The Boston Celtics own pick should come in the back end of the 2018 NBA Draft’s first round, but they could also end up with a high pick from the Lakers.
If the Los Angeles Lakers end up with a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft between #2 and #5 overall, it will move to the Boston Celtics. If the Lakers pick is outside of that range, Boston will receive a pick in 2019 from either Sacramento or Philadelphia in 2019.
Right now, it looks like the Lakers are falling back to earth after a 5-5 start with 3 straight losses. They will certainly be in the mix for a high lottery pick, meaning the Boston Celtics could be in luck.
If the Celtics land the Lakers pick between #2 and #5…
If the Boston Celtics do end up with the Lakers pick in 2018, there is plenty of talent available for them. They could also look to make a deal though, trading down or out of the spot for a proven NBA veteran. Tons of rebuilding teams would love to have a top-5 pick.
For this article, I have assumed that Boston has received a top-5 pick from the Los Angeles Lakers. These are some of the players that they could look to target, with an emphasis on both bigs and wings.
C De’Andre Ayton, Arizona
The Arizona Wildcats have played just a pair of games so far, but freshman De’Andre Ayton looks like the real deal. He’s averaging 19 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game in 31.5 minutes played.
What’s surprising about Ayton so far is that he’s been able to get into a rhythm so quickly, even though the ball is more often in the hands of Arizona’s star guard Allonzo Trier. Boston is set on scoring it seems, with Kyrie Irving and the breakthroughs of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. They’ll also have Gordon Hayward back next year, oh and Al Horford is no slouch either. A big man with this kind of offensive skill could be just what Boston is looking for. His rebounding ability should also set him apart, and on a Boston Celtics team with no glaring needs, De’Andre Ayton would be a perfect fit.
PF/C Marvin Bagley, Duke
6’10” power forward Marvin Bagley played just ten minutes in the Blue Devils game against Michigan State on November 14th before exiting with a poked eye. He had 4 points and 6 assists in that span, showing that he has the skills to make it in the NBA.
The jury is still out on Bagley though until we can see him on the court for Duke some more. He seems like a great choice for Boston though if Ayton is already off the board as a potential top-5 pick.
C Mohamed Bamba, Texas
Mohamed Bamba is a 7’0″ freshman center out of Harlem, NY. He’s in the top-4 of most NBA Draft big boards and will likely remain there unless he plays extremely poor for the Longhorns. Bamba is just 19 years old, and he’d be just 20 when the 2018-19 NBA season begins. He could be the next big piece to join the Celtics young core, drawing NBA comparisons to Rudy Gobert.
SF/PF Michael Porter Jr., Missouri
Michael Porter Jr. has been talked about for over a year now, but his play for the Missouri Tigers will go a long way for him. It’s not a given that he’ll be the first overall pick, or even a top-5 pick if he plays poorly. If he’s still on the board when Boston makes a selection, I wouldn’t be surprised if they jump at the chance to add him. The NBA is moving towards positionless basketball, and you can never have too many wing players. Porter Jr., Tatum, and Brown would form quite a young trio.
PF/C Robert Williams III, Texas A&M
Robert Williams III is a star for the Texas A&M Aggies. He fits the bill as a power forward more than a center at 6’9″ and he’s drawn comparisons to Shawn Kemp and Antonio McDyess. One of his weaknesses as that he can actually be a bit too unselfish, passing up open looks to deal it to his teammates. That wouldn’t be such a huge issue on a Boston Celtics team with all of the talents it already has.
Late 1st round picks…
Boston may not have a top-5 pick in this year’s NBA Draft, but they should still have their own pick. It will likely fall towards the back end of the round, somewhere between 26-30 overall. There are plenty of great options in this area of the draft, as some players will slide or have a ton of upside. The Celtics are in a great position to be able to take a guy that needs some work. They’ll be able to develop him while the team still makes runs towards NBA titles.
G Devonte Graham, Kansas
Devonte Graham is a rare senior ready to make the jump to the NBA. In today’s one-and-done college game, Graham has stuck around and developed at Kansas. The 6’2″ point guard is averaging 10.5 points, 8.5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals per game this year.
G Andrew Jones, Texas
Longhorns guard Andrew Jones is a sophomore in his second season at Texas. The 6’4″ guard played in the McDonald’s High School All-American Game with Jayson Tatum a few years ago, and now he’s ready to make his NBA leap as well. Jones and the Longhorns have played two games so far in 2017, and he’s averaging 15 points, 4 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 assists.
SG Rawle Alkins, Arizona
Rawle Alkins is a player that could sneak into the late first round, or end up as a mid-second rounder. He’s a pure scorer, though he never really has the chance to shine thanks to all of the talents on Arizona’s roster. He’s out to begin his sophomore season with a leg injury, but he will be back and he’ll show why he could be a first-round pick. Alkins draws comparisons to Tyreke Evans or Lance Stephenson.
F Emmanuel Akot, Arizona
Alkins’ teammate Emmanuel Akot is just a freshman, and it’s not yet known whether he will declare for the 2018 NBA Draft. If he does, it will be because he had the chance to really show what he can do as a player and is projected to be a first-round pick.
Akot is just 18 years old, as he reclassified for the class of 2017 to be able to play for the Wildcats this season. He’s going to have to fight to earn his minutes as Allonzo Trier, Rawle Alkins, De’Andre Ayton, Keanu Pinder, Ira Lee, and Brandon Randolph all play the 2 through 4 spots as well. The 6’8″ forward from Canada has averaged 6.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists through Arizona’s first two games. He’s a real 3-point threat as well, shooting 42.9% from behind the arc.
G Grayson Allen, Duke
Grayson Allen is the closest thing college basketball has to a villain right now. We have all seen the tripping videos, and his immaturity at times, but the guard from Duke can really play too.
The Blue Devils have played just 3 games this season, but one of those came against the #2 Michigan State Spartans. In that game, Allen played all 40 minutes with 37 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal. He was 7-11 from 3 as well. Boston would learn to love Grayson Allen if he’s able to score like that in the NBA.
G De’Anthony Melton, USC
Sophomore guard De’Anthony Melton from USC is an option at the end of the first round. He hasn’t played yet this season, but as a freshman last year Melton averaged 8.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1 block per game. If he can improve upon those numbers even just slightly this season, he’ll be in this conversation.
Next: The 50 greatest Celtics of all-time
The Boston Celtics have a lot of options in the upcoming NBA Draft, and who knows, they may even trade the picks they do have. For now, I’m still holding on to some hope that Boston gets that Lakers pick and is able to select a player like De’Andre Ayton, Michael Porter Jr., or Marvin Bagley. They should also be able to add even more young depth to this squad with their late first round pick. Of course, as a University of Arizona student, I may be a little biased, but I’d love to see them draft Rawle Alkins or Emmanuel Akot. Pair one of them back up with Ayton and the Celtics will be set for years to come.