The Boston Celtics hold eight picks in the NBA Draft, including three first-rounders - one of which is the No. 3 overall pick. That gives them plenty of trade options has they try to add a superstar to become a title contender, but they are also strongly considering keeping that top pick in hopes of developing a star. Here's all the latest Celtics draft news and rumors:
Celtics considering "seven or eight" prospects with No. 3 pick
Boston would love if either Simmons or Ingram fell to them with the No. 3 overall pick, but assuming that's not the case, head coach Brad Stevens says they're looking to seven or eight prospects to draft with that spot.
“You can’t control those things (like the lottery). I think the biggest thing is that there are good players in this draft. And I’m just starting to watch them more closely,” Stevens said. “(Celtics president) Danny (Ainge has) given me a list of seven or eight guys to really look at, and then obviously we have so many other guys coming in at other pick opportunities, and we’ll see everybody come through. It’ll be probably hard for a true sleeper to get by us. So it’s really a great opportunity with the number of picks we have, where we are with that pick in the draft. And there’s so much yet to be determined.”
MassLive.com reports that those players are Maccabi Tel Aviv PF Dragan Bender, Providence PG Kris Dunn, Kentucky SG/PG Jamal Murray, Cal SF Jaylen Brown, Oklahoma SG Buddy Hield, Kentucky C Skal Labissiere, Michigan State PF Deyonta Davis and/or Washington PF/C Marquese Chriss.
Celtics willing to draft project
The Celtics haven't been shy about their desire to acquire a superstar to help turn their core group - which earned the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference this year - into a legitimate title contender. Many expect them to draft a player with the No. 3 pick that can contribute right away (if they keep it), but team president Danny Ainge says that's not necessarily the case.
“I can’t talk about any players in particular, but a player that is going to take time to develop or a player who may not come to the NBA for a year or two, if we feel he’s the best player we have to take him. We can’t let a player slip by us just because it doesn’t fulfill our immediate satisfaction, or the objective for the fans to see someone exciting,” Ainge said. “We have to pick the best player under any circumstance.
"There are too many examples of really good players that fans haven’t been excited about. When Kristaps Porzingis was drafted by New York, fans were booing all over the place and we didn’t understand. When I was in Phoenix and we drafted Steve Nash, we were booed.”
Boston has also been looking to trade the pick in a package deal for Chicago's Jimmy Butler, Indiana's Paul George or Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins. If they do keep the pick, they are favoring Bender.
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