Lionel Hollins - 'I rarely think about traded picks'

In an interview with CBS Radio in Boston, Lionel Hollins talked about the team's awful start to the season and those lost draft picks --unprotected in 2016, swapped (without protections) in 2017 and unprotected in 2018.

"I rarely think about that," Hollins said of the traded picks. "I do. I think more importantly it’s what we do daily, the foundation that we lay. There’s always second-round picks that are bought. There’s always second-round picks that are traded."

In fact, the Nets will have to hope they can buy or trade for second rounders.  They don't control their own second round pick until 2021. They will retain their second round pick this June only if the Clippers finish with one of the league's five best records. If not, it goes to the Clippers (Reggie Evans trade); must send their 2017 second rounder to Atlanta (the last payment of the Joe Johnson deal); must send their 2018 and 2019 picks to Charlotte (Juan Pablo Vaulet rights trade); and their 2020 pick to Philadelphia (payment for taking on Andrei Kirilenko and Jorge Gutierrez).

Hollins pointed to Isaiah Thomas, who was taken at the end of the 2013 Draft by the Kings then traded to the Celtics, as a model for his thinking.

"I mean, I look at Isaiah Thomas," Hollins continued. "He was the last player taken in the draft. He’s become a star. So how high you draft and how many first-round picks you have doesn’t necessarily mean success. It’s how you choose people that you put on your team, and where you find players, and how they develop, and whether or not they are players. That’s the key."

As for what he sees this year --and the interview was done prior to the Celtics blowout-- Hollins talked about effort.

I told the players, and I live by this – if we go out and play to the best of our ability every night and we lose, that’s all we can do. And then you go home and go to sleep that night. You can’t worry about not being good enough," said Hollins.

• Lionel Hollins Avoids Thinking About Future Nets Draft Picks Heading To Celtics - Brian Robb - CBS Boston