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The Latest on the Celtics' Hopes for a Top 2nd-Round Selection
Fortifying a championship contender has resulted in the Celtics trading three-straight first-round picks since Brad Stevens took over for Danny Ainge as president of basketball operations.
Boston brought back Al Horford. At last year's trade deadline, the franchise acquired Derrick White, who earned MVP chants and a film review, pairing 26 points with stellar on and off-ball defense in Tuesday's 119-106 win over the Hawks. And the defending Eastern Conference champions swung a deal for potential Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon over the summer.
Fortunately for the Celtics, while not scheduled to pick in the first round of this year's draft, they're poised to have a top-35 selection.
As previously detailed, Boston has the rights to the Portland Trail Blazers' second-round selection. Tanking, the latter lost nine of its last ten games, finishing the season 33-49, the fifth-worst record in the NBA. That's why the Celtics are guaranteed a top-35 pick this year.
But Boston could do even better, depending on what happens at the NBA Draft lottery on Tuesday, May 16.
A trade made in 2020 sent a conditional second-round selection from the Rockets to the Celtics. That pick is top-32 protected. Jalen Green, Jabari Smith Jr., and Co. finished the campaign tied with the Spurs for the second-worst record in the league at 22-60.
At the NBA's annual end-of-season random drawing to determine tiebreakers and help sort out the draft order, the outcome involving San Antonio and Houston broke favorably for Boston.
Both teams have a 52.1 percent chance of making a pick in the top four, respectively. But if neither does, the Rockets will come on the clock before the Spurs. Whoever goes first in the opening round will select 33rd in the second.
If the Celtics are fortunate enough to land the 33rd pick, they'll re-route the 35th selection to the Thunder due to the trade that brought Mike Muscala to Boston.
While the Celtics are hoping for as high of a pick as possible, a pseudo-first-round selection is a welcome arrival after parting with their Round 1 draft choice three-straight years and the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement making it more challenging for the league's highest-spending teams, which includes Boston, to keep their rosters intact.
Further Reading
[Film Room] Derrick White's Assertiveness Leads to 26 Points, MVP Chants as Celtics Take 2-0 Lead
What the Celtics Say They're Focused on as Series Moves to Atlanta
The Celtics Give Their Evaluation of Battle on the Boards in Game 1 Win vs. Hawks
The Celtics Discuss Their Game 1 Win vs. the Hawks: 'We Can't Take Our Foot Off the Gas'
