Chad Ford's post-lottery mock: Aaron Gordon to Boston with sixth pick


Now that the draft lottery is behind us (and boy howdy was it a doozy! *grumbles something profanity-laced towards Cleveland*) ESPN's Chad Ford has released a new mock draft. (Insider)

For Boston's pick at six (I know, still stings over here too), Ford says Boston takes Arizona tweener Aaron Gordon:

The Celtics will likely shop this pick, though at No. 6 I am not sure exactly what they can get for it. They have been high on Gordon for a while, and I think this would be a very good fit for them. Offensively he is a bit raw, but I think his intangibles as a defender and energy guy will make up for a lot of that. He changes the game with his athleticism in ways that are hard to quantify.

Gordon could be a really nice player in the NBA, as CelticsLife writer Mike Dyer pointed out earlier, but he could also be the latest edition of Derrick Williams or Anthony Bennett. Not quite big enough to hang with the power forwards and not quite skilled enough to mix it up with the small forwards.

For Boston's 17th pick, Ford has the Celtics taking P.J. Hairston:

The Celtics need shooting. After shipping off Courtney Lee to Memphis, Avery Bradley remains the Celtics' only reliable 3-point shooter. Not only can Hairston stroke it from deep, he has an NBA body and should be more NBA ready than the average prospect selected at No. 17 -- a big plus for the Celtics.

I'd actually be a bit surprised if Hariston fell this low. All anyone can talk about is how he really showed he's ready to play in the association when he was in the D-League last season. Duke's Rodney Hood, who Ford has Chicago taking at #19, could also be a nice player to snag here. If Boston does end up using this pick, it won't be on a scrub.

Quick side note, Ford has the Lakers, the team picking right after Boston, taking Julius Randle., But he says, like the Celtics, they will look to shop it first in the hopes of getting Kevin Love. Makes sense, right? Except...

If they had stayed in the top three, they might have hung onto it, but at No. 7, the interest will be in trying to turn this pick and other assets into a veteran such as Kevin Love.

Wait, what? So Boston, with every single asset known to man, and some not, would be lucky to move the sixth pick, but the Lakers will use their "assets" to try and get Love? What assets? They have no draft picks to trade since they already dealt them. In fact, they'd have to wait until late July just to use their lottery pick for Love. They have no players to trade, unless Minnesota really wants a banged up SUPREMELY overpaid Kobe Bryant. If that's the case, then what are we doing here? Did Steve Nash all of a sudden return into his MVP-self? Didn't think so. The only real asset the Lakers have is the ability to take on every single bad contract Minnesota has because of all of L.A.'s cap space.

Pretty sure you don't deal one of the 10 best players in the league for one draft pick and cap space.

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