Here's the players we have a shot at

[DERRENMATTS]

First, let me list the players who I think will be gone in the lottery:

(not in any particular order)

A. Bogut
M. Williams
C. Paul
D. Williams
G. Green
A. Wright
M. Webster
C. Frye
F. Vasquez
Korolev
S. May
R. Felton
D. Granger
J. Graham
H. Warrick

These are the top 15 players I think will be lottery picks. These are the players I think will be chosen directly after the lottery--players who we may have a good chance of landing:

(in the order I want them drafted)

R. Ukic
J. Jack
C. Villanueva
C. Taft
I. Diogu
W. Simien
F. Garcia
M. Ellis
Ilyasova

As you can see, out of these 9 players, there's a very good chance that we land any of the top 4 players, and I would be very satisfied with any of those guys. Two teams pick in front of us (#16 and 17), so maybe we won't get Ukic or Jack. But there's also the possibility that a couple of the guys I listed in the second grouping make it into the lottery, kicking some guys out. So maybe Graham or Warrick may slide to us (though I'd be happier with a shot a Ukic or Jack instead).

We have a good shot at landing a very good player who could turn out to be a top contributor for our future team. Ukic and Jack could be that tall scoring and passing PG we're searching for. Villanueva has a lot of work to do on his game, but he could be the big SF we're looking for. Taft, Diogu, or Simien could be that additional frontcourt help we're looking for. Ellis could be that sparkplug scorer off the bench.

I don't think I'll be disappointed in this draft.

[tjlamro]

i think Ukic goes to Toronto and Jack slides to us

[meltinjohn]

I can live with that although Ukics my first option I'd want. Jack would be very good in place of him though.

[DERRENMATTS]

I think its fairly important to get ourselves a PG for the future. Delonte is a good complimentary PG, but Jack is more of a floor general than him.

If we don't get a PG, I'm interested in getting some frontcourt depth. I think Taft has the potential to upseat Perkins as our future starting Center. He's a better offensive player and I feel that he's an underrated defensive player who will show his skills on that end of the court in due time.

Diogu or Simien could provide solid backup play at the 4.

But I have Villanueva listed as the 3rd guy on the list (in back of Ukic and Jack) because he can be such a nightmare for opposing defenses. With his height and length, teams are going to need to put PF to guard him. But what PF is quick enough to stay in front of him, or agile enough to defend him on the perimeter? Put a SF on him and he'll get a lot of offensive putbacks and alley oop dunks.

[BCHISTORIAN]

villanueva will go to the bobcats at 13, that's what i've heard

[DERRENMATTS]

I'm sure there are teams in front of us who may be interested in Villanueva. 13 is a bit high for his current playing level. But just about right based on his future potential. If he goes in the lottery, that means a player on the list of lottery players I've put up will fall out.

[eja117]

I think it might be good to get a PG in the first round but with our two second rounders I think there is still decent hope of getting a good PG. maybe trading up. gilchrist, Ewing, N Robinson, S Stoudemire, Diener. I think Banks and Delonte alone could run the point next year without any horrible disastrs happening. And there's still Sarunus. Or draft two PGs late in the 2nd and let them fight it out. Or tade a Banks and a future 2nd for a prospect and a vet.

[DERRENMATTS]

Nate Robinson is definitely a second round PG option I'd like to get a hold of. Possibly Travis Diener (from what I remember of him, he reminds me of Mark Price). Daniel Ewing is another player who caught my eye over the years. He's not much of a PG, but he's a good scorer who likes to light it up beyond the arc or take it to the hoop.

Salim Stoudemire? He's no PG, and quite honestly, I really don't like his game at all.

[eja117]

People said D West couldn't be a PG either. It has to do with a guy's bball IQ and team play and whatnot.

[Roadrunner]

EJA117, all those PGs mentioned would be great. Difficult thing about this draft for the Celtics is that our second rounders are way back there. Though, I am thinking we could pull off one of these 3 players w/ them...Bass, J Williams, L Roberts, or C Troutman. Then w/ the other second rounder, pull off one of those PGs you mentioned.

[DERRENMATTS]

eja117 said:

People said D West couldn't be a PG either. It has to do with a guy's bball IQ and team play and whatnot.

Are you referring to Salim Stoudemire or Daniel Ewing?

Ewing I like. Stoudemire has soured on me.

[eja117]

I actually kinda think those PGs are gonna be taken in the 40s or so, but i guess I'm just saying I don't think PG is a disaster situation and that I have hope with the players we have and any prospect we get. I figure in a year or two one or two of them will be gone anyway and that there will be another chance to get one, but I'm not sure about some of these other players. Like let's say Ukic falls to us and he's a next Manu type guy. get him. That doesn't happen too often. But i see Jack as just a solid prospect not so different than Banks. There's one of those every year, and I'm not sure jack is so much better than these 2nd ronnders to justfy a run on PGs. That's kinda why i like the way Ainge seems to be approaching this. I'm even warming up to a tall SF like Blatche (he seems like a SF to me, not so different from a Shawn Marion, KG, Odom type guy) seeing as how we don't have a guy like that.

[DERRENMATTS]

I try imagining our future team with Delonte as the starting PG. I'm not disapproving it, but I think we'd be better off with a guy who's a real floor general. Unless its Ainge's plan to have a backcourt like the one he played on in the mid 80's with him and DJ. Delonte would fit in well with another combo guard who has the smarts like Delonte to make the plays and get the ball into the scorer's hands. If that's Ainge's plan, let it ride.

But I'm fond of floor generals like Kidd, Nash, Felton, Magic, etc. PG's who have the ball in their hands and set up players for scoring opportunities--guys who like to push the ball in the open court and orchestrate the fast breaks. In close games, getting the ball into the hands of true floor generals is much more comforting.

Jack isn't a true floor general, but he's a dangerous two way player with the ball in his hands and that's what makes him attractive. He can either score or dish it off. He's got much better feel for playmaking than Banks does and with his height and strength, its going to be a nice advantage for him. He's a quicker, more explosive Sam Cassel whose not as trigger happy.

I wish I could have seen Blatche play. I'd like to see how athletic he is. I hear/read that he's a perimeter 6'10" - 11" big man, but if he doesn't have quickness and athleticism, he could have limitations as a SF.

[eja117]

i don't think there are that many J Kidds or Nashs out there. I think D West has a shot at becoming that kind of player. i guess I kinda see a PGs role as playing awesome D, passing the ball into a dominant big man who pounds his way in, and kicks it out to a PG for an occasional 3 pter. If they can create all the better. Cs fans have spent so many years watching slashers and drivers (and the NBA has become this way more and more since Jordan) that we forgot it's ok to just pass it in.

[goceltics34]

I'd Love too get my hands on jack, or maybe anthony roberson in the second round. We also need another player who can create his own shot of the dribble, that's especially crucial come playoff time, when the defense tightens up. Also more size in the frontcourt wouldnt be bad.

Being a realists were probably looking at Mccants or fransico garcia. This draft is deep im really looking forward to what we can get out of the 50, 53 picks.


Go CELTICS!!!!!!!