We get picks #16, #28, #33 and #45.

[Tr1boy]

Lyles makes zero sense to me. The gamble with Lyles is can he do in the pros what he was able to do in college. We know Sullinger can be very effective in the pros. The gamble with Sullinger is can he get in proper shape to perform to the best of his capability. If Sullinger can put up 14/8 with a bigger gut than 80 year old Tom Heinsohn, I'd like to see what he can do at 260 lbs. He's already looking more passable on D having dropped just 20 lbs.

Basically, I'd rather gamble on Sullinger and gamble on another position of need (Ford really has us taking Lyles and passing on Booker?) than gamble on both Sully and Lyles, run the risk of them both failing, and then not only having nothing at PF but also still nothing at SF and C outside of Crowder and Zeller (not gonna cut it).

Lyles can be the type of 4 that the C's have had the most success with this year. A 4 that shoots 3's and spaces the floor. So think of someone more like Olynyk than Sullinger, except the difference between Lyles and Olynyk is length and strength.

The team took off when they started to play smaller with perimeter 4's, and thus I expect them to draft a long term perimeter 4 (if they can't get one of the good 5's or 3's).

Interesting, admittedly I didn't really pay attention to Lyles once I saw a Sullinger player comp earlier in the year. If he can shoot 3s that changes things. If he has more length and strength than Olynyk that also changes things.

I'd still prefer moving up for Turner. Again, if Sullinger gets his head in the game (probably as big a risk as drafting Lyles and hopes he reaches his ceiling), he can be as good a player for us as Lyles can be. 260 lbs Sullinger can easily play the D that's keeping Jerebko and Olynyk on the floor, hit the outside jumper (but probably not the 3), and is arguably the best passer out of any of the PFs in this conversation (Lyles, Sully, Olynyk, Jerebko). That's an extremely effective player in Stevens' system. I'd rather roll the dice on him and move up for Turner.

Sullinger is a better passer than KO or Lyles??

I know your a big Sully fan but come on

[CelticGuardian]

Lyles makes zero sense to me. The gamble with Lyles is can he do in the pros what he was able to do in college. We know Sullinger can be very effective in the pros. The gamble with Sullinger is can he get in proper shape to perform to the best of his capability. If Sullinger can put up 14/8 with a bigger gut than 80 year old Tom Heinsohn, I'd like to see what he can do at 260 lbs. He's already looking more passable on D having dropped just 20 lbs.

Basically, I'd rather gamble on Sullinger and gamble on another position of need (Ford really has us taking Lyles and passing on Booker?) than gamble on both Sully and Lyles, run the risk of them both failing, and then not only having nothing at PF but also still nothing at SF and C outside of Crowder and Zeller (not gonna cut it).

Lyles can be the type of 4 that the C's have had the most success with this year. A 4 that shoots 3's and spaces the floor. So think of someone more like Olynyk than Sullinger, except the difference between Lyles and Olynyk is length and strength.

The team took off when they started to play smaller with perimeter 4's, and thus I expect them to draft a long term perimeter 4 (if they can't get one of the good 5's or 3's).

Interesting, admittedly I didn't really pay attention to Lyles once I saw a Sullinger player comp earlier in the year. If he can shoot 3s that changes things. If he has more length and strength than Olynyk that also changes things.

I'd still prefer moving up for Turner. Again, if Sullinger gets his head in the game (probably as big a risk as drafting Lyles and hopes he reaches his ceiling), he can be as good a player for us as Lyles can be. 260 lbs Sullinger can easily play the D that's keeping Jerebko and Olynyk on the floor, hit the outside jumper (but probably not the 3), and is arguably the best passer out of any of the PFs in this conversation (Lyles, Sully, Olynyk, Jerebko). That's an extremely effective player in Stevens' system. I'd rather roll the dice on him and move up for Turner.

Sullinger is a better passer than KO or Lyles??

I know your a big Sully fan but come on

Olynyk can run the floor... like, I don't even have to stress why that is important..

[Tr1boy]

What about Jarell Martin at 28??

http://youtu.be/hIncfASyba0

[TheFlex]

Lyles makes zero sense to me. The gamble with Lyles is can he do in the pros what he was able to do in college. We know Sullinger can be very effective in the pros. The gamble with Sullinger is can he get in proper shape to perform to the best of his capability. If Sullinger can put up 14/8 with a bigger gut than 80 year old Tom Heinsohn, I'd like to see what he can do at 260 lbs. He's already looking more passable on D having dropped just 20 lbs.

Basically, I'd rather gamble on Sullinger and gamble on another position of need (Ford really has us taking Lyles and passing on Booker?) than gamble on both Sully and Lyles, run the risk of them both failing, and then not only having nothing at PF but also still nothing at SF and C outside of Crowder and Zeller (not gonna cut it).

Lyles can be the type of 4 that the C's have had the most success with this year. A 4 that shoots 3's and spaces the floor. So think of someone more like Olynyk than Sullinger, except the difference between Lyles and Olynyk is length and strength.

The team took off when they started to play smaller with perimeter 4's, and thus I expect them to draft a long term perimeter 4 (if they can't get one of the good 5's or 3's).

Interesting, admittedly I didn't really pay attention to Lyles once I saw a Sullinger player comp earlier in the year. If he can shoot 3s that changes things. If he has more length and strength than Olynyk that also changes things.

I'd still prefer moving up for Turner. Again, if Sullinger gets his head in the game (probably as big a risk as drafting Lyles and hopes he reaches his ceiling), he can be as good a player for us as Lyles can be. 260 lbs Sullinger can easily play the D that's keeping Jerebko and Olynyk on the floor, hit the outside jumper (but probably not the 3), and is arguably the best passer out of any of the PFs in this conversation (Lyles, Sully, Olynyk, Jerebko). That's an extremely effective player in Stevens' system. I'd rather roll the dice on him and move up for Turner.

Sullinger is a better passer than KO or Lyles??

I know your a big Sully fan but come on

Compare their assists/36.

[Tr1boy]

Lyles makes zero sense to me. The gamble with Lyles is can he do in the pros what he was able to do in college. We know Sullinger can be very effective in the pros. The gamble with Sullinger is can he get in proper shape to perform to the best of his capability. If Sullinger can put up 14/8 with a bigger gut than 80 year old Tom Heinsohn, I'd like to see what he can do at 260 lbs. He's already looking more passable on D having dropped just 20 lbs.

Basically, I'd rather gamble on Sullinger and gamble on another position of need (Ford really has us taking Lyles and passing on Booker?) than gamble on both Sully and Lyles, run the risk of them both failing, and then not only having nothing at PF but also still nothing at SF and C outside of Crowder and Zeller (not gonna cut it).

Lyles can be the type of 4 that the C's have had the most success with this year. A 4 that shoots 3's and spaces the floor. So think of someone more like Olynyk than Sullinger, except the difference between Lyles and Olynyk is length and strength.

The team took off when they started to play smaller with perimeter 4's, and thus I expect them to draft a long term perimeter 4 (if they can't get one of the good 5's or 3's).

Interesting, admittedly I didn't really pay attention to Lyles once I saw a Sullinger player comp earlier in the year. If he can shoot 3s that changes things. If he has more length and strength than Olynyk that also changes things.

I'd still prefer moving up for Turner. Again, if Sullinger gets his head in the game (probably as big a risk as drafting Lyles and hopes he reaches his ceiling), he can be as good a player for us as Lyles can be. 260 lbs Sullinger can easily play the D that's keeping Jerebko and Olynyk on the floor, hit the outside jumper (but probably not the 3), and is arguably the best passer out of any of the PFs in this conversation (Lyles, Sully, Olynyk, Jerebko). That's an extremely effective player in Stevens' system. I'd rather roll the dice on him and move up for Turner.

Sullinger is a better passer than KO or Lyles??

I know your a big Sully fan but come on

Compare their assists/36.

Dude Sully is not a better passer.  Why dont you start a poll and see what happens

[pearljammer10]

Lyles makes zero sense to me. The gamble with Lyles is can he do in the pros what he was able to do in college. We know Sullinger can be very effective in the pros. The gamble with Sullinger is can he get in proper shape to perform to the best of his capability. If Sullinger can put up 14/8 with a bigger gut than 80 year old Tom Heinsohn, I'd like to see what he can do at 260 lbs. He's already looking more passable on D having dropped just 20 lbs.

Basically, I'd rather gamble on Sullinger and gamble on another position of need (Ford really has us taking Lyles and passing on Booker?) than gamble on both Sully and Lyles, run the risk of them both failing, and then not only having nothing at PF but also still nothing at SF and C outside of Crowder and Zeller (not gonna cut it).

Lyles can be the type of 4 that the C's have had the most success with this year. A 4 that shoots 3's and spaces the floor. So think of someone more like Olynyk than Sullinger, except the difference between Lyles and Olynyk is length and strength.

The team took off when they started to play smaller with perimeter 4's, and thus I expect them to draft a long term perimeter 4 (if they can't get one of the good 5's or 3's).

Interesting, admittedly I didn't really pay attention to Lyles once I saw a Sullinger player comp earlier in the year. If he can shoot 3s that changes things. If he has more length and strength than Olynyk that also changes things.

I'd still prefer moving up for Turner. Again, if Sullinger gets his head in the game (probably as big a risk as drafting Lyles and hopes he reaches his ceiling), he can be as good a player for us as Lyles can be. 260 lbs Sullinger can easily play the D that's keeping Jerebko and Olynyk on the floor, hit the outside jumper (but probably not the 3), and is arguably the best passer out of any of the PFs in this conversation (Lyles, Sully, Olynyk, Jerebko). That's an extremely effective player in Stevens' system. I'd rather roll the dice on him and move up for Turner.

Sullinger is a better passer than KO or Lyles??

I know your a big Sully fan but come on

Compare their assists/36.

Dude Sully is not a better passer.  Why dont you start a poll and see what happens

You don't need a poll or per 36 numbers to see that KO is clearly a better passer than Sully and it's not even close.

[TheFlex]

Demeaning my argument is not exactly strong rationale to support your position.

[MBunge]

If Ainge doesn't package our picks together to move up, the one thing I want more than anything else in this draft is athleticism.  We've got a team full of average to below average NBA athletes.  It would be great to see what Harrell out of Louisville could do playing alongside KO, Zeller and Sully.

Mike

[PhoSita]

Assists per game is not really the same thing as passing ability.

But I do think Sully is a pretty good passer.

[PhoSita]

If Ainge doesn't package our picks together to move up, the one thing I want more than anything else in this draft is athleticism.  We've got a team full of average to below average NBA athletes.  It would be great to see what Harrell out of Louisville could do playing alongside KO, Zeller and Sully.

Mike

Length is even more important than athleticism, I think.  In today's switching, perimeter oriented league, having a team with a lot of length is important.

[TheFlex]

Assists per game is not really the same thing as passing ability.

But I do think Sully is a pretty good passer.

Passing is a tricky skill to judge. I never said assists were the end all be all determinant, but there's not much else to quantify passing ability.

On eyes alone: I think a lot of fans confuse Olynyk's lethal ability to handle the rock at 7 ft with his passing ability. Olynyk is a good passer, but it's his quick release and ball handling in addition to his fine passing skills that make him a superior shot creator to Sully. In a vacuum, though, where passing is the only thing being judged, I actually do believe Sully gets the nod.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I would dare say that we should pick Robert Upshaw at #16 before someone else does.

The risk will be at an all time high, but so is the reward. At where we are picking, he's probably one, if not, the most upside of whoever guys are left. I get it that there needs to be a ton of work to do for him, especially maturity issues, but basketball wise, he fills a need and there's potential. I say grab him at #16 before anybody else. If NBA teams would be willing to gamble because he has basketball potential, why can't it be us?

[Ilikesports17]

I would dare say that we should pick Robert Upshaw at #16 before someone else does.

The risk will be at an all time high, but so is the reward. At where we are picking, he's probably one, if not, the most upside of whoever is left. I get it that there needs to be a ton of work to do for him, especially maturity issues, but basketball wise, he fills a need and there's potential. I say grab him at #16 before anybody else. If NBA teams would be willing to gamble because he has basketball potential, why can't it be us?

Pretty big reach there I dont want him at all and if we take him Id rather it be at 28 or 33

[TheFlex]

I would dare say that we should pick Robert Upshaw at #16 before someone else does.

The risk will be at an all time high, but so is the reward. At where we are picking, he's probably one, if not, the most upside of whoever is left. I get it that there needs to be a ton of work to do for him, especially maturity issues, but basketball wise, he fills a need and there's potential. I say grab him at #16 before anybody else. If NBA teams would be willing to gamble because he has basketball potential, why can't it be us?

I don't mind reaching for him, but it seems like 16 would be a giant reach. Why not just trade back to 25 and take him?

[Yoki_IsTheName]

I would dare say that we should pick Robert Upshaw at #16 before someone else does.

The risk will be at an all time high, but so is the reward. At where we are picking, he's probably one, if not, the most upside of whoever is left. I get it that there needs to be a ton of work to do for him, especially maturity issues, but basketball wise, he fills a need and there's potential. I say grab him at #16 before anybody else. If NBA teams would be willing to gamble because he has basketball potential, why can't it be us?

I don't mind reaching for him, but it seems like 16 would be a giant reach. Why not just trade back to 25 and take him?

You are making my point, Flex. Someone may try to reach for him. I'm saying pick him now before someone else does. He's a projected 2nd rounder by DraftExpress. With Tim Duncan possibly retiring, Robin Lopez' free agency, Tyson Chandler getting older, and the Lakers not having a legit Center, teams my try to reach him.

Is #16 a very high reach, absolutely. But know this, we reach at #16, we get a guy who, while needs a some work, is someone who is big, and with great potential. Why risk having him being reached by other teams when we can. I mean, at #16, most of the picks could probably wing guys, or role player/bench guys. Upshaw has the potential to be a solid rim protector and an inside presence, don't let him be within range of other teams.