Blakely: Celtics' top five draft picks under Ainge

Share

BOSTON -- My, how things have changed since Danny Ainge took over as the basketball czar of the Boston Celtics in 2003.

Leading up to his first draft, Ainge’s lone pick was the 56th overall.

They selected Ohio rebounding stud Brandon Hunter, whose NBA shelf life lasted a total of two seasons.

Ainge is back on the clock this season, but the Celtics’ draft prospects are radically different than his first go-around.

He comes into Thursday’s draft with a total of four picks which includes the 16th and 28th overall picks in the first round, and the 33rd and 45th picks in the second.

The players may change and the Celtics’ draft position may shift, but the focus regardless of where they are selecting remains the same.

“It’s always about adding the best player to help your team,” Ainge told CSNNE.com. “Sometimes it’s short-term, sometimes it’s down the road a little. But you’re always trying to find the best players to help you win games.”

During his 12 previous drafts, Ainge has had his share of successes as well as failures such Fab Melo in 2012, Marshon Brooks in 2011 (they traded him to Brooklyn for JaJuan Johnson who actually turned out to be a worst pro than Brooks), and J.R. Giddens in 2008 (both DeAndre Jordan and Omer Asik were taken in the second round of that year’s draft).

But Ainge has had his share of draft picks that worked out better than expected.

Here we take a look at five of Ainge’s best draft hits here in Boston.

5. Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Draft selection: First round, 21st overall in 2012.

Summary: Sullinger was projected as a lottery (top-14) pick, but he was medically red-flagged by a number of teams that were concerned about his back being an issue in the NBA. Sullinger saw his stock slide all the way down to Boston which turned out to be a good thing for all involved. Sullinger had a chance to play as a rookie without having the weight of carrying a team on his shoulders like he had to do in high school and in college and in all likelihood would have had if he were taken in the lottery. In addition, Sullinger was able to learn both on and off the court from the likes of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

For Boston, the Celtics acquired a player whose talent was far better than his draft position. And while his back eventually required surgery, Sullinger has been a solid performer for the Celtics since they drafted him. And if he’s able to get his body in the kind of condition the Celtics envision, the 6-foot-9 forward will be even better going forward.

4. Ryan Gomes, Providence

Draft selection: Second Round, 50th overall in 2005

Summary: Very little was expected of Gomes during his first season with Boston. But he would prove to be yet another example of what happens when talent meets opportunity. A multi-player trade with Minnesota coupled with an injury to Kendrick Perkins paved the way for Gomes to play significant minutes his first season.

The former Providence College All-American would finish his rookie season averaging 7.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, good enough for a spot on the all-NBA rookie second team. He wound up playing 482 games over the course of eight seasons, the first two in Boston. 

3. Tony Allen, Oklahoma State

Draft selection: First round, 25th overall in 2004

Summary: Injuries and off-the-court issues seemed to follow Allen early in his career. But when healthy, Allen showcased a defensive brand of basketball that stood out from the others. As important as Allen’s role off the Celtics bench was during the team’s 2008 title run, he has really made a name for himself since signing with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2010. The 6-foot-4 Allen has been a perennial all-NBA defender whose play has been pivotal to Memphis morphing into one of the league’s elite teams defensively. Not re-signing Allen in 2009 has been one of the more glaring missteps made by Ainge.

2. Jeff Green, Georgetown

Draft selection: First round, 5th overall in 2007

Summary: With the league’s worst record and thus the best shot at the top pick, the Celtics felt good about landing Greg Oden or Kevin Durant -- the consensus top two picks that year. Instead they wound up with the fifth overall pick and elected to go with Jeff Green.

While the Celtics liked Green, truth be told they liked Ray Allen -- a veteran who was available for the taking -- a lot more.

So they traded the Green pick along with players, to Seattle (now Oklahoma City) for Allen.

Allen was the first major acquisition by Ainge that elevated them to deep playoff status. Signing Allen would open the door for future signings down the road that proved pivotal in Boston’s quest to regain its place among the NBA’s elite.

Green would eventually wind up playing for Boston after the team traded Kendrick Perkins for Green in 2010. But as talented as Green was, he never played with the kind of consistency Boston was looking for. That ultimately led to them trading him to Memphis in January.

Many of the same concerns in Boston re-appeared in Memphis which is in part why Green elected to opt-in to the final year of his contract which pays him $9.2 million next season.

1. Al Jefferson, Prentiss (Miss.) High School

Draft selection: First round, 15th overall in 2004

Summary: The selection of Jefferson was historic on multiple levels for Boston. He was the first high school player that the Celtics drafted (Kendrick Perkins was acquired in 2003 by Boston on draft night, but was actually selected by Memphis).

In addition, he was arguably the key piece in Boston’s Big Three of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett coming to fruition.

Boston shipped a number of players to Minnesota for Garnett in 2007, but none was more important to the deal getting done than Jefferson.

In his three seasons with the Celtics, Jefferson showcased an offensive game that even now ranks among the best in the league.

For Minnesota to move a player as talented as Garnett, they had to get a promising youngster of Jefferson’s caliber in return.

And while there was no playoff share or championship ring for Jefferson following Boston bringing home Banner 17 in 2008, there was no mistaking the importance of Jefferson in making it happen.

Had the Celtics not been able to develop him into a borderline all-star during his first three seasons, Minnesota would have had no interest trading Garnett for him and other players.

And if the Celtics had not pulled off that deal, who knows how long it would have taken for them to win a championship?

Contact Us