Ainge Questions Impact of Draft
Boston Celtics General Manager Danny Ainge isn't opposed to adding new faces to his championship-winning team. He just doesn't know if the NBA Draft is the place to do it.
For the first time in years, the Celtics are looking at role players, not franchise saviors. Ainge isn't convinced that the 30th and 60th overall picks will be able to help the Cs defend the title. Even though they have scored late in the second round before with Leon Powe (49th) and Ryan Gomes (50th), two players Ainge thought would have been gone in the mid-20s, they aren't drafting for a rebuilding team.
"Considering the fact that 30th picks become a starter like 5% [of the time] … is a question," Ainge said via teleconference on Wednesday. "We have a deep roster as it is and I don't know. We hope that we can but the odds would say that we don't. I'm not sure a 60th player's even made it in the league and you're talking about trying to crack a [team] that's vying for a championship."
Ainge deemed the possibility of trading up "a long shot" and is eyeing a pool of 23 prospects. He plans on selecting the best available player regardless of size and position. While there is a possibility that free agents like James Posey and Eddie House could re-sign with the Celtics, he is not approaching the draft under the assumption that they will be back in green.
Ainge is also taking more than just ability into consideration, especially when adding to a team that is rooted so deeply in chemistry.
"I would say personality on the court means a lot," he said. "There's players that can make mistakes and get in the wrong place at the wrong time and there are players who habitually make mistakes, so there's a big difference. How they interact with teammates, how coachable they are, how hard they compete, those kinds of character issues are very, very important."
Despite being one of the few teams in the league without an international player on its roster, Ainge's sights are not set only in the U.S. He is open to obtaining the draft rights to a foreign player who can improve overseas. His hesitancy, however, is that the Celtics personnel would not be able to develop the players themselves.
Who will the Celtics pick on Draft Night? Stay with HOOPSWORLD for in-depth coverage of the 2008 NBA Draft live from New York City.
About the Author: JESSICA CAMERATO
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Jessica Camerato is a member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association and has covered the NBA for HOOPSWORLD for two years, powering HOOPSWORLD.COM and HOOPSWORLD Magazine.
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