2019 Celtics Offseason Thread

Interesting trade idea floating around, Celtics trade 14 and 22 for 10 and 41 from the Hawks. To trade up for Brandon Clarke. A guy we haven't talked about much, but he certainly fits the team. Yet same type of trade fits for a guy like Washington or someone else. I'd hold out for pick 35 from the Hawks if I could, but even at 41 there should be a good player there not that much different than at 22.

I've also been thinking about trading 22 for 35 and 41 if Danny trades a pick or drafts an international guy that won't come right over. Just not a ton of difference in talent from 22 to the early 40's. Yet you can't make that trade with 4 picks already, something needs to happen.

So I did a bunch of research, watched a lot of videos and for me it's around the 40's. Might have been 50's yet like six guys with high upsides pulled out of the draft at the deadline. I will say some of those guys might fall into the 50's. Just my list doesn't go into the 50's.

I really like Jaylen Nowell at 51 right now, bunch of mocks don't have him getting drafted. Terrance Davis a guy the Celtics worked out twice, late riser is another target at 51. Yet I wouldn't consider either at 22.

The thing that's going to be interesting is who drops. Given how close guys are, you could easily see guys in most mocks going in the lottery dropping to picks 20 and 22. Which gives you tons of of options. Just take the guy or look to make a trade.

For me it's still all about NAW. We better get some NAW.

RJP what do you see in Cameron Johnson?

I see a redshirt senior with limited upside, heck he is 23. 3 and D off the bench career.

Kinda reminds me of a deeper 2015 draft. The 2019 NBA draft has by far the largest group of underclassmen ever declaring for a draft and might also set the record for international guys declaring. The talent level isn't bad where are picks are. Lot's of different options, yet a bunch of very risky guys, yet also a good amount of higher floor types also. I think most scouts see a good amount of difference and tiers in the top 22 guys. The big group kinda seems to be late teens to mid 20s, running into the 40s or heck even 50s depending on your take.

Only NBADraft.net has Fernando that high and they have for months. Like only NBA Draft Room has him as a first rounder at 27, ESPN, CBS, and the Ringer all have him second round. I watched a ton of video on him, because that's the biggest range currently in the draft. Top 10 to second round pick. Big guy that moves rather well, has an NBA ready body right now, yet not an elite athlete. Shows you some flashes that get you excited, but he's very raw and needs a lot of work. I wouldn't take him in the lottery. I didn't see enough for that, your dreaming on him really improving his handle, low post moves and his D. Like 80% of his baskets were dunks, he just won't be bigger, stronger and quicker than bigs in the NBA though. Yet if everything clicks, he could be a much more athletic Greg Monroe, but he's got a long way to go for that to happen. He doesn't currently have much of a low post game.

14 is certainly an over draft i won’t argue that. It was a statement included for emphasis on my precious point.

He’s more than a “spot up shooter”. He’s great at pulling up over smaller defender both from deep and the mid range and he’s great coming off screens and yes he’s also great at catch and shoot. No he’s not good at driving to the basket and finishing in there. If he were he’d be a top 7 or 8 pick. Give me the guy who has an elite skill that also the most valuable in today’s NBA at 20 or 22. Maybe I’d have a different discussion if it were our only pick but we have 3.

I don't judge shooting just by shooting percentage. I mean the guy is a good shooter taking open shots, pull ups over short college guys and off screens that got him open. Yet he can't create his shot. Like watch Herro, he's got all those little moves to get him space to get his shot off. He can create a bunch of mid-range jump shots, he's got those side step moves. Johnson just doesn't have that. Not in the four videos I just watched and I had to see every three he took this year. It was 25 minutes of his highlight and his issues.

One of my big rules in the draft is to really be careful with Seniors who take off. Nevermind redshirt seniors. Your comparing him to guys mostly three to four years younger. Like he finally had the strength to attack younger players in the paint this year. That goes away in the NBA. Like he takes advantage of being guarded by guards in College, which is nothing for him to shoot over. In the NBA that massive size advantage will be gone, he has to be a SF. Yet he needs to get a lot stronger to go up against NBA small forwards. Can he? He's already like 23.5 years old. He's more man than young adult.

Jaylen Nowell shot 44% from deep last year. Similar type athlete, a little awkward to his game. Shorter guy, that's a PG/SG combo type guy. Yet he took harder shots, something you need to be able to do in the NBA. He can create his own shot. Heck Nowell has out shot Johnson for the last two years while being three years younger. He's four inches shorter but almost the same weight.

If you want a safe pick to add bench shooting Johnson isn't a horrible pick. I just don't see a guy that will be the drafts best shooter in the NBA unless he can do a lot of things he didn't do in College or lands on the perfect team. You never know, the great unknown of the draft, maybe I'm dead wrong. Yet even every single comp I see just reinforces what I see. All role playing bench guys that can shoot. The one good thing for him is his role won't change and he's NBA ready.

I will say that if in workouts he showed more ability to create his own jumpers against NBA level athletes I'd change my mind about him. I just didn't see that in his game. Even guys like Korver and Kevin Martin type guys had those little moves to create space and get off a shot with a guy on them.

 With todays nutrition and training he could put weight on and be special around the bucket, might even be worth it at 14. He might not even be there, big time ceiling.

He certainly might be worth the 14th pick. I just don't have enough information, like there has been nothing concrete on him. Just a bunch of worries and he keeps dropping. Unless there is something major wrong with him, he shouldn't be there at 14. 

This is a fair assessment, I just disagree. I think he will be able to shoot in the NBA. He’s not going to be a top 2 or so option on the court so he will get open looks. That’s just how the NBA is. Either that or it opens the court for the rest of your guys and they are more effective. Yes he’s a role player; it’s just an important role in today’s NBA.

If your goal is to add a shooter and the choices are Herro at 14 or Johnson at say 20, I'd take Herro. His D will be an issue and you likely lose out on guys like Washington and Clarke who I really like, nevermind maybe Bol. Yet it makes sense. He's not just a floor spacer, he can get his own shot and create. He might be like Murray and be able to play some PG.

I just feel we need guys that can create and get there own shot if you might lose both Irving and Rozier.

I love Okeke! He's like Draymond Green for me, he does it all and is a glue type guy that really helps a team. If the knee injury isn't bad and the draft falls a certain way I'd still take him. If he was healthy he'd likely be close to if not a lottery pick. Like that's the type of guy to gamble on, screams Celtic pick. Also if we make three picks in the first, it isn't horrible that one is a redshirt guy.

This draft is hard, normally you go best available in the tier, then need. Yet with so many guys so close together it's crazy hard to say who would be best available. Yet Herro fits a big need and Okeke does also. Like that checks two big boxes if your building around Tatum and Brown. It's who else do you take?