First off…love the signature pic.
Regarding Thon Maker…..I shake my head at his path of choice. Prep HS ball in Canada? And then the NBA draft? So incredibly shortsighted.
From a C's perspective, there is no doubt in my mind Ainge will have an incredibly difficult time unloading many of his 8 draft picks because the #2's are near worthless as sweeteners to move up in round 1. So…with 5 picks in the 2nd, Ainge is likely to be shopping in the European market looking to gain control of assets that plan to stay in Europe for one or more years building a farm system on the continent that might bear fruit years down the road.
Back to Maker…..maybe the Celtics 3rd #1…..maybe…..but this guy is a stash and develop guy who will not benefit from little practice opportunities tucked on the end of an NBA bench. You can't teach height and that's an area of need for the C's so stockpiling projects seems reasonable……..early 2nd rounder would seem to offer value…..and then ship him off for fattening.
Thanks on the sig.
I think teams are always interested in getting an extra pick. Something simple like trading this years #45 or #58 for a conditional 2nd (or two) in 2018 or 2019, etc. is always doable. I know the Knicks are desperately trying to buy/acquire a pick in this draft, since they don't have one. Other teams as well, like the Nets, are looking to do the same. I think they can move them, but that the return will basically be a can kick type deferral to another draft down the road. That's fine by me, cuz you can't draft 8 players in a single year, and if they trade #45 for a 2nd in 2019 and it ends up being the 52nd pick that year, so be it. At least you retain some asset value that way. Using 8 picks is just not happening. If it is a matter of selling the pick for cash, then as a fan I'd much rather they use it on a draft and stash player.
My guess is that Maker's camp figures the intrique surrounding who he is, or what he could be, is the better gamble than going to college for a year and being a dud. He will get drafted, and it will likely be somewhere from 15 to 45. The 1st round would net him a guaranteed deal, and even the 2nd should too. Jordan Mickey, the Celtics early 2nd rounder from last year, signed a 4 years $5 million deal I believe. I think Makers camp probably weighed the risk reward and feels his draft stock might never be higher. Personally, without having read too much into his recent workouts, I think someone is going to take a gamble on him in the late 1st. There are a few teams with multiple picks in the 1st, and if his workouts are at all promising, they might opt to draft him and develop him in the NBADL. Worst case he goes in that 31-40 range I think. With all the picks the C's have, I think he makes sense with a roll of the dice inside that 23-45 range where the C's have what, 4 picks I think?
One thing about this draft is that while it isn't top heavy with elite talent, it is very deep through the 1st round. There's a lot of upside talent to be had. I think that's a result of the 1 and done system. Lots of 19 and 20 year olds play a year in college, or overseas, and then announce. It makes for a lot of raw, unknown commodities. Some will eventually become good players, some others will look like James Young. What these players also do, it push the vets a little further down the board. Guys like Denzel Valentine might get overlooked because some teams salivate over the raw upside of a Deyonta Davis or Skal.