Post#119 » by Smog » Thu Feb 27, 2020 12:53 pm
This draft is getting ripped by all of the experts, but to me it looks like that's because there are so few scorers. It's actually full of players of the type Ainge has had success with, defense-first "instigators" who might be undervalued because of shooting numbers. From Marcus Smart to Tony Allen to Jaylen Brown to Perk -- even Semi was a decent pick for a second-rounder -- Ainge has done pretty well with guys who defend and hustle.
There are a LOT of these dudes in this draft. Some are getting a lot of love, like Devin Vassell, Isaac Okoro, Onyeka Okongwu, etc. but there are many more down in the draft. Paul Reed looks like a classic Ainge player. Ashton Hagans, Tillman... I don't know if Oscar Tshiebwe is coming out, but he's about as instigator-y as they come.
The great thing about this current version of the Celtics is, they don't need more stars or more scoring. They need high-level role players. Ainge's record at drafting stars is mixed, but he's usually able to get decent NBA rotation players with enough tries, and what the Cs need right now happens to be the exact kind of player he has an eye for. I actually wonder if that's why he didn't make a move at the deadline, because he likes the selection.