The Boston Celtics’ search for a star continues.
It will no doubt reach fever pitch in free agency, but the draft is first. And the Celtics have three first-round selections, each of which is believed to be on the table as they try to upgrade the roster with a household name.
Boston’s best bet for poaching a star from another team lies with the third overall selection. This year’s draft is considered two superstars deep, with Brandon Ingram and Ben Simmons expected to go first and second, though not necessarily in that order. But there is value in having the top-three pick, especially the team in question is high on players like Dragan Bender or Jamal Murray.
Hence why the Celtics are trying hard to move the pick, according to CSNNE.com’s A. Sherrod Blakely:
With the NBA Draft little more than two weeks away, the Celtics are working busily behind the scenes.
But not necessarily in an attempt to determine who they’ll choose with the third overall pick. Rather, they’re looking to trade it.
“[I’m] hearing that No. 3 pick overall is the one that they are really shopping,” said CSN’s Celtics Insider A. Sherrod Blakely, “trying to be as aggressive as possible in trying to move that pick, because they want to get a difference-making, impact player right now. And they believe using that No. 3 pick, and maybe some other players and/or picks, might be the best way to [make] that happen.”
And who are they targeting in return?
“The guys that they want are the guys that everybody wants,” said Blakely. “We’re talking about [Kevin] Durant, we’re talking about Jimmy Butler, those type of players. And those guys are going to be at the top of their wish list until those guys say, ‘We don’t want to come to Boston.’ “
A few things here.
Kevin Durant is a free agent. So the Celtics won’t be giving up the No. 3 pick unless it’s in a sign-and-trade, in which case they would be dealing the player they actually select.
Jimmy Butler is the more realistic target. His situation with the Chicago Bulls is weird. He is clearly their franchise cornerstone, yet his future in the Windy City, despite being just one year into a five-season pact, appears fragile at best.
At this point, Butler may also be the lone superstar-type player available ahead of the draft. And even he isn’t likely to be officially available. The Bulls, I would guess, are just more receptive to fielding calls about his availability than most other teams would be about their best players.
Could the Celtics try to engage the Los Angeles Clippers in talks for Blake Griffin? Might they try to revive DeMarcus Cousins talk with the Sacramento Kings? Would they consider putting together a monster package for Paul George?
Anything’s possible for the Celtics—including the possibility that their trade-market aggression is all a smokescreen. Team president Danny Ainge is notorious for being so candid he’s actually the antithesis of candid.
But if the Celtics really are looking to move this selection, they have the complementing picks, prospects and reasonably priced contracts to, at the very least, make sure pretty much every general manager/team president in the league accepts their phone call.
