Howe: Through uncertainty, C’s have options
In striking comparison to years past, the Celtics can afford to take a gamble at tonight’s draft. With the core of their roster intact, including all five starters locked up for at least two more years, they don’t need the impact player they’ve coveted in each of the last five Junes. And that’s a good thing, because with the 30th and 60th picks of the draft, the Celtics won’t get that type of player.
If you think the unpredictability of the first few picks is a slight shade of crazy, imagine how many surprises will happen in the first 29 selections. That’s why GM Danny Ainge said yesterday — half joking but entirely serious — he’s narrowed his pool down to 23 players whom he could take at No. 30.
One option Ainge all but ruled out was trading up in the draft because the price is too high for players Ainge is unwilling to roll the dice on. So, assuming the Celtics keep the 30th pick — or even trade down a few spots — here are some of their options:
Close your eyes and pray
As with every draft, highly ranked players will tumble down the board. It happened with Paul Pierce at the top, along with Leon Powe and Ryan Gomes, who each fell into the Celtics’ lap in recent years.
The C’s would love to get a true backup center tonight because it sounds like they don’t count on P.J. Brown returning for another season. Georgetown’s Roy Hibbert could easily turn into a bust, but he might be worth taking if he slides to the Celtics.
Memphis’ Chris Douglas-Roberts, who could play shooting guard or small forward, would be a tremendous pick if he falls. He’s NBA-ready, could take Tony Allen’s role and would be a great insurance policy if James Posey walks.
Best available
Ainge said only about 5 percent of players taken with the 30th pick become starters in the league, and he wasn’t even sure how many guys drafted 60th are around right now. Rather than getting picky with positional needs, it’s usually in a team’s best interest to simply select the best player available.
Western Kentucky shooting guard Courtney Lee, who has shot 40 percent from 3-point range over the last four years, would be valuable offense off the bench when Pierce or Ray Allen aren’t in the game. California center DeVon Hardin and Texas A&M big man DeAndre Jordan could be worthy picks there as well. And if the Celtics are looking for defensive role players, Memphis’ Joey Dorsey and UCLA’s Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, whose name is a beat writer’s nightmare, would fit nicely.
Across the ocean
Finally, Ainge welcomed the idea of drafting a European player and letting him develop overseas, and he actually said he would only draft certain foreign players if they agreed to that philosophy. The Celtics would own the player’s draft rights as long as they wish, and they wouldn’t pay his salary until he came to the NBA.
Jeff Howe covers the Celtics for Boston Metro.
