C's reportedly offered Charlotte up to six Draft Picks for No. 9

Associated Press

The Celtics almost put a lot of eggs into one basket; Charlotte's No. 9 pick.

After no deal was made, and the draft was all said and done, sources dug to find out what Danny Ainge, Celtics president of basketball operations, offered Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Hornets for their coveted No. 9 pick in the draft. Sources say the Celtics offered as many as six draft picks, a combination of the Celtics' 2015 first round picks and future first rounders.



Ainge understands that future draft picks are hard to deal on the day of the draft but still thinks that teams tend to devalue those picks when they have their eyes set on a particular prospect in the draft.

"They [future draft picks] are worth a lot, I think the draft is probably the time where they're least valuable, simply because people get so caught up in players. Without mentioning names, there are some players that were drafted at certain spots [by teams] that turned down lots of draft picks that I just don't think was smart on their part," Ainge said. "On draft day, typically those are hard deals to move. People get so caught up and get so in love with a specific player that that player in their minds becomes bigger than life."

In some cases, teams have good reasons to fall in love with a particular player but this was not one of those cases. For Charlotte to grasp the No. 9 pick so tight in order to draft Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky makes little sense. Especially since the Celtics were most likely trading them the No. 16 pick, where the Hornets probably could have drafted Kaminsky, had another first rounder to pick and had future first round picks.

"I think they were just determined to take a guy that they liked. I think that they may regret not doing it in some cases," Ainge said. "I think people make irrational choices in those situations, not knowing a 2019 unprotected pick has great value."

Ainge doesn't want to "mention names" but if we had to guess who he's referring to, I think we'd all guess the Charlotte Hornets. And no, Danny a 2019 unprotected pick doesn't have great value in 2015, let's be honest but when you package that pick with 2015 first rounders then, yeah, that's a good deal. A value deal. Especially when a team has their hope in drafting Frank Kaminsky. Seeing Charlotte draft him at No. 9 must have really put a smile on Ainge's face.

Maybe Michael Jordan just doesn't trust anything Ainge has to offer. After those tough battles between the two, whether it was when Ainge was playing for the Celtics or the Trail Blazers. Jordan, who has had a terribly low success rate in drafting NBA talent, must really think he's finally struck gold in 'Frank The Tank' Kaminsky.

"Maybe we were going too hard at it," Ainge said about his trade offer on draft night. "There was a time when I thought 'Whoa, this is getting a little out of control.' We're putting a lot of eggs in one player's basket. So I'm not frustrated. In the long run, maybe it'll be best."

Josue Pavon 
Twitter: @Joe_Sway10