| 30 Teams, 30 Days: Boston Draft Preview Authored by Jason M. Williams - June 23, 2009 - 2:12 pm
| Current Featured Columns | | Merry Christmas, Raptors Fans The Raptors might not be playing good basketball right now, but there are plenty of things for Toronto fans to be thankful for this holiday season.
A Melo Behind The SuperstarsCarmelo Anthony has never been one of the league's most efficient offensive players.
 |
Maynor Using Utah’s Resources
Eric Maynor is an increasingly rare four-year, small college rookie. He sat down with RealGM to discuss how his first few weeks of NBA life has gone and what he has learned from Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan.
|
 |
Why LeBron To The Clippers Makes Sense
LeBron James already plays for a perennial underdog in Cleveland, but moving to the Clippers would allow him to do so in a huge market and with a core that will immediately compete for championships while also having an encouraging long term outlook.
|
 |
‘Home-Heavy Schedule’ Brings Question Marks
The Heat have been plagued by inconsistencies, making it difficult to determine how good they really are this season.
|
|
More from RealGM's Columnists
|
| |
2009 Draft Picks: 58th
Pre-Draft 2009-10 Projected Starters:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Ray Allen
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Kendrick Perkins
Key Reserves:
G: Tony Allen
F: Leon Powe (restricted)
F: Brian Scalabrine
F: Glen Davis (restricted)
What The Celtics Do Well:
Even without Kevin Garnett for a good chunk of the season, the Celtics maintained one of the NBA's best defenses. Only the Cavaliers and Spurs allowed fewer points per game this past year.
They had the best field goal defense in the league, holding opponents to just 43% shooting. That was a testament to their strong team defense; it's strange that Tom Thibodeau hasn't gotten stronger consideration for a head coaching job.
Boston was also the NBA's best three-point shooting team, at a strong 40% clip. Their free throw shooting was below average, as where there turnover numbers.
They had the second-best rebounding differential in the league, once again without Garnett for roughly a third of the season. They assisted on 27.7 of their 37.5 field goals, a testament to Rajon Rondo's ascent.
Greatest Areas Of Improvement:
Depth
The Celtics are deep, especially in the front court, but that could change drastically based on the restricted free agent status of Powe and Davis. They could use a solid ball-hander to spell Rondo, because Stephon Marbury (free agent) and Eddie House (player option) could be done in Boston.
Financial Flexibility
Boston has roughly $70 million tied up for the 2009-10 season, and will need to contemplate the pending free agent status of Rondo and Pierce in the summer of 2010. Pierce has an early-termination option in his deal, and could ask for another huge contract. Ray and Tony Allen will be unrestricted next summer, making it an even bigger offseason a year from now. Danny Ainge will have to set himself up to do what he pleases.
Who's Gone Number 58th Recently?
The projections don't look too good for the Celtics. The players taken 58th in the last five NBA Drafts have played a total of 22 games thus far.
2008
Joe Crawford, Los Angeles Lakers
2007
Giorgos Printezis, San Antonio
2006
J.R. Pinnock, Dallas
2005
Uros Slokar, Toronto
2004
Blake Stepp, Minnesota
Who Should The Celtics Target?
-- Jeff Adrien, Connecticut
If the Celtics lose either Davis or Powe, they could use another backup power forward to help keep stress off of Kevin Garnett. Adrien might not be the most exciting prospect, but he comes from a good system.
-- Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga
Pargo will likely be gone before the 58th pick, but he could be a perfect fit for Boston. He could play a few minutes behind Rondo, providing the C's with a low-cost option.
-- Insert European Prospect Here
The Celtics have a solid group of young guys (Pruitt, Walker and Giddens), so there is really no need for them to ensure they'll get minutes out of this pick right away. Stashing someone overseas might be the best option.
Picks Over the Past Five Years
Danny Ainge has a solid draft history, whether or not he ended up keeping the player(s) he selected. Gomes was a great find at fifty, but Green has been a monumental disappointment. Jefferson was an awesome pick at fifteen, as was West later in 2004.
2008
J.R. Giddens, 30th
Semih Erden, 60th
2007
Jeff Green, 5th (traded to Seattle)
Gabe Pruitt, 32nd
2006
Randy Foye, 7th (traded to Portland then Minnesota)
2005
Gerald Green, 18th
Ryan Gomes, 50th
Orien Greene, 58th
2004
Al Jefferson, 15th
Delonte West, 24th
Tony Allen, 25th
Justin Reed, 40th
According to Andrew Perna's Boston Celtics Draft Summit, an interactive forum featuring the responses of true RealGM hoops fans hoping to add their two cents to the Celtics draft discussion, the fans of Boston have made it known that they would like to draft anyone that can dribble a ball…
The Verdicts
1. What could the team have done differently to advance further in the playoffs?
Sully00: Clone Kevin Garnett. We started the post season with all three power forward's hurt, and we only got the sucky one back.
SonicYouth34: Have been healthy. With a healthy KG, Leon Powe and Tony Allen this team would've gone all the way again.
sunshinekids99: They could have had a deeper bench. I think the starters gave it all they could.
thebirdman: Health, health, health...
Pogue Mahone: If Doc River played Eddie House and Brian Scalabrine more than Ray Allen and Glen Davis, integrated Bill Walker into the team when he first came back from the D-League for good and exploited Dwight Howard's inability to guard Kendrick Perkins on the block, 1-on-1.
Papa Irish31: The backups they were able to acquire midseason, Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore were extremely disappointing,
Celtics_Champs: Not much. They were unhealthy. What are you going to do?
2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
Sully00: The starting unit did a great job of covering for the loss of KG. They held together as a team and played well closing out close games.
SonicYouth34: Defense, just like last year. We also showed unity when KG went down.
sunshinekids99: The heart is the biggest strength of this team. As far as basketball goes, when KG is on the court, it is defense.
thebirdman: Heart.
Pogue Mahone: On-the-block defense (Perkins), forcing the opposition to play to the clock (Rajon Rondo) and help defense (Garnett, Pierce and Scalabrine.) And, of course, heart.
Papa Irish31: Veteran leadership, discipline, hard work, team chemistry, and defense.
Celtics_Champs: They never gave up. Sure Game 7 against Orlando some might say was a let down, but without KG this team wasn't picked to go far. I remember before the KG trade, when it was just Ray and Paul, everyone said that the C's were going to be a lottery team. Well, no KG, and look what they did…
3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
Sully00: Big Baby and Scalabrine, maybe Ray to some.
SonicYouth34: Rondo was huge. He made the leap into the elite group of point guards. Perk was also huge. He showed no mercy against Howard and stayed out of foul trouble for most of the year. Honorable mention to Davis for his new jumper.
sunshinekids99: Davis is the easy pick. He really stepped up huge when KG went down.
thebirdman: Davis and Scal.
Pogue Mahone: I might say Rondo or Perkins, but neither their performance nor production surprised me. I am going to say Pierce. He faced double-teams when Garnett went down, yet he still managed to have a heck of a season and kept teammates involved.
Papa Irish31: Big Baby obviously had a break-out season, although if I do remember correctly, many Celtic fans were none to impressed about three quarters through the season.
Celtics_Champs: Davis.
4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
Sully00: Marbury, Tony Allen, and Gabe Pruitt.
SonicYouth34: Tony Allen. I was expecting him to come in and duplicate James Posey's production a la Tony of three years ago.
sunshinekids99: I'm sure some will say Tony Allen, but I thought he was garbage before the season started. So I'll go with Marbury. I will say, I loved his defense and playmaking skills, but for a few games Marbury just could never get his offense going.
thebirdman: T.A.
Pogue Mahone: Davis and Ray Ray. Sure, their personal efficiencies were high, but they mainly played hot potato with one another and didn't impact the game in other areas.
Papa Irish31: Mikki and the young guys
Celtics_Champs: J.R. Giddens. It's very early in his career, but I expected him to have some pop coming out of college.
5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
Sully00: Very.
SonicYouth34: Danny Ainge is a great general manager, and minus last off season, he has been great. Plus, we have expiring contracts to work with.
sunshinekids99: Ainge has proved he can get it done. He needs to really improve the depth on this team.
thebirdman: Semi. Last offseason was a huge disappointment...
Pogue Mahone: Very. Just don't let Doc buy the groceries.
Papa Irish31: After last season, I was over confident. This year, I have no confidence in Danny to get the job done.
Celtics_Champs: Very. On a scale of 10, I am at 8. Ainge knows how to make a championship team.
6. What are the team’s biggest needs in the draft?
Sully00: I don't know that we can get any help for the upcoming season in the draft, especially at the 58th pick. You have to draft for the future, but anyone with some size would be good we have to be the shortest damn team in the NBA.
SonicYouth34: If we do keep the pick, then a athletic big man or some player to stash overseas.
sunshinekids99: Draft a European and let him stay there for a couple years, unless somebody falls of course.
thebirdman: Height at every backup position.
Pogue Mahone: Unless they make a deal to alleviate deadwood on the roster, and somehow finagle a late first out of it and/or purchase a earlier second, there isn't much that can provide straight improvement with a 58th pick.
Papa Irish31: A player with potential for the future, or a guy that can contribute immediately. Hopefully, Ainge is able to move up into the first round and get a guy like Chase Budinger with a late first-round pick
Celtics_Champs: 58th pick? Eesh, getting a steal would be just fine with me. They have Walker, Pruitt and even Giddens as their projects for the future.
7. Who would you like the Celtics to take with the 58th pick?
Sully00: Anyone that can play.
SonicYouth34: No one. We have Walker, Pruitt, and Giddens warming the bench as prospects already.
sunshinekids99: Milenko Tepic. He has great size for a guard and is a good shooter.
thebirdman: The best international player left on the board. Although this year’s Euro crop is horrible with the exception of Ricky Rubio.
Pogue Mahone: At the 58th pick, I might take a flyer on a Ben Woodside, John Bryant or Luke Neville. Of course, if Danny Green is still available, that's my pick.
Papa Irish31: A.J. Price, if he falls, could be a very serviceable backup to Rondo next year.
Celtics_Champs: Red Buttons. Nah, I don't know, anyone, it's a late second rounder. They rarely pan out.
Click here to read other draft previews in our 30 Teams, 30 Days series
Who do you want the Celtics to draft at number 58? Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts. He can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments and questions. |
