If LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram are clearly the best two prospects in this year’s draft, then the Sixers and Lakers were the big winners at Tuesday’s lottery. Mock drafts may be split over whether Simmons or Ingram will be the better pro, but they virtually all agree that those will be the top two picks — in one order or the other.
So where does that leave the Celtics?
Boston is beginning to reap the harvest of a nine-player trade with Brooklyn in 2013 that saw the Nets give away a parcel of draft picks for aging veterans Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry. It was a short-sighted deal by Brooklyn GM Billy King that eventually cost him his job as the franchise deteriorated. Boston will get unprotected first-round picks from the Nets this year and in 2018, along with the opportunity — which now seems like a certainty — to swap first-rounders next season. Brooklyn stumbled to a 21-61 record this year, the third-worst mark in the league, and the Celtics hung on to the third pick Tuesday after all the ping-pong balls dropped.
What should their next move be?
ESPN’s Chad Ford has Boston grabbing Kentucky combo guard Jamal Murray at No. 3 in his latest mock draft, calling it a tough choice between him, Kris Dunn of Providence and Buddy Hield of Oklahoma. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress has Dragan Bender, a power forward out of Bosnia, rated third overall, but hasn’t updated his mock draft to include the lottery results or to consider team needs.
It’s generally agreed that apart from diminutive All-Star Isaiah Thomas, Boston has a roster filled with average to good players but very little star power. With Thomas, Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley on hand and the possible return of Evan Turner, any rookie guard will have to fight for playing time in the Celtics’ backcourt.
That brings us to tonight’s question: What should the Celtics do with their pick? Is Murray the best answer? Is Dunn, Hield or Bender? Or if you think a trade is a better option, who should they target and what would it take to get a deal done?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the topic. We look forward to what you have to say.
I would just reach for Jaylen Brown, kid can get buckets and the rest of his game will develop. Hes a perfect person to plug in at SF that can put up numbers on the scoreboard
Brown can’t shoot and doesn’t handle the ball well on the wing. The celtics like ball handling wings and are in the market for shooting. Dunn and Murray would be better fits
Trade for kyrie irving
You’re delusional
Oddly Ric Bucher actually floated that idea if the Cavs don’t win the championship. #3 IT and a few more pieces was his suggestion.
That’s assuming the Cavs like someone at 3. If they aren’t a fan of a prospect around that range, the pick becomes less valuable. Also I’d imagine the Cavs would rather trade Love first before Kyrie.
Yeah I saw that. He’s delusional too
The key is going to find a trade partner who’s convinced they HAVE to trade up to the third spot to get their guy. Trading back to 4-8 allows the Cs to get an equivalent quality guy and add another asset to their war chest. When you’re big game hunting, you can never have enough ammmo so even if it’s addicting a future pick, player, whatever, there’s value. I personally think Jamal Murray is going to be a stud and is what’s quickly becoming the ideal NBA guard. Plus, he just turned 19. That’s matters. Dunn and Hield are not worth a top 5 pick, they are role players. Good ones but role guys none the less….
3/34/51/2018 lottery protected pick/hunter/Young
For
WCS and 8
Draft Brown
Trade 16/23/31/58 for Valentine
Pgs Thomas and Smart
Sg-Bradley and Valentine
Sfs Crowder and brown
Pfs Sullinger and Jerebko
Cs WCS and Johnson
Yeah I don’t think you understand how the draft works. The 3 alone could get WCS and 8 plus probably McElmore and a future pic. Don’t need to trade any of the rest. Second when you draft someone like Valentine at 16 you don’t just give up all your next picks. This is by far the worst trade attempt I have seen
The #3 alone would not get WCS, #8, and McLemore. Unless Sacramento is absolutely in love with someone at #3 and they’re somewhat confident he wouldn’t be there at #8, that would be a huge overpay. They aren’t giving up two young rotation players and a lottery pick for a slightly better lottery pick…especially when the draft, after Simmons and Ingram, becomes two graduating senior rotation players (Hield, Dunn), an overseas project (Bender), and a bunch of other guys who could easily go anywhere in the lottery. Point is, after Simmons and Ingram, there isn’t anyone else that jumps off the page and should go #3 because the talent/potential level after the top two picks levels out and is relatively even from picks 3-10.
Now we know what Billy King’s been up to…
Try like heck to convince Philly that Simmons and Dunn or Murray is better than Simmons and Okafor. If we can get Okafor for the #3 pick I’m all for it. I don’t think we can make a palatable deal for Cousins or Butler.
That’s actually not a bad idea. Would allow the 76ers to draft whoever they want at the top spot and still fill their hole at PG. Celtics would get the big they’ve been craving for a while now. While I think the value is about spot on (Okafor would probably go in the 1-3 range if he was in this draft), the Celtics will probably want more back in return (role player/future picks) considering they’d be helping a division rival.
Same as i said philly has to give up another pick or player ( dario saric) if they want dunn at 3 and they can have james young also
Saric is probably a bit much considering his potential. Saric and Okafor > #3 pick
But the C’s could get Greg Monroe for less and he’s young, more efficient and a good chemistry guy.
Okafor is younger and only had one year on a terrible team that needed him to score (which explains his inefficient season). They’re very similar players in that they are big men (although Okafor is probably more suited for the center spot while Monroe is probably more suited for the power foward spot) who are good offensive players and rebounders, but don’t provide much rim protection. You know what you’re going to get with Monroe (as you kind of alluded to) but Okafor has the potential to be better. The Celtics could definetly get Monroe for less (probably one of their other first round picks and another pick) but I doubt Milwaukee will want to trade Monroe after one season because it gives a bad image of them to future free agents.
I thought the same and think it’s not a hard sell, it makes sense for both teams. There may need to be some other pieces involved but it’s a good basis for a mutually beneficial trade
You’re delusional if you think #3 gets you Okafor. #3 + one of Bradley/Smart/Young gets the conversation going.
Neither team has any use for good-but-not-great players. Sixers because they need to form an identity before shaping the team; Celtics because they are full of them. Okafor is the only player in the C’s current war chest of assets (aside from Nets picks) that has the chance to be great. IT is very good (not the argument I’m trying to make). Point is, if you are acquiring the best player in a trade Okafor >>>> #3 you have to give up multiple lesser pieces, regardless of perceived fit to a team.
Totally agree that the Celtics would have to give up a little more, but besides the fit for them, the #3 pick would benefit the 76ers because they could finally get their point guard. The 76ers might be willing to take a package that is perceived as not being equal if they feel that one of Murray/Dunn is exactly the type of guy they need and could end up benefitting them more in the long run. I think the 76ers would jump at a chance to get the #3 pick Young/Hunter/Olynyk for Okafor or Noel. This all depends on how highly they value Okafor/Noel and Murray/Dunn but it just makes too much sense not to happen (aside from the fact that they are division rivals).
If there isn’t a trade available for a star or to move up to 1 or 2 the pick should be Hield. He’s immediate help on offense. I think the improving thing is overrated, he’ll continue to improve his shot along with everything else. He has a good attitude and relatively good size for what the Celtics have at guard
I think need to look hard at trading the pick and hope there is a taker. I know Butler has been mentioned, but I wonder how willing the Bulls are to move him. I’d think it would have to start with the #3, #16, Bradley, and one or two future 1st round picks. Could throw in one or two of their 2nd rounders this year too just for fun.
If they can’t find a take, then they could look to draft Dunn, then move Smart to Sacramento and hope Brown falls to them at 8. Should have other good players there if not. It doesn’t sound like Sacramento wants to add another rookie and they need help at PG, so Smart could be a good option for them.
I don’t see them giving the pick away for a PG who can’t shoot.
I’m not sold on Murray being a good fit next to Thomas. Hield would probably be the perfect player for them to draft, but 3rd overall is probably a little high for him. If I was the Celtics I’d look to trade back no further than 7th. Could get Hield plus some future draft capital/role players.
I don’t get why they aren’t looking at big men more. There are rumors for Dunn, Murray, and Hield but they are fine in the backcourt. If they don’t like any bigmen then they should trade the pick for a big man like love, okafor, or someone else.
There aren’t any solid big men worth drafting at 3. As you go further into the lottery, then other guys start to make sense but a big man (outside of Simmons if you want to consider him one) at #3 is a reach.
If you keep the pick, I like Jamal Murray’s game, but I don’t know if he would fit with the Celtics current players.
A trade scenario that I think could help both teams would be to target a trade with Milwaukee who desperately needs a PG. Trade #3, #16, and Crowder for Jabari Parker and #10. Bucks get Dunn to pair with Middleton, Giannis, and Monroe if they keep him. I’d like to see the Celtics pick up Valentine at the #10 spot.
I would trade #3 pick and Celtics pick for Okafor. Add R.J. Hunter or James Young to seal the deal.
Smart, R.J. Hunter and the 16th pick to the bulls for the tenth pick. Kris Dunn is selected with the third and Jakob Poetl gets selected by the celts with the 14th pick and mike dunleavy
The bulls select Demetrius jackson 16th and get another potential PG of the future in smart as well as another spot up shooter in hunter
Bulls have 14th. But I like the idea of trading with Sacramento. I think we should throw 3 their way and take 8 and Macklemore in return. Gives us 3pt shooting in return and then take best available at 8 could be brown/bender/hield. Or if they don’t budge we could send them smart and take wcs in return.
Equally as dumb
This is the dumbest scenario I’ve ever seen
Draft Buddy Heild (best work ethic in this years draft) and build through the draft. The teams that trade their draft picks get screwed (look at Charlotte when they traded away Kobe, Hawks when they traded Bill Russell to Boston, etc). Also if you look at the teams that’s left in the playoffs, a lot of their players were developed by that team.
Firework offseason for the Celtics
Blockbuster trade:
Celtics receive: Anthony Davis
Raptors receive: 2016 16th overall pick (Celtics), 2016 23rd overall pick (Celtics), 2016 24th overall pick (Sixers), Jordan Mickey (Celtics), and Jared Sullinger (Celtics)
Sixers receive: 2016 3rd overall pick (Celtics), 2016 9th overall pick (Toronto), 2016 27th overall pick (Toronto), Omer Asik (Pelicans), and Bruno Caboclo (Raptors)
Pelicans receive: 2016 1st overall pick (Ben Simmons), 2018 Nets 1st round pick, 2016 51st overall pick (Celtics), 2016 58th overall pick (Celtics), Nik Stauskas (Sixers), James Young (Celtics), and Dario Saric (Sixers)
Now that the Celtics have a cornerstone superstar in place with AD, a perennial point guard in IT, two ferocious front court defenders in AB and JC, and still the bench they can make a very good case for KD to come to Boston.
Potential Lineup/Rotations
PG: Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier
SG: Avery Bradley, RJ Hunter
SF: Kevin Durant, Evan Turner
PF: Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson, Jonas Jerebko
C: Anthony Davis, Kelly Olynyk
Deepest team in the league! Lebron and Curry here come the Celtics!
That’s a terrible trade for the Pelicans and Sixers. Sixers aren’t giving up a chance to get Simmons/Ingram unless they get a young stud player in return. Pelicans aren’t giving up Davis for the #1 pick, a future first rounder, two first round busts, and a overseas player who hasn’t proven himself in the NBA yet.
Also there’s no way the Celtics walk away from a blockbuster trade for a superstar without giving up at least one (and probably two) of Bradley/Smart/Crowder (or Thomas if the deal is for a point guard).
Also KD isn’t coming to Boston
Keep the pick and take Buddy Hield. He is a scorer ( which the C’s need) . Please don’t pass this kid up
Trade it to Sixers and get Okafor.
Draft Murray
Trade Smart/23rd pick for Okafor
Serge Ibaka for Avery Bradley, Jonas Jerebko and 2 2nd rounders. Sign Hassan Whiteside for about 75millover4 I’m fine with. Next Jimmy Butler for everything else! haha
So potentially
Marcus Smart, Isiah Thomas
Jimmy Butler
Jae Crowder
Serge Ibaka
Hassan Whiteside
Now can we say DEFENSE! It would be an easy top 2 team in the east if this fantasy comes true.
All for trading 3rd pick for Okafor. Would benefit both teams greatly. I hope that the Celtics don’t end up trading away Avery Bradley or Kelly Olynyk! those are my favs
You people are crazy. Okafor probably would be 1st overall in this draft. Noel is more likely to be traded and extended.
If you can’t trade the pick, I would take the best player available, no matter what position and I think the 3rd best player is Kris Dunn.
Why does everyone think Okafor is so valuable on a roster where he isn’t a great fit. Too many bigs in Philly, too many guards in Boston. Philly could use a young veteran PG like Smart who plays hard and might help change the culture there. Throw in a late 1st and a second and it makes sense
Ya’ll are funny. We all know Ainge is going to draft 45 guards. He’s got a compulsion. He can’t not draft positions he doesn’t need.
Trade #3 and either one of the other 1 St rounders or Avery/smart for Okafor