As you've seen already, the Celtics picked up JR Giddens with the 30th pick. Here's Doc's take:
"We think he has a chance to fight for minutes right away because of his defense. He's got incredible wingspan, great feet, and we feel that defensively he can be an NBA player right away. The other things we'll work on. He's had some run-ins with people. Steve Alford, who coached him last year, thought he was terrific. That's good enough for us. We knew three or four teams (picking) right in front of us liked him. Several guys dropped and fell to those teams. We thought as of like the 24th pick (of) the two guys that we liked one of them would be there."
Here's Giddens:
"[I'm going to] try to earn a position and, if I'm, fortunate enough to get some playing time, I'll be happy, but if not I'll sit on the bench and clap."
On his "off the court" issues:
"I feel like I've overcome those things. I was just a young guy, immature, made some bad decisions. … Now that I'm older, I feel I can do a lot better."
As for our other picks: The Celtics traded for Bill Walker, 6'6" forward out of Kansas State, who was selected in the second round by Washington and acquired for cash. With the final pick in the draft, the C's selected 6'11" center Semih Erden of Turkey. He may not join the team right away due to contractual obligations.
The analysts seem to think this was a strong draft for the Celtics considering they had the lowest position possible. Walker is being talked about as another possible second round steal for Danny Ainge. Here's the first line of his NBADraft.net profile:
Strengths: An absolutely jaw dropping, electrifying dunker capable of getting air like the greatest dunkers of all time, Jordan, Dominique, Vince Carter, Josh Smith etc
Looks like we might have another dunk contest participant. Plus… now we can bring back the nickname "Sky"
Full draft list and list of draft night trades after the jump:
Full Draft List
1. Chicago, Derrick Rose, g, Memphis.
2. Miami, Michael Beasley, f, Kansas State.
3. Minnesota, O.J. Mayo, g, Southern California.
4. Seattle, Russell Westbrook, g, UCLA.
5. Memphis, Kevin Love, f, UCLA.
6. New York, Danilo Gallinari, f, Armani Milano (Italy).
7. L.A. Clippers, Eric Gordon, g, Indiana.
8. Milwaukee, Joe Alexander, f, West Virginia.
9. Charlotte, D.J. Augustin, g, Texas.
10. New Jersey, Brook Lopez, c, Stanford.
11. Indiana, Jerryd Bayless, g, Arizona State.
12. Sacramento, Jason Thompson, f, Rider.
13. Portland, Brandon Rush, g, Kansas.
14. Golden State, Anthony Randolph, f, LSU.
15. Phoenix (from Atlanta), Robin Lopez, c, Stanford.
16. Philadelphia, Marreese Speights, f, Florida.
17. Toronto, Roy Hibbert, c, Georgetown.
18. Washington, JaVale McGee, c, Nevada.
19. Cleveland, J.J. Hickson, f, N.C. State.
20. Charlotte (from Denver), Alexis Ajinca, f, Hyeres-Toulon (France).
21. New Jersey (from Dallas), Ryan Anderson, c, California.
22. Orlando, Courtney Lee, g, Western Kentucky.
23. Utah, Kosta Koufos, c, Ohio State.
24. Seattle (from Phoenix), Serge Ibaka, f, LHospitalet (Spain).
25. Houston, Nicolas Batum, g, Le Mans (France).
26. San Antonio, George Hill, g, IUPUI.
27. New Orleans, Darrell Arthur, f, Kansas.
28. Memphis (from L.A. Lakers), Donte Greene, f, Syracuse.
29. Detroit, D.J. White, f, Indiana.
30. Boston, J.R. Giddens, g, New Mexico.
Second Round31. Minnesota (from Miami through Boston), Nikola Pekovic, c, Partizan Belgrade (Serbia).
32. Seattle, Walter Sharpe, f, UAB.
33. Portland (from Memphis), Joey Dorsey, f, Memphis.
34. Minnesota, Mario Chalmers, g, Kansas.
35. LA Clippers, DeAndre Jordan, c, Texas A&M.
36. Portland (from New York), Omer Asik, f, Fenerbahce Ulker (Turkey).
37. Milwaukee, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, f, UCLA.
38. Charlotte, Kyle Weaver, g, Washington State.
39. Chicago, Sonny Weems, f, Arkansas.
40. New Jersey, Chris Douglas-Roberts, g, Memphis.
41. Indiana, Nathan Jawai, f-c, Cairns Taipans (Australia).
42. Sacramento (from Atlanta), Sean Singletary, g, Virginia.
43. Sacramento, Patrick Ewing, Jr., f, Georgetown.
44. Utah (from Philadelphia), Ante Tomic, c, KK Zagreb (Croatia).
45. San Antonio (from Toronto), Goran Dragic, g, Union Olimpija (Slovenia).
46. Seattle (from Portland through Boston), Trent Plaisted f, BYU.
47. Washington, Bill Walker, f, Kansas State.
48. Phoenix (from Cleveland), Malik Hairston, f, Oregon.
49. Golden State, Richard Hendrix, f, Alabama.
50. Seattle (from Denver), DeVon Hardin, c, California.
51. Dallas, Shan Foster, g, Vanderbilt.
52. Miami (from Orlando), Darnell Jackson, f, Kansas.
53. Utah, Tadija Dragicevic, f, BC Red Star Belgrade (Serbia).
54. Houston, Maarty Leunen, f, Oregon.
55. Portland (from Phoenix through Indiana), Mike Taylor, g, Idaho (NABDL).
56. Seattle (from New Orleans through Houston), Sasha Kaun, c, Kansas.
57. San Antonio, James Gist, f, Maryland.
58. L.A. Lakers, Joe Crawford, g, Kentucky.
59. Detroit, Deron Washington, f, Virginia Tech.
60. Boston, Semih Erden, c, Fenerbahce Ulker (Turkey).
Trades
(All trades are pending league approval)
- Indiana traded F Jermaine O'Neal to Toronto for G T.J. Ford, C Rasho Nesterovic, the rights to C Roy Hibbert and a player to be determined.
- Indiana traded F Ike Diogu and the rights to G Jerryd Bayless to Portland for G Jarrett Jack, F Josh McRoberts and the rights to G Brandon Rush.
- New Orleans traded the rights to F Darrell Arthur to Portland for cash considerations.
- Detroit traded the rights F D.J. White to Seattle for the rights to F Walter Sharpe and the rights to Trent Plaisted f, BYU.
- Minnesota traded the rights to G Mario Chalmers to Miami for two future second-round picks and cash considerations.
- Washington traded the rights to F Bill Walker to Boston for cash considerations.
- Portland traded the rights to G Mike Taylor to the L.A. Clippers for a 2009 second-round pick.
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