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just wait for nathan jawai (from australia) at the end of the first round pass him up at your own risk because the bucks will take him 100% at pick 37 although there is talk thay are already trying to move late into the first round to aquire him

No way Batum's "stock is dropping" all the way out of the first round.

Celtics need to start developing a scorer who can take some minutes from Pierce and Allen. Those guys only have a few years left

Just like with most other drafts, there will be a lot of surprises in the 2nd half of the 1st round. While the top half of the draft is trying to get a point guard, there are some game-changers that will come from the bottom half.

draft sasha kaun...great energy guy n is worth dat spot..he can defend n play hard..it would only help

Danny Ainge loves international players. He scouts them heavily, though rarely drafts them.

The feeling in Boston is that he will draft the best available big and develop him to be the back up to Perkins a year or so from now. Then, down the line as Allens contract comes up, they can worry about developing a young scorer. Remember, they don't have a 1st rounder a year from now...

yeah all those European players the Lakers had really came up big in the finals. Ha!! if the NBA really starts cracking down on "flopping" what kind of NBA career can any European, or South American have?

Ryan Anderson and D.J. White could be possibilities should Boston decide to keep the pick. Ante Tomic, 7'2, KK Zagreb could be that "project" Ainge could let develop overseas for a year or two.

Celtics owe next year's first round pick to the timberwolves. This would preclude them trading the pick, unless they first make the pick then trade the pick made. The players mentioned above more than likely do not want to be stashed in Europe. They came into the draft wanting to play in the NBA next year.

The Celticsowe their 2009 pick to the Timberwolves. This precludes them form trading the pick. They would have to draft a player then make the trade.

One would think after witnessing the notoriously deficient defensive abilities of European players that the Celtics (or any other team for that matter) would start looking within the shores of the U.S. for their next best thing. I mean, go back as far as you want and you'll find European players who could score, pass (?) and that's about it. Celtic fans... remember Dino Radja... *sigh* If defense truly is the stuff of champions and a team decides to draft a European, they better be ready to do a lot of work on the defensive end.

Funny how everyone's knocking Euro players on their defense. I am a celtic fan and I was worried about Sasha Vujacic's defense. He was all over the place with his energy. Euro players are great fundamentally. They just need to toughen up. Although I still hate Ainge (his trades for KG and Allen last year was one that he owed to the true fans) and most of his personnel moves, I have to admit he drafts pretty well (Al Jefferson, Delonte West, Tony Allen, Gerald Green). I hope he makes a smart move this year. Personally I would like him to trade the pick (give it to the Bucks if they want to move up) then hope for a lottery pick next year.

This pick can't have much trade value even in this draft, the celtics are better off picking at this spot, maybe bill walker, devon hardin, serge ibaka, jamont gordon some kind of young athletic presence to avoid turning into the spurs. Jamont would be a pefect fit because he is a big strong backup point guard that can guard chauncey billups and other big point guards (something rondo had trouble with). They can get better value picking than trading. I never thought I'd say this, but I would just trust Danny Ainge's judgement here and pick. I deffinetly never thought I'd say that.

I can't worry about the draft - I'm still basking in the championship !!!

yeah all those European players the Lakers had really came up big in the finals. Ha!! if the NBA really starts cracking down on "flopping" what kind of NBA career can any European, or South American have?
Cheesedaddy

I seem to recall several American players over the years do some pretty good flopping of their own. stop calling it and it will stop.

So...now the draft pick that the Lakers gave to Memphis is lousy, eh? Exactly WHY did Memphis make that trade, anyway? Did they think that the Lakers + Gasol = lottery or something?

Ya this is good, trade away young talent every year and keep your old players who's primes are ending. great idea celtics.

yeah all those European players the Lakers had really came up big in the finals. Ha!! if the NBA really starts cracking down on "flopping" what kind of NBA career can any European, or South American have?
Cheesedaddy

hey bruce bowen is an american

hopefully Danny can do with this pick what happens in the NFL draft and trade it to a team that will not be as good next year to get back in that draft or get a second pick in the 2010 draft. Either way, in Danny i trust!

17! baby!

*RunItUp* With all due respect... "Sasha Vujacic's defense! Really!?! The only thing that worried me (and probably a few others) about Vujacic was his shooting. Nothing else. I agree that European players do tend to be fundamentally sound, but not exceedingly so and by all accounts, on one side of the ball. Say what you will about European players, but they have proven to be "defensively challenged". Toughness notwithstanding. Let me tell you, I live in Europe and I can tell you from first hand experience (or at the very least from my own observations), they do not preach defense. If you count grabbing, pulling, pushing (a'la "the beautiful game), defense is akin to a lost art.

As far as flopping is concerned, I think one can't ignore the fact that Europeans grew up in Soccer (Football) societies where flopping is an art and could change a game if called, so it's no wonder that they "instinctively" use it as a tactic. I think fining players for it is a bit over the top because "how exactly do you eminently distinguish" a flop? It, like every other call in basketball is subject to the judgment of the official. One man's flop, is another man's "no call" and another man's charge. It'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

Mind you, my comments are based solely on my personal observations. I'm not stating anything unequivocally.