How well does Danny work the draft?

[The Jazz Wonderbra]

Research: Which executives have drafted the most NBA stars?

To a large extent, the NBA draft is a crapshoot. But some executives excel at that crapshoot more than others. In the modern era, Sam Presti, for example, has an impressive track record with three …

hoopshype.com

I thought this article was interesting. I think it has some holes. What position you draft and how many picks you have makes a big difference in the odds of getting an all nba player. And heaven knows Danny has drafted more than most each season.

Still, interesting food for though considering we are betting on the draft.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

I thought the Jazz nailed this past draft. They got lucky, but I guess they say luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

 

[HermanG]

Just out of curiosity, I went to check who he has drafted over the years and where. Here is a short summary listing every DA FRP made before his Jazz era. I excluded guys who he traded away on draft day. I may have missed some incoming trades that he did on draft day but the transaction logs are kinda painful to check for rookies, so maybe I come back to check those later.

Top 10 draft picks

• Marcus Smart (#6 in 2014)
• Jaylen Brown (#3 in 2016)
• Jayson Tatum (#3 in 2017)

In addition to these three, Ainge also had two other top 10 picks that he traded away on draft day in the early 2000s' (Randy Foye and Jeff Green were selected with those).

Picks at 11-20

• Troy Bell (#16 in 2003)
• Dahntay Jones (#20 in 2003)
• Al Jefferson (#15 in 2004)
• Gerald Green (#18 in 2005)
• Avery Bradley (#19 in 2010)
• James Young (#17 in 2014)
• Terry Rozier (#16 in 2015)
• Guerschon Yabusele (#16 in 2016)
• Romeo Langford (#14 in 2019)
• Matisse Thybulle (#20 in 2019) (traded the next day)
• Aaron Nesmith (#14 in 2020)

Picks at 21-30

• Delonte West (#24 in 2004)
• Tony Allen (#25 in 2004)
• Rajon Rondo (#21 in 2006) (traded a 2007 FRP for Rondo + Brian Grant on draft day)
• J.R. Giddens (#30 in 2008)
• Jared Sullinger (#21 in 2012)
• Fab Melo (#22 in 2012)
• R.J. Hunter (#28 in 2015)
• Ante Zizic (#23 in 2016)
• Robert Williams III (#27 in 2018)
• Grant Williams (#22 in 2019)
• Payton Pritchard (#26 in 2020)
• Desmond Bane (#30 in 2020) (traded two days later)

I would say overall he has done much better than average on his picks. He has traded out of the top 10 twice but other than that Taylor Hendricks is actually only the 4th top 10 selection of Ainge's career who he has kept beyond draft day, with every top 10 pick before TH making either All-NBA 1st or 2nd or All-Defense 1st team.

 

[hgb]

From that list, I'd say the three top 10 picks are all very good picks, of the 11-20 picks Al Jefferson, Avery Bradley, Terry Rozier and Aaron Nesmith at least have been good picks and in 21-30 Rondo, Tony Allen, both Williamses and Bane are great picks, looks like Pritchard is pretty useful too.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Danny got a different team here. Drafting is probably more democratic than we think.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Danny got a different team here. Drafting is probably more democratic than we think.

I think the buck still stops with the GM for the most part but a lot of the info filtering up to them and the voices in the room matter. It should also be stated that guys can improve or learn from past mistakes on this stuff. Also I still think there is a fair amount of luck in the draft. As long as the process and thought behind each pick is sound I don't have issues with hits and misses. I don't think I've had issue with any of the picks he has made even if they aren't guys I loved.

 

[Agent#00]

Just out of curiosity, I went to check who he has drafted over the years and where. Here is a short summary listing every DA FRP made before his Jazz era. I excluded guys who he traded away on draft day. I may have missed some incoming trades that he did on draft day but the transaction logs are kinda painful to check for rookies, so maybe I come back to check those later.

Top 10 draft picks

• Marcus Smart (#6 in 2014)
• Jaylen Brown (#3 in 2016)
• Jayson Tatum (#3 in 2017)

2016 and 2017 draft was bonkers. Philly picked ben simmons/fultz at #1 then LA picked ingram/lonzo at #2. DA is the lord of all lords

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I think the buck still stops with the GM for the most part but a lot of the info filtering up to them and the voices in the room matter. It should also be stated that guys can improve or learn from past mistakes on this stuff. Also I still think there is a fair amount of luck in the draft. As long as the process and thought behind each pick is sound I don't have issues with hits and misses. I don't think I've had issue with any of the picks he has made even if they aren't guys I loved.

But isn't JZ the GM?

 

[The Jazz Wonderbra]

He got it very right in 2016 and 2017. But arguably has been pretty hit and miss on other picks pretty regularly.

Keyonte is a solid pickup based on the 16th pick. But there are lots of Romeo Langfords there too.

I feel like Ainge wins on quantity more than quality.

 

[HermanG]

He got it very right in 2016 and 2017. But arguably has been pretty hit and miss on other picks pretty regularly.

Keyonte is a solid pickup based on the 16th pick. But there are lots of Romeo Langfords there too.

I feel like Ainge wins on quantity more than quality.

He had 6 top 15 picks in Boston that produced 3 All-NBA players, 1 DPOY and you single out the only real miss that was Romeo Langford ar #14.

i guess that cherry fits your agenda.

DA has spent most of his career picking outside of lottery and has done pretty well. Best move was definitely trading back in to snatch Rondo, but there are several other great finds with late firsts.

 

[Karen]

Does Danny work it? Make it worth it? Let me work it
I put my thing down, flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gnaht ym tup i
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gnaht ym tup i

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Keyonte is a solid pickup based on the 16th pick.

It's way too early to say that. I understand that people want it to be true, but Keyonte was a terrible NBA player last season. That's not a take, it's a fact. He was basically a younger version of THT, who's in danger of falling out of the league right now.

 

[The Jazz Wonderbra]

He had 6 top 15 picks in Boston that produced 3 All-NBA players, 1 DPOY and you single out the only real miss that was Romeo Langford ar #14.

i guess that cherry fits your agenda.

DA has spent most of his career picking outside of lottery and has done pretty well. Best move was definitely trading back in to snatch Rondo, but there are several other great finds with late firsts.

What exactly is my agenda? Please, educate me.

The article ranked Ainge at nearly the bottom in efficiency at the draft. Just saying.

 

[HermanG]

What exactly is my agenda? Please, educate me.

The article ranked Ainge at nearly the bottom in efficiency at the draft. Just saying.

You ask me what your agenda is and then reveal it in the next phrase.

I posted a breakdown of the picks that shows how late he has drafted, yet you still push the same narrative by saying "ooh, he missed the 14th pick this one time".

 

[The Jazz Wonderbra]

There is no AGENDA. He ranked poorly because he has made a lot of picks and very few of them have turned into all nba players.

To satisfy your need for more evidence I took a deeper dive from his time with the celtics from 2003 - 2020.
 
More first round busts for you...

• James Young
• Guerschon Yabusele
• R.J. Hunter
• J.R. Giddens
• Fab Melo
• JaJuan Johnson
• Aaron Nesmith
• Payton Pritchard
• Grant Williams
• Yam Madar
• Leon Powe
• Marcus Banks
• Bill/Henry Walker
• Semi Ojeleye
• Ante Žižić
• Semih Erden

Some decent players, role players, or starters at some point:

• Jared Sullinger
• Delonte West
• Glen Davis
• Kelly Olynyk
• Gerald Green
• Robert Williams
• Tony Allen
• Avery Bradley
• Terry Rozier

His top 5 picks of all time:

• Jayson Tatum
• Rajon Rondo
• Jaylen Brown
• Al Jefferson
• Marcus Smart

And for those who whine and complain every year about how we could possibly miss a player, he took Kelly Olynyk over Giannis even though he scouted Giannis when he was an obscure prospect. i am sure if i went through the list again from the perspective of who did he overlook it would be littered with players.

So, just counting up picks that's 3 all stars out of 30 picks. If you feel like that's amazing, then compare with other GMs. With that record it is hard for me to get jazzed about how we are going to get a bunch of draft assets to turn the program around.

 

[The Jazz Wonderbra]

To compare, here is a list of Dennis Lindsey's 1st round draft picks 2013 - 2020:

Trey Burke (traded Shabazz Muhammed and Gorgei Dieng)
Raul Neto
Dante Exum
Rodney Hood
Trey Lyles
Taurean Prince (traded)
Donovan Mitchell
Rudy Gobert
Josh Hart (traded)
Tyler Lydon (traded to get Spida)
Grayson Allen
Darius Bazely (traded)
Udoka Azubuike

9 total picks kept. 1 x Top 10 Pick.

4 flops.

3 serviceable players.

2 Perennial All Stars.

Much higher efficiency even if there were more flops. And most people here were way over Dennis Lindsey by the end.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

There is no AGENDA. He ranked poorly because he has made a lot of picks and very few of them have turned into all nba players.

To satisfy your need for more evidence I took a deeper dive from his time with the celtics from 2003 - 2020.
 
More first round busts for you...

• James Young
• Guerschon Yabusele
• R.J. Hunter
• J.R. Giddens
• Fab Melo
• JaJuan Johnson
• Aaron Nesmith
• Payton Pritchard
• Grant Williams
• Yam Madar
• Leon Powe
• Marcus Banks
• Bill/Henry Walker
• Semi Ojeleye
• Ante Žižić
• Semih Erden

Some decent players, role players, or starters at some point:

• Jared Sullinger
• Delonte West
• Glen Davis
• Kelly Olynyk
• Gerald Green
• Robert Williams
• Tony Allen
• Avery Bradley
• Terry Rozier

His top 5 picks of all time:

• Jayson Tatum
• Rajon Rondo
• Jaylen Brown
• Al Jefferson
• Marcus Smart

And for those who whine and complain every year about how we could possibly miss a player, he took Kelly Olynyk over Giannis even though he scouted Giannis when he was an obscure prospect. i am sure if i went through the list again from the perspective of who did he overlook it would be littered with players.

So, just counting up picks that's 3 all stars out of 30 picks. If you feel like that's amazing, then compare with other GMs. With that record it is hard for me to get jazzed about how we are going to get a bunch of draft assets to turn the program around.

How is Payton Prichard a bust? He just won a ring playing a fairly big role. All as the 26th pick!

You ****ing moron.

Nesmith averaged 12 ppg on a conference finals team. Again, you are a moron.


Grant Williams is a bust????/

Holy ****, no agenda here, just someone without a functioning brain or any NBA knowledge outside of watching the Jazz apparently.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

To compare, here is a list of Dennis Lindsey's 1st round draft picks 2013 - 2020:

Trey Burke (traded Shabazz Muhammed and Gorgei Dieng)
Raul Neto
Dante Exum
Rodney Hood
Trey Lyles
Taurean Prince (traded)
Donovan Mitchell
Rudy Gobert
Josh Hart (traded)
Tyler Lydon (traded to get Spida)
Grayson Allen
Darius Bazely (traded)
Udoka Azubuike

9 total picks kept. 1 x Top 10 Pick.

4 flops.

3 serviceable players.

2 Perennial All Stars.

Much higher efficiency even if there were more flops. And most people here were way over Dennis Lindsey by the end.

LMFAO

DL did not draft Taurean Prince, Josh Hart, Darius Bazley, or Tyler Lydon. They traded those picks. The players who got picked in those slots were picked by the team who traded for the pick.

You really need to take a step back and educate yourself before you try to do an analysis like this so you can get the basic facts correct.

 

[HermanG]

There is no AGENDA. He ranked poorly because he has made a lot of picks and very few of them have turned into all nba players.

To satisfy your need for more evidence I took a deeper dive from his time with the celtics from 2003 - 2020.
 
More first round busts for you...

• James Young
• Guerschon Yabusele
• R.J. Hunter
• J.R. Giddens
• Fab Melo
• JaJuan Johnson
• Aaron Nesmith
• Payton Pritchard
• Grant Williams
• Yam Madar
• Leon Powe
• Marcus Banks
• Bill/Henry Walker
• Semi Ojeleye
• Ante Žižić
• Semih Erden

Some decent players, role players, or starters at some point:

• Jared Sullinger
• Delonte West
• Glen Davis
• Kelly Olynyk
• Gerald Green
• Robert Williams
• Tony Allen
• Avery Bradley
• Terry Rozier

His top 5 picks of all time:

• Jayson Tatum
• Rajon Rondo
• Jaylen Brown
• Al Jefferson
• Marcus Smart

And for those who whine and complain every year about how we could possibly miss a player, he took Kelly Olynyk over Giannis even though he scouted Giannis when he was an obscure prospect. i am sure if i went through the list again from the perspective of who did he overlook it would be littered with players.

So, just counting up picks that's 3 all stars out of 30 picks. If you feel like that's amazing, then compare with other GMs. With that record it is hard for me to get jazzed about how we are going to get a bunch of draft assets to turn the program around.

I wont repeat what @Saint Cy of JFC said despite it being 100% true. But I will throw some more cold water on your "research".

Yam Madar was a 2nd round pick (47th overall)
Leon Powe was a 2nd round pick (49th overall)
Henry Walker was a 2nd round pick (47th overall)
Semi Oljeleye was a 2nd round pick (37th overall)

....god I'm starting to sound like a broken record here...

And the worst of that list was Semih Erden who was not only a 2nd round pick but the 60th overall pick!!

So if we remove the 3 guys that Cy listed who are NOT busts and also remove the 5 2nd round prospects... we end up with 9 first round busts with an average draft position of #22 to go with the 4 all-NBA guys, 1 DPOY and a long list of real solid players.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I wont repeat what @Saint Cy of JFC said despite it being 100% true. But I will throw some more cold water on your "research".

Yam Madar was a 2nd round pick (47th overall)
Leon Powe was a 2nd round pick (49th overall)
Henry Walker was a 2nd round pick (47th overall)
Semi Oljeleye was a 2nd round pick (37th overall)

....god I'm starting to sound like a broken record here...

And the worst of that list was Semih Erden who was not only a 2nd round pick but the 60th overall pick!!

So if we remove the 3 guys that Cy listed who are NOT busts and also remove the 5 2nd round prospects... we end up with 9 first round busts with an average draft position of #22 to go with the 4 all-NBA guys, 1 DPOY and a long list of real solid players.

and Yabu is making a comeback to relevance