The X Man Cometh said:
Nik Stauskas!
I think he could be a nice offensive guy off the bench in the Harden/Ginobili mold. Great handles, gets to his spots, dead eye shooter. Looks like he can distribute well for a shooting guard.
I don't see the Harden comp at all, but I do think Stauskas should be a consideration with this pick. At worst you're getting a lights out shooter your can bring off the bench who can nail open 3's when your "stars" draw double teams.
Other guys I like in this range:
Wayne Selden- SG Kansas. Gets lost in the shuffle a bit with the Jayhawks, but plays strong D and can get to the basket. Tends to disappear at times, which is a concern, but shows up when his team needs him when guys like Wiggins and Embiid are having off nights.
Clint Capella- PF playing in France. Athletic freak who's on the rise. If he's on the board, might be worth taking the risk on the upside. If the C's miss out on the top 3, causing the rebuild a slight delay, it could make sense to try to keep him overseas for a year to develop.
PJ Hairston- SG. Has a few red flags that need to be investigated, which caused him to get kicked out of UNC, but has been playing well in the D League and has the physical tools to be a starter. Can hit the 3 and finish at the rim.
Chris Walker- PF. Another upside play like Capella, Walker just got cleared to play at Florida and made an impact in his first game in limited minutes. Can jump out of the gym, but needs work both in the gym and offensively if he wants to be more than just an athlete.
I like Payne, but he doesn't really fit on the current C's roster. I could also see Ainge liking Sam Dekker as a do-it-all forward that can be a 6th man on a really good team. But I'd be looking for a home run with that pick. The C's aren't one player away, especially if they end up outside of the top 3 with their own pick, so go for upside.