Mannix: 'Very, Very High Chance' That Celtics Successfully Move Into Draft's Top 10
BOSTON (CBS) -- On the morning of the NBA Draft, Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix joined Toucher & Rich to try to forecast what will take place on Thursday night.
It's no secret that Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is trying his hardest to move up from the 16th pick into the top 10. But finding a trading partner is often easier said than done. Will Ainge actually be able to find a willing partner?
"Teams are not in love with their picks in the top 10," Mannix said. "They're not going to move anything in the top five, unless they get a sweetheart deal, but if you're looking at Sacramento at 6, and you're looking at Charlotte at 9, and maybe even Denver at 7 (though I haven't been able to confirm that), those picks are very much for sale. And I don't think the asking price is going to be overly steep. It's not going to be cheap, but I don't think you're going to have to give the world to get it.
"So that's why I think Boston has a very, very high chance of getting into the top 10 sometime later tonight. They may have to deal one of their first-rounders next year instead of No. 28 [this year], and I'm sure if they do, they'll have some kind of condition on that pick. I just think there's too many teams that want to deal for the Celtics to get shut out of this top 10."
If the Celtics are able to make that jump up the board, will they take Willie Cauley-Stein?
"I think he's high on their list, no question. But once you get into that top 10, all of a sudden your list expands considerably," Mannix said. "I think there are a couple of guys that Boston would look at. Mario Hezonja, the kid from Croatia, I think he's someone that Boston likes. Terrific talent -- he's more Manu Ginobili than he is the prototypical shoot-only type of European player. ... And again, if you're at six, you expand your range way beyond Willie Cauley-Stein. All of a sudden, there's the Emmanuel Mudiays of the world that could be available, Justise Winslow who could be available. I think if the Celtics are there from nine to 14, they'll look at Cauley-Stein, but if they get higher than that, you can open up the books there a little bit."
Rich then asked Mannix about the rumor that Paul Pierce might return to the Celtics.
"Every time I've talked to Paul Pierce, there certainly is this romantic notion that Pierce would love a reunion with Boston at some point. Now, mostly it's been in an executive role people have talked about, where he's going to come back and be the assistant to the general manager one day," Mannix said. "I've never heard, really, as a player, but I guess in that scenario, anything's possible.
"More likely, I think top teams out there make hard pitches for Pierce, and I think L.A. [Clippers] because of its proximity to where he lives and Doc Rivers, they're still in the driver's seat."
Listen to the complete Chris Mannix interview below: