I just spent a hell of a lot of time speculating about what the Blazers should and will do with their draft pick this year, and so I think that it is only fair to spend a little time talking about what I'd like to see my hometown Boston Celtics do tonight. Sadly, I don't think that the Celtics can trade Brian Scalabrine, Scott Pollard, the no. 30 pick and a bag of peanuts for Chris Paul, so expectations for drastic team improvement should be somewhat lower than a year ago. That being said, I think that the Celtics can improve themselves with the right pick and add a nicely fitting cog into their championship machine.
Specifically, I think that the Celtics should and would be thanking their lucky stars if Memphis' (go Tiger High!) Chris Doulas-Roberts is still available by the end of the first round. Douglas-Roberts would be a great fit with the Celtics, both in terms of his skill set and because of his mentality as a basketball player.
Chris Douglas-Roberts (CDR to make life easier) is a truly unique basketball talent in this year's draft and his quirky game would blend nicely with the Celtics' style of play. Though CDR is not an elite athlete, he is quick and long, which creates match-up problems for his defenders. Though he hasn't had the eye-popping workouts of somebody like Joe Alexander, CDR excels in game atmspheres and situations.
Having watched him play all year (thanks mostly to Raymond's fanaticism and love of watching thugs throwing down alley-oops), I can say with confidence that CDR will make a great pro and could be one of the biggest sleepers in this year's draft. On the floor, he is a leader and an excellent teammate, and although his ball handling skills weren't off the charts in his workouts, he does a great job of controlling and protecting the ball in game situations, whether he's moving through traffic on the break or in a half court set, the kid always seems to end up where he needs to be.
Additionally, though CDR isn't a lights-out shooter with a conventional offensive game, he was incredibly successful at the collegiate level, averaging 25 points per 40 minutes and shooting a scalding hot 54% from the field (and a respectable 41% from three-point distance) last season. All this says that the kid flat out knows how to score the basketball, and CDR has an arsenal of moves to get himself a bucket in a ton of ways that you wouldn't think were possible for a 6'7" guard without a rock solid J.
CDR thrives on contact (a big plus for the NBA game) and has the ability to score in traffic in the paint (ditto), utilizing floaters, baby hooks, runners and anything else he can to put the ball in the basket. Douglas-Roberts honed his game in the gym playing one on one (he claims to have never lost in his life!), which is where he learned all of his tricky and unconventional moves that have made him such a threat with the ball in his hands. With his ability to penetrate off the dribble and score in the paint, combined with his potential for a defense stretching jump shot, CDR would be a great back up to Ray Allen, and could possibly play small forward for a quicker Celtics rotation.
As a defender, I've seen Douglas-Roberts as serviceable with room for improvement for a while. His brain is wired to be a scorer, but CDR is also a great team player who is long and athletic and loves winning enough to committ to playing solid defense (a swift kick in the ass from KG will also help move him in the right direction). He has all the tools, and he hasn't had a history of underachieving or stalling in the face of progress, so I think that it is very possible that CDR could grow into a good NBA defender on a good defensive team.
Most of all, Douglas-Roberts' attitude is what makes him the best fit for the Boston Celtics. CDR is a winner and a great teammate who trusted his fellow Tigers (especially phenom Derrick Rose) to help him win games. He is confident and composed on the court, which should translate well to the NBA game which is packed with distractions, and you can tell that this kid just loves to play basketball.
In a system like Boston's, where CDR won't be asked to shoulder the load, he could grow into a solid pro who regularly contributes to wins for his team. Additionally, he'll get to learn from a great core of veterans (maybe Ray Allen can give him some pointers on his jump shot) if Boston drafts him.
Perhaps the biggest bonus to picking CDR this year is the simple fact that his arrival will mean that Tony Allen will never have to handle the ball ever again. Knowing that, I don't actually see how the Celtics could pass on such a unique and excellent basketball talent.
