According to ESPN's Zach Lowe, the Boston Celtics are contemplating using their three first-round draft selections (14, 26, and 30) to trade up in the 2020 NBA Draft.
Memo to Danny Ainge, Brad Stevens, and the Boston Celtics: keep the picks.
There are four players who are justifiable number-one picks in this draft class: Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Obi Toppin, and James Wiseman. After that quartet, there's a double-digit group of players who are in the same tier, which is only a step or two behind the draft headliners.
With that in mind, what's the point of Boston moving up from 14 to the top 10? They could get a player at 14 who's barely, if at all worse than a player who they'd trade up for in the top 10. What's the drop-off from Devin Vassell to Saddiq Bey? How about Tyrese Haliburton to RJ Hampton?
In the scenario they keep their picks, Boston can either draft the best player on the board or draft based on need.
If they go best-player available, perhaps the Celtics take Kentucky combo guard Tyrese Maxey at 14? The 20-year-old is adept at scoring off the dribble and could lead the scoring charge off the bench. At 26 and 30, they could go for Argentinian point guard Leandro Bolmaro and Serbian big man Aleksej Pokusevski, banking on Stevens' coaching staff to fine-tune their respective skill sets.
If they draft based on fit, Boston could take Maryland big man Jalen Smith at 14 with Enes Kanter potentially opting out of his contract and Daniel Theis hitting the open market next offseason. At 26, Boston could take forward Jordan Nwora, who shot 39.4 percent from beyond the arc at Louisville. At 30, they could take Kansas point guard Devon Dotson to add backcourt depth.
Kemba Walker is entering the second season of a four-year, $141 million deal; Jaylen Brown is entering the first season of a four-year, $107 million deal; Jayson Tatum is poised to sign a max extension in the near future. Those three make up the bulk of the Celtics payroll, and the NBA salary cap may very well fall by an eight-figure amount given the money the NBA has lost this year due to their midseason shutdown.
Gordon Hayward is the unknown moving forward. While it makes sense for him to opt into his $34 million player option for the 2020-21 NBA season, he's reportedly thinking about opting out. There have also been rumblings about him being traded.
Hayward is coming off an encouraging season where he averaged 17.5 points per game and shot 38.3 percent from beyond the arc, serving as a vital element to the Celtics offense. His departure would create a considerable vacancy in the scoring department.
Adding three first-round picks on rookie deals for three-plus years when the Celtics already have a foundation with the aforementioned players is a luxury. If they'd like, they could use one of their later first rounders and their second-round pick (47) to move up for a player they adore. That prospect comes with keeping the other two first rounders.
All that said, Stevens offense is run through Tatum, Walker, and Brown with Marcus Smart becoming more of a scoring threat in recent memory. Anyone the Celtics draft is going to be their at-best fourth source of offense, so why not load up and develop youth? Every contender is a mere significant injury away from being eaten by the wolves, and the top of the Eastern Conference is going to be stiff next season.
The Miami Heat are just getting started; Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks are still a potent foe; the Toronto Raptors aren't going anywhere; capable scorers roam on the Philadelphia 76ers' sideline; the Indiana Pacers are a respectable unit; the Brooklyn Nets get a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on the floor next season.
One injury to the Celtics core, and they're in grave danger. Having depth doesn't ensure anything, rather it gives you competent options if a doomsday scenario unfolds. Anyone the Celtics draft will feed off the mainstays, and they can gradually develop coming off the bench while playing a complementary role.
As 2019-20 rookies like Grant Williams and Romeo Langford continue to improve and hold down rotation roles, the new pups can play the roles last season's rookies inherited. The Celtics' second unit could be a starting five for a rebuilding team.
Three first-round picks could result in a scorer with upside, a “three-and-d” player, and a big man. Many contenders don't get the chance to add those three players in one offseason; the Celtics have that chance this offseason.
Sure, there's merit behind the Celtics jumping up the draft board. They could offer all their draft picks and a future pick to an indecisive team in the top five. Meanwhile, they could look to swap a couple of their picks for a proven player to hold down a high-minute role. At the same time, one could argue that these would be forced transactions; they don't need another franchise player.
The Boston Celtics have an array of routes they can take, but their best option is staying put and making their three first-round selections.
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