I Want It Now!

Since the Celtics traded their first pick to the Philadelphia 76'ers on Friday, there has been a great deal of discussion about what move Danny Ainge is going to make next. Sounding like a theme he stole from local sports talk radio, Shank wants proven NBA talent RIGHT NOW, dammit!

Are you excited about the Celtics bagging that 2019 Sacramento Kings first-round pick?

Please, please, please, tell me the Celtics are not done. Tell me there is more to this than trading the long-coveted No. 1 pick to the Sixers for this year’s No. 3 pick, and another No. 1 from 2018 or 2019. I am not a patient sports enthusiast. I cannot wait for the year 2525.

The NBA Draft carousel is spinning madly, and nobody knows where it stops. The only thing we know for sure is that the Celtics have a great future. They have lots of draft picks. There are dozens of 12-year-old Marcus Smarts and Jaylen Browns out there who will someday patrol the parquet floor for the Green.

Shank doesn't want any of this fancy modern draft crap - he pines for the good 'ol days when Red Auerbach ruled the roost:

I can only imagine what Red Auerbach would say if he were around today to hear what’s going on in these days leading up to the NBA Draft.

The draft was so much more fun when we didn’t know anything. We assumed Red knew what he was doing, and usually Red was right.

In 1956, Red came away with the greatest single haul in draft history — three Hall of Famers in one draft. Red traded his second-best player, Ed Macauley, to get the second pick in the draft, then had his owner (Walter Brown) pledge the Ice Capades to Rochester so they wouldn’t take Bill Russell with the first overall pick.

A not so subtle shot? - 'Top that, Danny Ainge!'