On this day, the trade that brought Ray Allen to Boston went down, and Jeff and Gerald Green, Jared Sullinger and Ryan Gomes were drafted.
On this day in Boston Celtics history, team president Danny Ainge and the rest of the front office traded for star shooting guard Ray Allen. Sending out a package of point guard Delonte West, small forward Wally Szczerbiak, and forward Jeff Green to the then-Seattle Supersonics in exchange for Allen and center Glen “Big Baby” Davis.
“You’re always listening when you come into a situation like this. You don’t wake up one day and look to move a player like a Ray Allen,” said then-Sonics’ general manager Sam Presti via ESPN. “Someone has to come get them and Boston did that here.”
The move of course would facilitate the trade of Kevin Garnett to the Celtics soon after, Ainge and Boston having assembled the requisite talent to convince the Big Ticket that such a deal would bear fruit in the banners department, which of course it did.
As Hoops Hype’s Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon keep busy reassessing the draft orders of the last several decades over the last few years, there are always a number of Boston Celtics alumni on the move in their re-drafts as a result.
In the H/H duo’s reassessment of the NBA’s 2007 draft class, a total of five Boston alumni ended up seeing their draft stock shift considerably with the benefit of hindsight lifting their fortunes. And while they won’t see any pay raises or anything else of that sort given the fictitious nature of such an exercise, it’s also nice to see this duo get their flowers, too.
Let’s take a look at which Celtics alumni landed where.
To get a better read on what the Celtics may be facing, we brought on fHoopsHype cap expert Yossi Gozlan. https://t.co/GSN0fNHJKI
The Boston Celtics have made some hugely impactful trades during the NBA draft. Check out the miraculous story behind some of these deals.
The NBA draft is all about roster design. There are a lot of different strategies out there, but let’s stick with what legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach once offered: “They said you have to use your five best players but I found you win with the five who fit together the best.”
With that frame, the draft offers a tantalizing number of opportunities. Sure, you can select the best available player and hope he grows with your system. But fortune favors the bold — the NBA draft is a chance to really swing for the fences and bring in the right player. A smart trade on draft night can change everything.
Boston, unsurprisingly, has a history of moving and shaking far beyond the limited frame of their own specific pick. Following the leadership of Auerbach, the Celtics’ NBA draft trade history is a rich and storied one. As we’ll see, some of the franchise’s best players landed in green by way of a draft-day trade. Let’s discuss.
On June 25, 2009, the Golden State Warriors changed the future of their franchise when they drafted Stephen Curry with the No. 7 overall pick.
Although they won’t be taking a trip to the NBA playoffs or preparing for another Finals appearance, there is still one important event approaching the Golden State Warriors. For the first time in years, the Warriors will have the opportunity to make a selection in the NBA draft’s first five picks.
With Golden State’s season over, and no basketball on the calendar yet, Warriors Wire is rewinding back through the history of the Warriors. Memorable moments, matchups worthy of a rewatch and standout performances have been the primary focus of Warriors Rewind. However, with the draft approaching, Warriors Wire is highlighting some of Golden State’s best draft day selections.
In 2007, the Golden State Warriors drafted a player that changed the state of basketball in the Bay Area.
June 25, 2007
The 2007 edition of the NBA draft kicked off with Los Angeles Clippers selecting Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin. The Memphis Grizzlies picked Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet and Oklahoma City followed by taking James Harden. Fast forward to the No. 5 overall selection, and the Minnesota Timberwolves were on the clock.
In an unprecedented move, the Timberwolves selected back-to-back point guard prospects. However, neither of them were a point guard from Davidson.
Minnesota landed with Spain’s Ricky Rubio and Syracuse’s Jonny Flynn. With the Warriors on the clock, Golden State general manager Larry Riley selected Stephen Curry with the No. 7 overall pick.
Coming off a blistering performance in the NCAA tournament, Curry averaged 28.6 points on 45.4% shooting from the field in his junior season at Davidson. The point guard prospect added 5.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. Over his career with the Wildcats, Curry netted 41.7% from beyond the arc.
With eyes for Curry and New York next on the clock, Knicks fans in attendance filled Madison Square Garden with boos after NBA commissioner David Stern announced Golden State’s choice.
Watch the moment the Golden State Warriors drafted Curry via YouTube:
After starting out his career averaging 17.5 points on 46.2% shooting with 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game in his rookie season — the rest is history. Championships, Most Valuable Player awards and a flurry of 3-pointers all started with Golden State’s franchise-altering selection in 2009.
