BOSTON — As the 2017 N.B.A. draft approaches, history is, perhaps, repeating itself in Boston. If it is, Celtics fans will be immensely gratified.
Consider that in the summer of 1980, as in the summer of 2017, the Celtics were coming off a loss in the Eastern Conference finals and needed an upgrade. In 1980, as in 2017, the Celtics held the No. 1 pick in the N.B.A. draft, not by virtue of having the worst record, but because of a trade.
And as was the case in 1980, the Celtics in 2017 have traded the No.