Entering Thursday, Ainge had made eight draft night trades in the previous 12 drafts.
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Celtics general manager Danny Ainge felt comfortable dealing the No. 1 pick knowing he could still land a quality wing – either Tatum or Jackson at No. 3.
The Celtics could have had Markelle Fultz, the player I consider to be the best guard prospect in the draft since John Wall in 2010.
The Celtics were rumored to be chasing Butler in recent seasons, especially during last year’s draft and again at February’s trade deadline.
So you might be nervous that the Celts are stuck in the same place they were before last season: Filled with great pieces but lacking a superstar (of course, you didn’t know Isaiah Thomas would have that kind of season).
Boston was unwilling to part with any of its valued draft assets in trading for Butler, per Lowe’s report.
Porzingis, the 7-foot-3 Latvian also known as the Unicorn, never materialized in green.
“It was a dream come true to be drafted by the best franchise in National Basketball Association history”, was the first statement that came out of Tatum’s mouth. His Hall of Fame coach, Mike Krzyzewski, says Tatum’s game “translates to the National Basketball Association maybe as well or better than anybody in the draft”. “Just being able to grow together, I think that’ll make our team chemistry a lot better”.
The Celtics’ coach told Tatum that he liked the idea of giving time to a player who can guard everyone from point guards to power forwards and can score. More than ever, he’s the heavy favorite to get his wish to play for his hometown team.
According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, the Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, and Denver Nuggets all engaged in trade negotiations with Chicago before bowing out. Coach K has tutored a total of 57 draft picks since taking over the Duke program in 1980, including a Draft-record 35 first-round selections.
Even after being drafted third overall and being a top-five recruit coming out of high school, Tatum wasn’t shy when it came to talking about what he needed to work on. He averaged 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting.577 from the field. There’s a lot to like about Jayson. According to several reports, the Celtics were engaged with IN in serious discussions about the all-star swingman, who is expected to get a max contract IN free agency next summer. “That’s the goal”, said Mr. Ball even as he expressed excitement on the possibility of teaming up with All-Star Paul George in Los Angeles. His 1,147 career points were the fourth-most in Duke history by a player in his first two seasons, trailing only Jason Williams (1,333), Art Heyman (1,237) and Johnny Dawkins (1,165).
Perhaps that’s what Stevens was envisioning as he stood by the flat-screen TV Thursday night, watching Tatum’s awe-inspiring highlight reel.
Ainge said Boston’s focus now is on the start of free agency July 1. Duke’s Jayson Tatum became the first player with North Carolina ties off the board, going third overall to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics have been high on Tatum throughout the draft process, and had him in for a private workout late last week.
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Boston Celtics first-round draft pick Jayson Tatum, left, poses alongside President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge at the team’s practice facility in Waltham on Friday. They believe Tatum will help them compete against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are suddenly in a state of dysfunction. In spite of that, we’ve watched Josh for two years and we’re fans.
