he was just talking it up but couldn't figure out why. Like, what's the point of smoke screens when you have the #1 pick? Well... here it is!

[Fidel Sarcasmo]

Lets not forget the quotes of danny saying "we start to detirmine who these guys before we they even play a college game" its likely danny has felt this way about fultz for a long while.

Yup, he's probably been on top of the 2018 2019 drive for like three or four years. Hopefully that research pays off with a unicorn.


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I'm wondering if he's going to go after the 5/9 Kings pick or fall back with the TWolves for a 5/7 swap. Or do the 5/9 for 3 Kings Swap and reroute the 9 to the Knicks/Wolves and parts. Now I'm starting to zero in on Jackson simple because that Jackson was ranked #1a just behind Giles in Highschool and he's an Ainge type player to a T. The only catch here is determining who Phoenix realy likes at 4. If DA really has eyes for Jackson, he's got to figure out if he can run the risk of picking whoever the Kings want at 3, presumably D'Aaron Fox so that the Kings can leap frog the Suns who may also want Fox at 4 if he's available. If the Celtics figure out the Suns want Tatum then I would think DA would feel good about picking for the Kings so he can land Jackson at 5 which will lower his cap even more for a top free agent signing and then have the 9 pick to do more damage with however they should choose to do so.

[165bows]

One thing I don't get: If Ainge is planning to trade the #3, when is the trade?

-- Finalizing the deal Monday makes little sense (assuming that actually happens) unless he's planning to trade the pick further.
-- Trading the pick for an established star might make more sense in July (greater maneuvering flexibility despite losing Zeller's contract) than it does now.

Of course, neither of those objections applies if he trades the pick down further.

Has to be the plan to trade back and come out with a pick this year of their own and another asset big enough to headline for an All-Star.

[Fencer reregistered]

That's odd. So it wasn't a done deal when Sixers leaked to the press that it was?

It's surely meant to say that the Sixers told the press they were accepting the Celtics' offer before they told the Celtics.

But would anybody be shocked if there were a deal on more generous terms to the Celtics than are being reported? Not I. The Celtics may not really have committed to that offer themselves.

Unless Ainge clearly made the offer, saying that both he and ownership were willing to do that deal, he's not committed to it.

That's what I'm thinking. We should renege or renegotiate the terms of the deal. But then that's a bad look since it already went public.

Public negotiation, if that's what the Sixers were doing, is always risky.

[Ben-N1ce]

Tatum greatest strength is his post game and he avoids wide open threes to shoot mid range. Basically what you don't want right now...

[jfs1000d]

I'm anxious to see what's going on here. It could be the beginning of a massive effort to consolidate assets for a veteran-run team: George, Hayward, etc. Or it could be the opposite: they're just hedging more while GSW and Cleveland dominate the league, and continuing to pick up high-level talent while pushing their window further into the future.

I'm guessing it's the latter and they just think their guy at 3 isn't much worse than Fultz, and that the move is worth another top lotto pick.

Cleveland is on the way down. They were a 51-win team, I know they coasted, but those are usually first signs of decline.

I think Lebron is still elite, kyrie great, but love isn't dominant and the bench is terrible.


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[sam_I_am]

I've read it so many times tonight, I have to ask. When did the #3 and possible top 5 picks in drafts automatically become role players? Should all drafts just stop after #1?

These guys would have hated the Parish/McHale trade, or trading down for MJ or Durant.

NUFF SAID.

They would have hated a Simmons for Jaylen Brown and the #2 pick Laker pick in this draft. And Simmons was head and shoulders above Ingram who was head and shoulders above Brown and everybody knew it.

This year the consensus is that Fultz is the best but that guys drafted at 6 and 7 like Monk and Isaac may end up as better pros. Trading down this year is NOT taking a risk. Last year it would have been insane.... and yet I would rather have Ball/Brown or Jackson/Brown than Simmons.

BTW ..... Jackson Brown...... I already like where that is going....

[darylbe]

Did Josh Jackson even practice for this ****

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[The_Ghost_of_JB]

Celtics biggest needs were guys that can score and fultz seemed to be the guy that could help with that. This opens the door to give Thomas a supermax and next year we're going to have to watch him be pretty much be the only scoring option on this team. And no I don't think there's any chance Hayward or Griffin sign ever either.

Ainge got way too cute with this trade. I hate it.

[OFWGKTA]

I haven't slept yet but it feels like Danny is boutta dunk on the league

[canman1971]

After getting a little sleep and logically thinking about it, this is pretty simple and people are overthinking it way too much. Bottom line is Ainge wasn't in love with Fultz at #1. He knew he could get "the guy" he wants at #3. And why not get an additional asset in the meantime. I don't see him trading it for PG or Butler. Not happening. If he would, he would have done it at the trade deadline. As for why did he do it now? Perhaps the Sixers put a deadline on it? Maybe he's gonna make other moves involving players. Who knows? But this is clear cut, IMO. He likes someone he can get at #3, add an asset and create some cap space for FA.

[OFWGKTA]

Celtics biggest needs were guys that can score and fultz seemed to be the guy that could help with that. This opens the door to give Thomas a supermax and next year we're going to have to watch him be pretty much be the only scoring option on this team. And no I don't think there's any chance Hayward or Griffin sign ever either.

Ainge got way too cute with this trade. I hate it.

Tatum can score

[jfs1000d]

Let's be honest. Ainge doesn't have fultz as no. 1 on the board. He probably has Jackson
Tatum
Ball
Fultz

You don't trade no. 1 if you have conviction on the consensus top pick. Something happened this week, either on trade market, relay about FA or they just loved
Jackson or Tatum more.


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[BSA]

Trade with Sacramento for 5 and 10 and take Issac?

[return2glory]

Is it really that Ainge likes Jackson/Ball/Tatum/whoever nearly as much as Fultz or rather that he needed to split the asset in order to facilitate another deal or two?

I think the story is in the timing. If this was a simple trade down to acquire a future pick there's no reason not to keep quiet, wait until draft night, see who the Lakers take, then action the deal rather than having every basic media head shouting that Jackson is your guy at #3. Ainge is a smart dude. The move and the timing has intent.

I think Ainge take Jackson or Tatum at 3. He must like both players equally as well so that's why he does care who the Lakers take.

The other thing is that there is a good chance that pick is moving to the Bulls.

Let's face it. Most of us fans love the draft. It's exciting, especially when we have a top 3 pick. Some of us also like college basketball at watch it with our eyes on potential draft prospects that the Celtics can draft. We also watch YouTube clips of a player or players that might become the next Celtic.

The draft process is exciting and fun, especially this year because we had the 1st overall pick since 1980. Now there is a real possibility that when it's all said and done that we won't even have any 1st round picks this year after all this. There is a good chance this pick is getting moved now.

[SparringPartner]

Isaac is Ainge's guy IMO. I do NOT see anything in Tatum.

I say he trades down with Sac for #5 & WCS and drafts Isaac.

SAC drafts Fox who will go #4 to PHX if they don't make this move

Bookmark this ****!

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[Ben-N1ce]

Celtics biggest needs were guys that can score and fultz seemed to be the guy that could help with that. This opens the door to give Thomas a supermax and next year we're going to have to watch him be pretty much be the only scoring option on this team. And no I don't think there's any chance Hayward or Griffin sign ever either.

Ainge got way too cute with this trade. I hate it.

I hate it. Fultz also gives you time to evaluate the AB IT contracts that are coming up. Not a fan of Jackson or Tatum...I also rather somehow get 5 and 10 now