Originally Posted by
JasonEvans
It is worth pointing out that Boston cannot possibly use their giant stash of #1 draft picks. They have 5 first round picks in the next 3 drafts, or something like that. There's just no way they plan to keep all those picks, filling their roster with guys that young. While it is wise to point out how this deal frees up a little extra cap space for the Celtics, the deal also nets them extra draft assets they can use to do what they really want to do... trade for a star.
The draft is a crapshoot. Sure, some guys are sure things, but most years no one knows whether Jonny Flynn (taken #6 in 2009 draft) is going to be better than Steph Curry (taken #7 in 2009). Ainge wants to use his crapshoot picks to get a stud.
My bet is that he is targeting Anthony Davis, who has to be frustrated at the Pelicans inability to surround him with decent teammates. Davis is arguably the top big man in basketball today and his team didn't even win 35 games this past season.
Would the Pelicans do Davis for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, and a couple of the Celtics desirable picks? I think that deal would work under the cap (Boston might have to throw in a bit more salary filler, like Jerebko or something).
-Jason "Davis is signed for an average of about $26 mil a year for the next 4 seasons... in a year or two, I think that will look like a huge bargain!" Evans