Author Topic: Which '18 Prospect fits best with Stevens and our short/long term roster?  (Read 3293 times)

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Offline Boise To Boston

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It's looking more and more like the Lakers might gift us a 2-5 pick, although Lonzo/Lopez coming back from injury could change their trajectory a bit.  Plus having Lavar's focus over in Lithuania can't be a bad thing for his oldest kid.

All that aside, I'm curious to know what you all think of the current Top-6 (Doncic, Bagley, Ayton, Bamba, Porter, Young) and how they fit with our team both in the short term (next 2 seasons) and long term (next 5-6 years).  Here's my take just as a starting point, but I'm really curious to know what you all think:

Doncic - He strikes me as a 2/3 who becomes the primary ball-handler, similar to the way Pippen brought the ball up for the Bulls or how LBJ does (comparisons stop there).  I'd love a lineup small-ball lineup with Irving, Brown, Doncic, Hayward, and Tatum/Horford.  But when you write all those names out, you start to see the issue with taking him - ANOTHER wing.  Just seems like we need a big more than another wing, especially as Horford ages.

Ayton - He seems like the best fit of anyone to me.  He has range with his shot.  He's a beast on the boards, and he's the most freakish athlete of anyone in the draft.  His defense is improving and when you bring him under the wings of Stevens, Irving, Horford, etc. - I think he'll continue to get better.  Having him on the floor switching everything allows you to play small ball without actually going small - and that's the sort of thing that could give top-notch WC teams fits.

Bagley - Similar to Ayton, but minus the shooting touch and rim-protection potential.  Probably a better defender and rebounder now.  When he develops he'd be like Baynes but with better lateral quickness and the ability to switch onto smaller defenders.

Young - Who can't use a 3-pt bomber?  Reminds me a lot of Kyrie, but I'm not sure that using two small guards is what Stevens wants to do long-term.  He'd come off the bench in the short run, and probably makes either Tito or Smart expendable long-term.   

Bamba -Elite rim protector with soft touch on the mid-range J.  Certainly a guy you can use in spurts, but I'm not sure he can stay on the floor vs. small ball centers - especially with what seems to be a lack of any ability to make them pay with his offensive game.

Porter - Might be the best offensive prospect in the draft, but I wouldn't touch him with a 2-5 pick given the other 5 guys on the board.  I just can't get on board with a skinny guy who's almost 7-feet tall who misses an entire season of basketball due to a back injury before his 20th birthday.  The risk is too high.


Offline Birdman

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Great post!! TP..I would pass on Porter..back surgery at his age is risking...Doncic I would also pass..how many euro players actually become great players..very few...other 4 I would take in order:
1 Bagley
2 ayron
3 young
4 bamba
C/PF-Horford, Baynes, Noel, Theis, Morris,
SF/SG- Tatum, Brown, Hayward, Smart, Semi, Clark
PG- Irving, Rozier, Larkin

Offline Phantom255x

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Ayton or Bagley!
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Offline konkmv

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ayton bagley porter

Offline saltlover

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Honestly, we have a versatile roster and a terrific coach — the best player will be the best fit.  Be it Doncic to alleviate the potential loss of Smart as a ballhandler while being a 6’8” wing, or one of the bigs, there will be an immediate role for the player to contribute in a way that takes advantages of his skills.  There’s no need to worry about fit — if you pick a guy who can play, he’ll fit.

Offline Phantom255x

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Honestly, we have a versatile roster and a terrific coach — the best player will be the best fit.  Be it Doncic to alleviate the potential loss of Smart as a ballhandler while being a 6’8” wing, or one of the bigs, there will be an immediate role for the player to contribute in a way that takes advantages of his skills.  There’s no need to worry about fit — if you pick a guy who can play, he’ll fit.

Oh yeah that's true. Our needs could be a bit adjusted depending on what happens with Smart this summer.

Like now Young and Doncic don't look like "ideal fits", but if Smart goes elsewhere, more on this forum/blog will probably want them.
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Offline Csfan1984

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-Ayton is ideal with his skills and size. Combines Theis and Baynes strengths.
-Porter gives the team another Tatum which is scary.
-Doncic is perfect if we lose Smart. He has leadership and the ability to play multiple positions.
-Carter fits well with the style we want our bigs to play. Shows some nice defense as well.
-Mikal Bridges has a lot of skills and could be the best producing player of the draft for first two years in the league.
Besides that not much I see as "fits". DA was right to just top protect it.
« Last Edit: January 04, 2018, 05:41:27 PM by Csfan1984 »

Offline nickagneta

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I think if Doncic is on the board, you have to take him. Then that selection basically becomes the death knoll for Smart's time with the Celtics. Doncic will be on a 4 year cost controlled contract and would help keep the luxury tax payment lower. Also, Doncic is the most ready player available with one of the highest upsides. Gotta take him for maximizing both short term and long term team success.

Offline liam

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I think if Doncic is on the board, you have to take him. Then that selection basically becomes the death knoll for Smart's time with the Celtics. Doncic will be on a 4 year cost controlled contract and would help keep the luxury tax payment lower. Also, Doncic is the most ready player available with one of the highest upsides. Gotta take him for maximizing both short term and long term team success.

I agree about Doncic he's looking like the best player in this draft but if you can sign Smart to any kind of reasonable contract you keep him.

Online Who

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Doncic = ball-handling, passing, shooting and defensive versatility.

Checks all the boxes.

Re: Which '18 Prospect fits best with Stevens and our short/long term roster?
« Reply #10 on: January 04, 2018, 03:56:29 PM »

Offline Sophomore

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Ayton, Bagley, Doncic.

Horford is a critical and undervalued member of this team. If he is injured or has to be let go for salary reasons he’s leaving an enormous hole. Ayton or Bagley won’t do exactly what he does, but they are huge upgrades over the Cs next-best big-man options and should be ready to contribute in their rookie years, addressing real needs on the glass and for low-post scoring - potentially in a player who doesn’t have to leave the floor against small-ball lineups.

They also give the Cs a chance of putting a team on the floor with all-star or near all-star talent in five positions - in three years, consider: Kyrie, Brown, Hayward, Tatum, (Ayton/Bagley). With two of those contracts being roookie deals you can have them all.

Re: Which '18 Prospect fits best with Stevens and our short/long term roster?
« Reply #11 on: January 04, 2018, 04:08:46 PM »

Offline JBcat

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I think if Doncic is on the board, you have to take him. Then that selection basically becomes the death knoll for Smart's time with the Celtics. Doncic will be on a 4 year cost controlled contract and would help keep the luxury tax payment lower. Also, Doncic is the most ready player available with one of the highest upsides. Gotta take him for maximizing both short term and long term team success.

I don’t think we would have to let Smart go, at least right away. Doncic can play the 3 as well.  I’d at least like to re-sign Smart, and can trade him later on maybe part of a bigger trade so we don’t lose that asset. 

However ownership will have say in this because of the luxury tax bill. 

Maybe we could do a S&T with Smart as another option but those types of trades seem pretty rare these days.

Re: Which '18 Prospect fits best with Stevens and our short/long term roster?
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2018, 04:10:16 PM »

Offline CFAN38

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A case can be made that any of the top 6 Ayton, Bagely, Doncic, Porter, Bamba and Young would be a nice fit for the Celtics.

Ranking them from worst to best fit.

Bagely, probably fits the team the worst. His lack of rim protection as a 4/5 could be a problem long term. Though he is a great fit on offense.

Young, is an amazing prospect but may have trouble finishing at the rim on offense and I would worry about the defensive liability of he and Irving together on the court.

Doncic, he is another player who is a great fit on offense who may take time to adjust on defense. On a team deep with wings he would provide high level play making for the second unit.

Porter, his health will be the big question. If healthy he is a stud prospect who would give the Cs a legit issue with to much of a good thing at the wing. He could grow into one of the elite scoring wings in the league.

Bamba, others on this list may have broader more developed high end skill sets but Bamba has the makings of a generational defensive talent. His combination of obscene length, good timing, and high end positional lateral quickness could make him a defensive player of the year candidate at a young age. His offense is limited but he has good hands and right now is a good pick and dive big. At a young age he appears to have a better touch then similar defensive bigs (ex Jordan, Howard) and could very well develop a usable pick and pop game.

Ayton, he is the most complete big man to enter the league in years (less of a project then Embiid was). He will enter the league as one of the most complete offensive 7's in the league and is just a solid coaching job short of being a top 5 defensive center.   

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Re: Which '18 Prospect fits best with Stevens and our short/long term roster?
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2018, 06:17:24 PM »

Offline OldSchoolDude

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Re: Which '18 Prospect fits best with Stevens and our short/long term roster?
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2018, 06:54:03 PM »

Offline CelticsElite

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As another said, the case can be made for anyone being a net positive on our team.

Which makes an interesting situation where danny may feel comfortable to trade down yet again