Boston Celtics interested in trading up for Harrison Barnes, according to Bob Ryan
As originally spotted by Red’s Army, Bob Ryan reported on CSNNE last night that the Boston Celtics are plotting to move up in the draft to select UNC’s Harrison Barnes.
While the Celtics do have numerous assets (including the No. 21 and 22 picks) to deal, I don’t know if Harrison Barnes is the player I would trade up to select. He’s vastly talented, with a polished offensive repertoire and pre-draft measurements that paint him as a prototypical NBA wing. Because of his refined game and physical gifts, he’s unlikely to completely whiff in the NBA. But he also spent two seasons with the Tar Heels disguising his athletic gifts and underachieving to the extent that he shot just 20-61 in North Carolina’s four NCAA tournament games, against Vermont, Creighton, Ohio and Kansas.
Barnes was voted to the AP preseason first team All-American team prior to both of his years at UNC, yet his production didn’t match up to his hype: the 6-foot-8 wing made honorable mention after his freshman season and didn’t make any All-American teams after his sophomore season. It’s entirely possible he doesn’t come close to fulfilling his high ceiling.
The Charlotte Bobcats are rumored to be interested in Barnes with the No. 2 pick. Would you want to package the No. 21 and 22 picks with another asset, maybe as part of a sign-and-trade deal, for someone who spent two seasons underwhelming everyone who predicted such big things for him, whose best-case scenario is Luol Deng?
I like Barnes’ offensive arsenal. He seems like a good guy by all accounts. But if the Celtics are looking to surrender an arm and a leg to trade into the top five of a loaded draft, methinks they should target another player.
If anything, Ryan’s report should reconfirm something we already knew: Danny Ainge is a creative mo-fo who is pondering a zillion different maneuvers this summer.
Related posts:
Celtics Blog | Jay King | June 15, 2012
Worth noting that Barnes played significantly better when he was playing with Kendall Marshall. pairing him with Rondo, arguably the best passer in the game right now, would increase the chances of Barnes maximizing his potential.
In addition to our picks, we’d probably have to give up Bradley or maybe even Pierce. I’d pass.
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Kid is all of 20 and was the top recruit out of HS when he went to NC. Under mentoring from KG and PP this could be an excellent pick for the Cs assuming they can package their 2 picks and move up high enough to get him. Everyone is entitled to a poor post-season so I’d rather judge him on all of his work at NC and he’d be a great building block to our post-Big 3 era. go Cs…
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I wonder if they’d be able to do a sign and trade with Jeff Green to move up. Otherwise, if they bring him back, all of a sudden you’re overloaded at the small forward spot. The Bobcats would be fools to trade for PP at his age with that garbage team they have now
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agreed, but that’s the type of “oh-shit-we-missed-out-on-Anthony-Davis” panic move that their front office might consider after that disaster of a season
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Trade Paul Pierce for a not-very-high draft pick? Two months of Gerald Wallace were traded for the No. 6 pick in this draft.
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What the hell are you thinking paul??? Blow up a team that was 3 mins from the Finals and had 4 injured players out and 3 playing with injuries (two have already had surgery and PP’s knee was obviously hurting his production)??? For what? A new team with no chemistry and RR left to do what? This has to be the lamest post comments you have ever made and that includes all the year plus of ‘the trade’ b.s. Are you that depressed over our title run this year? I am absolutely dumbfounded by this post. Go Cs…
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You’re obviously not a C’s fan … All you’re suggesting is SABOTAGE THE CELTICS 2012-2013 ROSTER LOL!!
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would be somewhat ironic and bring back shades of 1986 when our beloved Celtics had the # 2 pick and took Len Bias from Maryland.
Had he not perished who knows how great the Celtics would have been. Most definitely would have repeated in 1986-87 season thus also having another title and one less for the Lakers.
then by the time 1990-91 rolled around Len would have been seasoned and Bird, Parish and Mc Hale would not have had to play so much as well.
Also then we had to deal with the shocking death of another great player Reggie Lewis in 1993.
I say go for it and lets build the great tradition of the Celtics and keep it alive
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I agree that it would be nice to have harrison barnes on the Cs but trading garnett or pierce should be out of the question.
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I agree completely, Pierce and KG should retire as Celtics. Celtics should trade Ray Allen and draft a quality big guy and with the 22nd pick draft Quincy Miller or Moe Harkless
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I don’t think he is worth that much. If we manage to trade up that high I would rather take Beal or MKG. Boston’s offense is based on the passing ability and unselfishness of its players (esp our wings) and Barnes has none of both these things. In college he NEVER passed the ball even if he faced terrible shot conditions. He might be the most selfish player in this class. I don’t think he is Celtics’ material. Also he is a sub par defender and a not that good of a spot up shooter. Too much hype IMO.
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If it was me I would package one of our 1sts and the 2nd plus someone ( JJJ or sth else) to move up 5-6 spots and get Tyller Zeller. He has a great post game, decent defense and I’m sure with the guidance of KG he can become a dominant force in the near future. He has the experience to make an immediate impact in today’s NBA. If there is no Zeller I love John Henson’s game too… Sky high potential but not that ready. With the other pick draft a versatile scoring wing like Harkless, Royce White,J. Taylor or even a shooter like D. Lamb or Jenkins. Even Draymond Green would be great for our kind of offense.
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This wouldn’t be the worst idea, but lets be honest. Its a pipe-dream. No way we get Barnes as great as that would be. Realistically we should go for a quality big and Quincy Miller or Moe Harkless.
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