Draft Time

[sully00]

I agree that there are a lot of NBA caliber players in this draft it is just that the second round essentially begins at pick 8.

Last year I wanted Horford real bad, wasn't real excited about Yi, was thinking Jeff Green. Sam Presti is my favorite person alive as I think about this.

[armageddon]

The last year wants is interesting...

I loved Horford but with AJ we didn't need him so I was looking for a complement to AJ. My favs were Noah or Yi.

[armageddon]

When things work, you don't change them....

As much as we all feel we do not need another undersized PF, Ainge's success with Gomes, Powe, and Big Baby is a great plan. Two to 3 year contracts, draft one each year. Either let them walk at the end of their contracts or trade them. We always have 1 or 2 bigs on the bench who can contribute. Has this been by coincidence or intentional.

[Gant]

From Chad Ford's chat:

Joe (NY): Chad what can the Celtics do to improve their scoring off the bench?? Will CDR or Lee be there at 30??

Chad Ford: (2:13 PM ET ) I think one of them could be there and it would be a great pick up for the Celtics. Either one of those guys could play now. Danny Ainge is a great drafter. I think you're in good hands.

[GuyClinch]

I don't have his college PER stats. What Hollinger's stats do is try to take his college PER and adjust it for schedule strength, position, and the player's age, then use it as a predictor for NBA offensive success. I don't know where he gets the college PER stats, so I can't give them to you.

You really should stop being a Hollinger apologist. It's not worth it my man. The reason you don't have his PER college statistics is that Hollinger correctly realizes that will make his statistic look dumb.

So he invented this "predicted" PER so he could just fudge down the guys who he doesn't think are very good prospects. You think I am kidding? Show me EXACTLY how he calculates such numbers.

This is what I think happens in mind of Hollinger:

OMG friggin Morrision has a PER of 18 in college. But he is a slow dude in a crappy conference that will make my blessed statistic look like crap. Let me tell people his predicted per is umm. 12.71. That's so much better..

I mean heck was that 12.71 produced BEFORE he came to the NBA? I would put nothing past him.

I could be wrong but if so SHOW ME THE NUMBERS. Hollinger if you think about it just likes to pull numbers out of his *ss as a rule so this is really nothing new. I mean how do we know assists be mutiplied by 2/3. He just thought that sounded good.

Don't get me wrong - it's a useful version of a compressed box score with pace factors mixed in.. but it's not going to predict NBA better then simply watching them play...

Pete

[Gomes3PC]

I'm not gonna get into a philosophical debate about whether Hollinger makes up stats to prove his points or whether his points are a conclusion of the stats. I happen to think that it's interesting to read about his projections, although they are certainly limited to mostly offense and are in no way a be-all, end-all. It's just one thing I like to look at. I take a lot bigger stock into what places like DraftExpress are saying, not to mention my own time watching college hoops.

When it comes to drafting an undersized big this year, I wouldn't mind it...at 60. At 30 I think we need either an athletic wing who can shoot (CDR, Lee) or a legit 6-10+ guy with some beef, like Jawai or Hardin. If we picked up James Mays, Josh Duncan, or Maarty Leunen at 60, then I'd have no problem with it. All three of those players could step on the court for us right now and be a reliable back of the bench guy (think 9th or 10th guys, not 7th or 8th).

[nasbahceltic]

I don't know about you guys, but I'm hoping for Speights. I have no idea how this guy is being projected by DX to go at #28, but if he falls past 25 I hope Ainge will do everything in his power to jump up and grab him.

I mean the guy is a legit 6'10, more athletic than given credit for, a very good rebounder (both offensively and defensively) and can score in every way (outside and inside). I know there are some concerns about his intensity, but we heard the same things about Big Al and look how that turned out.

my draft wish list would have to be Speights, Walker, Lee or Ibaka (although the whole issue with his contract might prevent that)

[eitanr]

The only 'known' talent that could slip is Batum. After him, I don't see anyone else.

[threrf23]

Here is some decent, educated analysis of draft prospects...

http://pointguardu.com/cats/showthread.php?t=39418

[Gomes3PC]

Has some pretty high praise for Ryan Anderson. I didn't get to see a whole lot of Pac 10 play, but his production speaks for itself. Seems like he has moved up boards ahead of us unfortunately, as if we were looking for a quality 6-10 PF/C with some skill, Anderson (or the kid from Rider) would fit the bill. A lot of the criticisms I saw were that he benefitted from a bruiser like Hardin aroudn to do the dirty work, but we have Perk and Baby and even Powe around here to do that for us if we were to get Anderson. Danny LOVED Raef, and Anderson seems to be a bit like Raef, minus the blocked shots but with a better ability to drive/cut to the hoop.

[threrf23]

I am not familiar with Ryan Anderson, but based on what people cite for his strengths and weaknesses he strikes me as nothing more impressive than Nick Collison. Maybe I'm wrong.

[GuyClinch]

Danny LOVED Raef, and Anderson seems to be a bit like Raef, minus the blocked shots but with a better ability to drive/cut to the hoop.

He "LOVED" Raef? Really? Says who... Seems to me Walker just ticked him off. Also i think the failure of Raef would bias him against players that remind him of Raef..not towards them.

Pete

[ParticleMan]

I really doubt Danny loved Raef. He was trying to make the best of a bad situation with Antoine, and was able to land some players and picks that served as the basis for rebuilding. Raef wasn't totally a salary throw-in, but he wasn't the target either.

anyway back to Anderson... having seen a lot of Cal games, I can tell you one thing that's very impressive about Anderson: He is an absolute warrior. He got very little help last year at Cal (ahem, calling Mr. Hardin, please report to the area underneath the basket...) and at times he simply willed his team to victory or at least a shot at it. He was rarely the most athletic or fastest or most talented guy on the floor, but he found very creative ways to score, and did the little things on the defensive end even though he was at times overmatched physically (he had to play a lot of center when Hardin was out).

I don't have a good feeling for how that will translate to the pros. Adam Morrison is an example where that sort of effort simply evaporated when faced with superior athleticism in the NBA. I think Ryan Anderson is a little better off mostly because he's a PF, and you can be a good defensive PF (tho not great) if you're just smart and have good footwork, which Anderson does. But Anderson is a sub-average athlete for the NBA. He could end up anywhere from Tom Chambers to a post-injury Raef (tho Nick Collison is not a good comparison at all; Anderson has solid 3pt range). It's just hard to know.

[Celtics_Champs]

Watching dickerson and rusillo on sports tonight, seems like the mood at the garden is that they are trying to trade the pick.

[meatball sub]

I just hope the Knicks end up picking Danilo Gallinari. That would just be too funny...

[sully00]

Anderson is not an option at Center, he goes about 230lbs. I think of him as a Troy Murphy but Aran Smith had a great comparison, Austin Croshere. Which in the context of this team is alot better. PF size with a SF game but a good rebounder and hard nosed player if a little short in the speed or hops dept.

Not a player Boston needs as he would be buried behind Posey and Powe but could be a great option to replace either one, though a different player, in 2 years. The kind of guy who could anchor a bench's offense.

[canman1971]

Ainge is on SportsTonight right now with Dickerson and he must think Dickerson is such an idiot with the way he looks at him. It is priceless. At least Russillo asks pretty good questions about actual players, Dickerson asks, "what are you looking for in the draft?" Ainge says, " a good player" you friggin moron!!!

[Celtics_Champs]

Man they are really booing gallinari. poor guy.

[canman1971]

I cracks me up how the new "flavor of the month is PG" I really think anyone who passes on Beasley is making a big mistake. Now, keep in mind, this is the draft I have not followed that much, but it just appears that no team wants to be the team that passes on the next Chris Paul or Derron Williams, and I don't see Rose as being as good as neither. Beasley will be a stud. I know he measured small, but I see him being a damn good player in the NBA.

I also wish they would move the draft to other places than NY. Their fans, both in the NBA and NFL, are really the most annoying, obnoxious people out there.

[SonicYouth34]

I think it was a mistake taking Rose, all the champs have had great big men: Duncan, KG!!!!!, O'Neal ect.