With just over 24 hours until the NBA draft gets underway, one NBA executive tells Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald that the Celtics may be looking into the possibility of moving down in the draft again. Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer tweets that he has heard the same thing.
Per Bulpett, most sources still believe that the Celtics’ decision will come down to Josh Jackson and Jayson Tatum, but it doesn’t appear Boston is necessarily locked in on one specific player at No. 3. Jonathan Isaac has even “crept into the speculation,” according to Bulpett, who adds that another exec believes the C’s would like to find a way to end up with point guard Dennis Smith Jr. — that scenario would almost certainly involve a trade down.
Here’s more out of Boston:
- A coach from one NBA franchise tells Bulpett that if you asked 10 different teams which player Danny Ainge wants in this draft, you might get 10 different answers. “We call him the minister of disinformation,” the coach said of Ainge. “He’s putting a lot of stuff out there.”
- Rumblings on Wednesday have indicated the Celtics may be leaning more toward Tatum than Jackson with the third overall pick. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress appears to be on board that bandwagon — his latest mock draft for The Vertical has Boston selecting Tatum at No. 3, though he acknowledges Jackson is also in the conversation.
- The NBA’s rumor mill appears to be more active this year than it usually is prior to the draft, and the Celtics – loaded with assets of all sorts – are at the eye of the storm, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
Ainge likes to keen em all guessing. He’s good like that. Smart
Celtics trade #3 and the Clipppers 1st rounder and a second this year to Sacramento for #5 and 10. Sacramento gets fox we get Jackson or Tatum then we trade # 10 and Memphis 1st rounder next year to get 7 or 8 from NY or Dallas and we scoop Dennis Smith . So we get Smith PG and Jackson or Tatum
That’s a lot of moving pieces
Nah take Isaac at 5 and Markannen at 7 or 8
You’re delusional lol
Ny have 8 and dallas has 9
Lol even as a Lakers fan I gotta give it up to Ainge. Guy is creating enough stock to shock the world a la 2008 Big 3 all over again. Or he’ll be ready next time a team like OKC gives a Harden away
Is ainge’s goal to win or accumulate the most draft picks? If he trades out of 3 I would have to believe he is close to landing Butler or another of that caliber.
Trade down to get more picks to trade for a player. Moving from 1 to 3 gives them another 1st. Moving down from 3 is more assists for that big trade. Whether it happens or not is a different thing, but the more assists, the better the chances of something happening
Or the Kings can just draft Fox at 5 and keep the 10.
Maybe Butler or George or one of the Rockets guys available to Celtics and 3 pick to Sacromento and 5 and 10 to either Bulls or Pacers or if Houston then 10 to Houston.
C’s have more than enough trade capital over the next several years, time to use it for player(s) who will make a difference in 2017/2018 not 2019/2020.
For what? To lose? Keep the picks / young players & build your team internally. There’s absolutely no need for any team to rush to win now.
Keeping all of those picks and in a continuous rebuild mode is moronic. You don’t trade them all, but enough to get the team into a legitimate discussion as a championship caliber team now.
But no one would label the Celtics as a team that’s rebuilding. Those draft picks are only adding to their foundation. A foundation that’s already proven they can compete for an East title.
Cleveland isn’t getting any better anytime soon. They just need to stay the course, see what the younger guys can provide them, scoop up GH, and play out this year.
Then, next year they should have 2 top 5 picks, more cap space, and a better idea of what needs they will have to acquire either via free agency or via trade.
People think just because you draft a player that immediately takes away that asset from a number 3 or 5 pick to nothing…You still have said player regardless, and that player will still be very valuable…They don’t lose anything by drafting players and letting them grow within their own franchise. Then, if they come across a trade later, then they can cross that bridge by using one of their younger players or future picks if necessary…
But right now, they are a conference-contending team with 1 top 3 pick this year, and 2 more top 5 picks next year…They can build a team that’s set for the next 5 years at least, by playing their cards right. It makes ZERO sense to give up their future assets just for one player…
Right now, they are setting themselves up to be major contenders for several years to come. Theres no reason to just trade away those MAJOR future assets, solely just to grab a player now that may or may not put you over the top.
They are well within their budget, they have what 3 top 5 picks in the next two drafts, and they should be able to sign GH easily. I say they should continue building from within, sign GH, and ONLY make a trade if an opportunity comes to them to obviously get better.
There is no rush, and there’s definitely no need to sacrifice all of their present and future assets to acquire one player right now…If they play their cards right, just by staying out, they could possibly acquire 3 standout early picks, and 2 excellent free agents by the beginning of the 2018/20019 season