Boston Celtics NBA Draft primer: Is this the year Brad Stevens makes a first-round pick?
BOSTON -- Since taking over as Boston Celtics president, Brad Stevens has not made a first-round pick in the NBA Draft. That might change Wednesday night.
Stevens and the defending champion Celtics are slated to make the 30th overall pick in the first round Wednesday night. They also have the 54th overall pick in Thursday's second round. This is the first year that the NBA Draft will take place over two days -- Wednesday's action starts at 8 p.m. while Thursday tips off at 4 p.m. -- and it sounds like Stevens will be active on both evenings.
"I anticipate making a couple of picks," Stevens said when asked about his draft plans Tuesday.
Stevens could still trade out of the first round, but he's got an eye to the future heading into the 2024 NBA Draft.
Developing for the future
The cost of winning will be felt immediately in Boston, as the Celtics will be well over the salary cap in the 2024-25 season. And with the team in the second apron last season, owner Wyc Grousbeck will already have a hefty luxury tax bill to pay over the next few years.
The good news is that Boston's core -- Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford -- are all signed through at least next season. Tatum will get his super-max extension in a few weeks, and White could also sign a four-year extension this summer. So the band will be back together next year when the Celtics go for a repeat, and the core could be in place for several years to come.
But that will carry a massive price tag, plus all the restrictions that come with repeat luxury tax offenders. The Celtics will only be able to add free agents with the veteran minimum, as the new CBA takes the taxpayer mid-level exception away from teams in the second apron. There are also restrictions on Boston's ability to sign players who have been bought out and make more than the mid-level exception.
Stevens will have to get creative in terms of adding to this team over the next few years, which is why the draft is pretty important to Boston. Stevens' best bet will be to draft a player with a lot of upside, but will likely need some time to develop in the G League or overseas.
"There are a lot of moving parts to keeping this roster sustainable beyond this year," Stevens said Tuesday. "Specifically to this year, we have a lot of guys back. It will be hard for any draft pick to crack our rotation when healthy, so we'll think about how we can best continue to invest in young players and their development and growth, with the reality that if we're able to continue to move forward with this group, these guys will be on the court."
Stevens basically said that they'll be looking to add someone who can help the team down the road. That could mean a trade out at 30 -- since picking there will also be pricey for the team -- and a focus on two-way players in the second round.
"If the right person is available at 30, we'll take him. If there are a couple of people we think are the right person, we'll see what our options are and what kind of flexibility we have," he said. "If they come in and crack our rotation then they're really good, and that would be really good too."
Potential picks for Celtics at 30
Maybe Stevens will continue his Belichickian run of trading out of the first round on Wednesday. The Celtics roster is stacked at the top and pretty good in the middle, but they may have to plug some holes. They own a team option on Sam Hauser for $2 million, and will either pick that up or decline and try to work out a long-term deal with the sharpshooter. But if Stevens feels Hauser could become too expensive next offseason, he could pick up the option and draft a shooter for the future.
There are also needs in the frontcourt -- both now and for the future -- given Porzingis' injury history and Horford's age. Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman are unrestricted free agents, and the Celtics have a team option on Neemias Queta. Chances are all three won't be back, so another big man wouldn't be a bad pick at number 30.
Here are some potential options for the C's with the last pick of the first round:
Baylor Scheierman, Creighton
The 6-foot-7 swingman shot 45 percent for the Blue Jays last season, averaging 18.5 points per game. He shot 39 percent from downtown over his five-year college career.
Yves Missi, Baylor
The 20-year-old seven-footer averaged 10.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks for the Bears last season.
Pacome Dadiet, France
An 18-year-old wing, Dadiet can hit shots from all over the floor and also has some defensive upside. He's currently playing in Germany and may stay overseas for another season.
Kyle Flipowski, Duke
The seven-foot sophomore has seen players overtake him on mock draft boards, but he's coming off a strong season for the Blue Devils where he averaged 16.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game.