The Boston Celtics currently have the 27th pick in next week's draft, but it seems like that may change sooner rather than later (and it might not even be related to a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade).
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Celtics (and the Denver Nuggets) are looking to move up in the first round of the draft.
"The Celtics are mostly mentioned in Giannis trade scenarios these days, but sources say both Boston (at No. 27) and Denver (No. 26) have been increasingly interested in trying to move up the draft board."
Now, I'm no Sherlock Holmes, but usually when teams are looking to move up in the draft, they're targeting a specific player or position. And given the state of Boston's roster and how many expect the draft to play out, it's fair to assume that the team is looking to bolster its frontcourt, particularly at center.
The Celtics may be targeting a center in the 2026 NBA Draft
If the Celtics are serious about acquiring a new center this offseason (which they should be, especially given that Nikola Vucevic's departure seems inevitable), then their best bet may be to target one in the draft (the trade and free agency market are slim pickings).
There could be some intriguing names available at 27, but most mock drafts have the best realistic center options coming off the board before that (Henri Veesaar, Tarris Reed Jr., Jayden Quaintance, Chris Cenac Jr.).
If Boston keeps its pick, there's still a possibility it can land one of them, but it's also a risk the team might not want to take.
Celtics moving up in the draft could be the end of Sam Hauser's tenure
There's also a world that exists where the Celtics could be looking to include the 27th pick in a package to also move on from Sam Hauser and his contract.
Hauser just wrapped up the first year of his four-year, $45 million contract extension. And while this isn't necessarily a horrible contract, it's a bit of an overpay, especially considering that Boston might not need his services anymore.
The Celtics already have a plethora of wings they should want to develop next season and beyond (Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Ron Harper Jr., and Jordan Walsh), and trading Hauser would not only give them that opportunity, but it would also give them some financial flexibility.
Boston needs to make some changes this offseason to re-enter the title picture, and it all may start with next week's draft.
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