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NBA Draft 2019: Grading how all 30 teams fared on draft night

By Trevor Marks

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: (L-R) NBA Draft prospects Kevin Porter Jr., Nicolas Claxton, Sekou Doumbouya, Goga Bitazde, Keldon Johnson, Nassir Little, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Rui Hachimuri, Jarrett Culver, Cam Reddish, Coby White, Zion Williamson, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Ja Morant, De'Andre Hunter, Darius Garland, Brandon Clarke, Romeo Langford, Jaxson Hayes, Tyler Herro, Bol Bol, PJ Washington, Matisse Thybulle and Mfiondu Kabengele stand on stage with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver before the start of the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 20: (L-R) NBA Draft prospects Kevin Porter Jr., Nicolas Claxton, Sekou Doumbouya, Goga Bitazde, Keldon Johnson, Nassir Little, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Rui Hachimuri, Jarrett Culver, Cam Reddish, Coby White, Zion Williamson, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Ja Morant, De'Andre Hunter, Darius Garland, Brandon Clarke, Romeo Langford, Jaxson Hayes, Tyler Herro, Bol Bol, PJ Washington, Matisse Thybulle and Mfiondu Kabengele stand on stage with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver before the start of the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 20: Romeo Langford reacts after being drafted with the 14th overall pick by the Boston Celtics during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 20: Romeo Langford reacts after being drafted with the 14th overall pick by the Boston Celtics during the 2019 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 20, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) /

Boston Celtics

Grade: A

Picks: Romeo Langford (No. 14), Grant Williams (No. 22), Carsen Edwards (No. 33), Tremont Waters (No. 51)

Daniel Ray Ainge, you sly dog, you.

“Trader Danny” went to work on Thursday night, putting together what was one of the better efforts of any team, managing to both draft strong players at their respective draft spots and run circles around other teams in terms of managing assets via trades.

With the 20th pick, Boston drafted Washington’s defensive ace Matisse Thybulle, a wing who had been rumored to have been promised by the Philadelphia 76ers. Ainge nabbed him early before Philly could get to him at No. 24, a move that resembles one that former 76ers GM and Process-leader Sam Hinkie did in the 2014 NBA Draft by picking Elfrid Payton 10th before the Orlando Magic could draft him 12th, then trading him for assets. In an ode to the process, Ainge did the same, grabbing Thybulle and flipping him for No. 24 and No. 33 from the 76ers.

Later, No. 24 would be used to ship Aron Baynes to the Suns for a future 2020 Bucks first-rounder, a move that both shed salary (poor Aron, though, opting in just before Al Horford opted out) and acquired future draft capital, even if it’s only a pick in the late twenties. A solid night for Trader Danny, and the picks that he ultimately kept and used were astute decisions as well.

Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, Carsen Edwards, and Tremont Waters are all fine players, ones that fit the roster quite well.

Langford suffered shooting woes (and an injured hand) as a freshman, but possesses soft touch around the basket that suggests shooting upside, as well as fluidity (he calls himself “smooth,” which is hard to deny) and strength on the wing, and although he wasn’t the best player on the board — Goga Bitadze or Brandon Clarke were higher on my board, personally, and I wasn’t too fond of him as a prospect — he was still a solid option and wasn’t a surprise pick by any means.

Williams is a basketball savant (18.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.2 APG) and weight room champion, a big who plays like a point guard, according to words of praise from Boston head coach Brad Stevens, someone who fits the culture that Ainge is trying to build as the team re-tools and shifts to youth.

Edwards and Waters are both undersized guards, but Edwards is a dynamite scorer (24.3 PPG), with Waters being an absolute gamer and competitor with skill of his own. Both were excellent value picks, and a team that saw the 5-foot-9 Isaiah Thomas sport lofty scoring averages is likely the best bet to find ways to utilize undersized guards to their fullest capabilities. I would’ve gone with a wing (Yovel Zoosman, DaQuan Jeffries) with the last pick, but certainly don’t fault them for doubling up on productive college guards.

The Boston Celtics found value with their draft capital, made smart picks, freed up cap space for the summer (max space, at that), and simply had a great night.

Easy ‘A.’

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