NBA Draft

Aren't you a Yankees fan? Sorry but we're going to need you to hand in your Celtics card at the door. 

Not sure what type of big man was available in this spot but it's often easier to plug in big bodies via trade or agency, unless your draft position is high. Celtics really need another consistent scorer, someone who can put up 15-18 ppg. 

 I have a feeling Smart is on his way out as well.

Same with the Kings & Knicks, think much?  Every year with these bozos.  From CBS Sports winners & losers 2022 draft

Loser: Sacramento Kings

No, the Kings did not need another guard. They aren't a loser here purely because they passed on Jaden Ivey. Keegan Murray was probably a better fit in the end anyway. No, the Kings are a loser because of their process as much as their result. They probably could have gotten a haul for the No. 4 pick considering how many teams were interested in Ivey, and even if they'd wanted Murray all along, they probably could've squeezed Detroit for some additional asset with No. 5 considering how public their interest in the Purdue point guard was. 

And then, of course, we should also just mention that the consensus ranked Ivey over Murray. In fact, several teams did by virtue of their trade interest. As a general rule, if the Kings think one thing and five or six teams think another, history suggests that the Kings are probably wrong here. It's hard not to think back to 2018, when the Kings took Marvin Bagley over Luka Doncic at least in part because Bagley showed significantly more interest in being a King than Doncic did. It's not quite the same, but it should be noted that Ivey was less than enthused about the idea of going to Sacramento. Now, we're all less than enthused about their draft.

Loser: New York Knicks

We kicked off the losers with the Western Conference's perpetual sad-sack, and we continue with the Eastern Conference equivalent. Maybe all of the prospects the Knicks wanted were gone by the time the No. 11 pick rolled around, and on the surface, it's hard to get too mad at turning one first-round pick into three. The problem is that none of those picks are especially valuable. Barring an injury to Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 2025 Bucks pick will be in the 20s. The other picks acquired from Oklahoma City were protected in ways that limit their value as well. The Knicks don't have enough high-end talent to turn away lottery-caliber prospects. 

They're hoping they can find that high-end talent in free agency, and that motivated the decision to dump Kemba Walker's $9.2 million salary. Putting aside the poor value in using a first-round pick to dump less than $10 million (the going rate tends to be closer to $20 million), the idea of going to such lengths to clear cap space for a non-All-Star in Jalen Brunson or the NBA's ultimate wild card in Kyrie Irving is pretty questionable roster-building logic. For the Knicks to go through a season as disappointing as last year was and not come out of it with any first-round rookies sends a bizarre message.

Locally, looks like a steal....

Winner: Philadelphia 76ers

A team with Joel Embiid and James Harden really doesn't have time to develop rookies. Philadelphia needs to win now, and after offering Danny Green and the No. 23 pick to almost every team in the league in exchange for veteran help, they ultimately landed on De'Anthony Melton. The 76ers couldn't have asked for a better package. 

Melton, just 24, has shot just below 39 percent from behind the arc over the past two seasons. He was already a very strong point-of-attack defender who racks up steals and blocks like few guards in the game. Now he goes to a Philadelphia team that needs him after playing only 22.7 minutes per game next season. Expect that figure to rise. 

The Magic will be shipping Terrance Ross to the Celtics