Top 8 pick guaranteed. Congrats on successful tank job

[Celtics39]

I'm reading everywhere that we have slightly better odds then the Jazz at getting a top 3 pick (33.7% compared to 33.4%).  Does that mean that the Celtics would at most get the 7 seed if 3 lower seeds were to win the top 3 spots? I know that Utah and Boston share ping pong balls, but what happens to draft order after the lottery when there is a tie?

Also has anyone figure out the possibility of the Celtics getting bumped 3 spots lower at the 4.5 spot?  Its gotta be below 1%.

Coin flip between us and Utah for the 4th spot. If we lose it and pick 5th, then the lowest possible pick we can have is 8th. If we win the coin flip, then the lowest possible pick we can have is 7.

Yeah I believe it will be just over 1% or under 1% depending on the coin flip with Utah.

[fairweatherfan]

I'm reading everywhere that we have slightly better odds then the Jazz at getting a top 3 pick (33.7% compared to 33.4%).  Does that mean that the Celtics would at most get the 7 seed if 3 lower seeds were to win the top 3 spots? I know that Utah and Boston share ping pong balls, but what happens to draft order after the lottery when there is a tie?

Also has anyone figure out the possibility of the Celtics getting bumped 3 spots lower at the 4.5 spot?  Its gotta be below 1%.

Those numbers would be if we won the coin flip with Utah (hasn't happened yet).  If so, we'd be in the #4 spot and couldn't drop below 7.

[LilRip]

the most important thing i've learned this season is:

reverse jinxing works. Thanks for the life lesson, LarBrd33.

Now, i'm pretty sure we'll end up with the 6th overall pick. I don't really have a preference, but i think Ainge takes Smart. I'm just guessing.

[Kane3387]

the most important thing i've learned this season is:

reverse jinxing works. Thanks for the life lesson, LarBrd33.

Now, i'm pretty sure we'll end up with the 6th overall pick. I don't really have a preference, but i think Ainge takes Smart. I'm just guessing.

Calling it now. Embiid.

[LarBrd33]

the most important thing i've learned this season is:

reverse jinxing works. Thanks for the life lesson, LarBrd33.

Now, i'm pretty sure we'll end up with the 6th overall pick. I don't really have a preference, but i think Ainge takes Smart. I'm just guessing.

Calling it now. Embiid.

Calling it now... Parker stays in school, we drop to #8 and draft Doug McDermott... who develops into poor man's Kevin Pittsnoogle.

Shut your face with your optimism. 

Lol, JK.  I'm pumped about today.  Can't wait to see how this pans out.

[rondohondo]

the most important thing i've learned this season is:

reverse jinxing works. Thanks for the life lesson, LarBrd33.

Now, i'm pretty sure we'll end up with the 6th overall pick. I don't really have a preference, but i think Ainge takes Smart. I'm just guessing.

Calling it now. Embiid.

That would give us a lethal Big man rotation of Sully,KOand Embiid . He is exactly what we need, but I'll take Wiggins or Parker (if he enters) too.

Stauskus with our 2nd pick

PG: Rondo      / Pressey
SG: Bradley   / Stauskus
SF: Green     / Wallace
PF: Sully       / Bass
 C: Embiid    / KO

 

[crimson_stallion]

Lol I know, right?  I'm a homer... I thought Rondo was going to help us win.  Totally overreacted.  Best of both worlds... kept Rondo and still landed our prime asset. 

Danny Ainge is a Golden God!  WOOOOOOOOO!!

Best.... Day...Of...The... Season.    Top 8, pick baby!  WE DID IT!

Wiggins, Embiid, Parker, Exum, Randle, Vonleh, Smart, Gordon.   2013/14 Tank Job = Nailed it.

So very true. 

To be completely honest I would be pretty happy with any one of the guys on that list as a keeper for this team.  The only guy I wouldn't want is Randle, only because I think he is redundant given he is too small to play C and we already have so many PF's (Sully, Olynyk, Bass, Hump if re-signed).

That said, even if we got tghe 8th pick and Randle was the last top-8 guy available, I'd still be happy to take him.  It would leave the Celtics with two good options:

1) Trade him along with other assets for a proven talent
2) Keep him as a prospect and trade Sullinger

Both guys should have solid trade value, so we would likely get a decent return.  I do think Randle probably has higher upside than Sully because even though he has similar size issues, he makes up for that somewhat with superior athleticism, far better defensive skills and zero no injury history. 

A starting lineup of Rondo, Bradley, Green, Randle and Olynyk would have a speed advantage over most teams out there.

Any of those other guys I'd be pretty happy with, and if we get at land 5th or 6th  (giving us a chance to take Smart or Vonleh) then I'll be even happier.

If we land in the top 4 I will be beyond estatic. 

Gotta give so much credit to Danny for getting the Celtics to this point.  Every single move he made had a play in this - the Brooklyn trade, the Courtney Lee trade, the Crawford trade, you name it.  At the end of the day all it would have taken is 3 extra wins to propel us to the no-mans land where we would have become that really bad team that picks 12th in the draft.

[crimson_stallion]

On a side note, I'd be super thrilled if this comes true:

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2014/

Utah taking Randle at #4, with Exum falling to Boston at #5.  I'd be over the moon if we get Exum!

[j804]

It's worth pointing out, we could still get the 7th or 8th pick and end up with a guy who peaks as a borderline starter.

Important to keep these things in mind.

I'm hopeful we'll get an All-Star caliber guy who can help lead the team into the next era, though.



Also:

So much for your whole "omg we're going to go on a run and make the playoffs everybody panic" thing, LarBrd33.

Lol I know, right?  I'm a homer... I thought Rondo was going to help us win.  Totally overreacted.  Best of both worlds... kept Rondo and still landed our prime asset. 

Danny Ainge is a Golden God!  WOOOOOOOOO!!

Best.... Day...Of...The... Season.    Top 8, pick baby!  WE DID IT!

Wiggins, Embiid, Parker, Exum, Randle, Vonleh, Smart, Gordon.   2013/14 Tank Job = Nailed it.

LOL wait did we win a championship or something, well fitting I guess you wanted to tank before training camp. I gotta admit now that our positions locked I'm a little stoked. 

[LarBrd33]

It's worth pointing out, we could still get the 7th or 8th pick and end up with a guy who peaks as a borderline starter.

Important to keep these things in mind.

I'm hopeful we'll get an All-Star caliber guy who can help lead the team into the next era, though.



Also:

So much for your whole "omg we're going to go on a run and make the playoffs everybody panic" thing, LarBrd33.

Lol I know, right?  I'm a homer... I thought Rondo was going to help us win.  Totally overreacted.  Best of both worlds... kept Rondo and still landed our prime asset. 

Danny Ainge is a Golden God!  WOOOOOOOOO!!

Best.... Day...Of...The... Season.    Top 8, pick baby!  WE DID IT!

Wiggins, Embiid, Parker, Exum, Randle, Vonleh, Smart, Gordon.   2013/14 Tank Job = Nailed it.

LOL wait did we win a championship or something, well fitting I guess you wanted to tank before training camp. I gotta admit now that our positions locked I'm a little stoked. 

Consider this... our pick (most likely #4 or #5 depending on the coin flip) is the single most valuable asset on the entire team.  That includes every single player on the roster.  There is no bigger trade chip than that pick. 

Had we made the playoffs this year, got swept by Indiana and ended up with the #15 pick... it would have been a wasted season.  That hypothetical pick is no more valuable than the one we are getting from Brooklyn this season.  Nice asset, but not a golden egg. 

Ainge could mess this up... there's no guarantees.  But from a big picture perspective, this was a phenomenally orchestrated season.  The patience he had was mindblowing.  A lesser GM would have dumped Rondo at a discount just to ensure that a Top 8 pick was locked in.  Ainge knew his team would bottom out regardless... and now he's got infinite options.   It was clear this was the plan from the moment we dumped KG and Pierce.  Tank a season, grab a golden egg, and regroup.   No short-sighted trades to improve the team.  Dump veterans whenever possible (Lee/Crawford).  At points in this season I got nervous that we'd blow it simply by inching towards mediocrity too soon.   I'm so glad we got to the end goal. 

Now the focus should adjust towards making the team as competitive as possible.  Boston isn't going to put themselves in a position to tank indefinitely.  We grabbed our golden egg...  we still have a bounty of picks, Rondo, some potentially expendable youngins and some expirings... We are set up beautifully for this summer.  The only thing we are lacking is cap space.

Tp's for everyone!

[freshinthehouse]

2013/14 Tank Job = Nailed it.

[TheBigTicket23]

Can it please already be May 20th!? Then we know so much more! I'm just hoping we get lucky, get a top 4 pick and can either draft Embiid, Wiggins, Parker or Exum, making the assumption that this Parker dude actually enters!!

[obnoxiousmime]

The last Utah win was a pleasant surprise, but is it too greedy to say I still wish the Celtics hadn't won those two games a week ago? Tied for the third spot is a bit nicer than tied for fourth, after all..

Oh well, at least the Lakers finished behind us.

[saltlover]

The last Utah win was a pleasant surprise, but is it too greedy to say I still wish the Celtics hadn't won those two games a week ago? Tied for the third spot is a bit nicer than tied for fourth, after all..

Oh well, at least the Lakers finished behind us.

If we lost to just the Bobcats, we'd be in fourth alone, and the Nets pick could fall to #16 depending on the results of the tiebreaker drawings.

[nickagneta]

is it too greedy to say I still wish the Celtics hadn't won those two games a week ago?

 

Probably given the Celtics should absolutely, under no circumstances, have lost to Philly twice. So if we are going to bemoan not winning those two games against Charlotte and Cleveland, I think we should thank our lucky stars it was offset by those Philly losses which should never have happened.