EDIT (6/21/18 – 3:55 PM ET): Adding Mitchell Robinson to watch-list at #27.
The past year has been a whirlwind for Celtics fans. Let’s recap the year & look forward to next season.
After a good 2016 season, fans were looking to continue building the momentum and developing the youth. Jaylen Brown looked like an athletic freak of nature and a possible perennial all-star at times. IT was King of the 4th. We had Yabu and Zizic joining and still had cheap, but productive veterans like Jae Crowder. We just needed a super-star. Just one.
2017 NBA DRAFT
Coming into the draft last season, Celtics fans didn’t know what to think. We finally had the #1 overall pick, and we needed a Point Guard – backing up the “Brinks Truck” for IT would’ve been a boneheaded mistake, despite his fan-favorite status. So of course, we traded that pick. What? How could you, Danny?!?! We could’ve had our PG of the future!! WHAT THE HECK!!!
Who are we going to pick now? Surely it can’t be Lonzo Ball. Maybe Josh Jackson? He seems like the Ainge-Type player. He’s lean, athletic, and can’t shoot (at least not yet). Nope. He cancelled his workout with the team. So, maybe Tatum? Sure he’s a nice player. He’s got the highest floor in the draft, but is he a super-star? Fultz is a super-star. Stupid Danny Ainge. What about Jonathan Isaac? He’s huge. He’s 6’10” and can shoot the 3. Man, he’s got Paul George written all over him when he fills out. Let’s go get him.
And with the #3 overall pick, the Celtics select… Jayson Tatum, SF – Duke. Perhaps this is insurance in case we don’t sign Gordon Hayward? Little did we know, Jayson Tatum would fight through sickness during his pre-draft workout. We didn’t know he reportedly sank 81 or 100 3-pointers with a runny nose. We didn’t know his grit. Ok, I can get on board with this.
We have a trade to announce: The Chicago Bulls have traded Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kris Dunn, Zach Lavine, and the 7th overall selection (Lauri Markkanen). OH MY GOD YOU F*CKING F*CK. THAT’S IT? YOU COULD’VE GIVEN THE 3rd PICK, MARCUS SMART or JAYLEN BROWN, and JAE CROWDER. WHAT THE HELL DANNY?!?!?!?! YOU BETTER SIGN HAYWARD. F*CK.
HAPPY 4TH OF JULY (or is it?)
So like most people I was pigging out at a grill readying myself to head downtown to watch the fireworks. BZZZZZZZ. …….. BZZZZZZ….. BZZZZZZZ… (Opens Twitter) …. Sees:
Free-agent Gordon Hayward plans to sign with the Boston Celtics, league sources tell ESPN.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 4, 2017
Reaction:
But of course, this isn’t a Woj bomb. Better be sure and check with him, right?
The Utah Jazz are still waiting to be told of Gordon Hayward’s intentions, league source tells ESPN. Hayward hasn’t told them his plans yet.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 4, 2017
Ok well that’s not definitely bad, right? Maybe he told the Celtics first? He’s for sure coming here though cuz, like, it’s Boston, and like Brad Stevens and him are tight. Right?
Okay. Strap in. Told by a source w/knowledge of the process that Gordon Hayward has NOT made a decision yet & is still in the process. FWIW.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) July 4, 2017
F*CKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK
Ok, well, at least I know to bring my portable phone charger to the fireworks tonight? I should also bring gum so I don’t bite my nails off. Who even cares about fireworks… like, all I want is Gordon Hayward and you can have your fireworks. Please please please. Please? Maybe this guy was right? Lemme check again.
Thank You, Utah. https://t.co/ICfocNeZfW
— Gordon Hayward (@gordonhayward) July 4, 2017
OK, WE’VE GOT OUR SQUAD
This team is dope. We’ve got IT, Bradley, Jaylen, Hayward, Horford, and Smart/Crowder off the bench! Maybe Zizic will start and we’ll be all set? Right? And whatever this Tatum kid does is icing. We got some cap issues, but we’ll figure it out. Maybe a restructure, or we could deal Jae for a pick? I mean, we can’t re-sign Avery and IT to max deals. Maybe one of them will go?
Ok, now we’re set. IT, Jaylen, Hayward, Morris, Horford. 12345. Boom. Let’s go win #18.
Paul George gets traded for what seems like pennies and people get mad at Ainge again.
NOPE, JUST KIDDING. WE’RE NOT DONE YET.
Wait what the f*ck? Kyrie is available? Like….. KYRIE. IRVING?
There’s no way, right? He can’t come here? I mean we have the assets but would Cleveland do that? Nah, he’s too good.
OMG WOJ BOMB (well, sort of.)
Celtics are sending Thomas, Crowder, Ante Zizic and Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick for Kyrie Irving, league sources tell The Vertical. https://t.co/gdaT9UjVGl
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 22, 2017
Ok sh*t just got real. We’ve got Kyrie, Jaylen, Hayward, Morris and Horford? WOAH.
GAME 1
(WARNING: GRAPHIC NATURE)
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seriously, scroll quickly if you’re squeamish.
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Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. A whole 5 minutes. Cool. I guess the season’s over.
2017 SEASON 30 SECOND RECAP
Celtics won 16 straight, Marcus Smart punched a picture frame and missed time. Jason Tatum is an absolute star. Theis is done. Marcus Smart tore a thumb ligament and will be out for the regular season and much of round 1. Kyrie’s knee has an infection – he needs surgery, he’s done.
But at least Terry Rozier’s legit and he makes funny t-shirts. Celtics blew game 7 on awful shooting, but without your two superstars and a 7 man rotation, can you be that mad at going 7 in the ECF? Also, Cavs’ get destroyed in the finals so everyone ends up happier.
NEXT YEAR IS GOING TO BE SO FUN.
PRE 2018 NBA DRAFT
So what do the Celtics need? Not really much of anything, right? I mean sure, we can use a big, but for the first time in what seems like forever, if the Celtics don’t do anything, fans will actually be happy. Sure, we need to keep Kyrie after next year and we likely can’t keep both Smart and Rozier. But going into next season, if the Celtics sign Marcus Smart, make their pick at #27 and call it a day, they’re a shoe-in to represent the East in the NBA Finals next year.*
*aggressively knocks on wood
2018 NBA DRAFT
The most likely scenario is standing pat at #27. But this is Danny Ainge we’re talking about, so you can never be too certain. I’ll outline one potential trade I’d like to see happen as well as a few possible targets, should the Celtics make their one and only selection at the bottom of the 2018 NBA Draft. First, let’s recap their assets:
Celtics Draft Assets
Via RealGM.com, the Celtics have a few interesting picks coming up. Most notable is the 1st round Sacramento pick in 2019 (via the Tatum / Fultz trade). The Memphis pick is another interesting pick, given where the franchise seems to be headed. Memphis sits at #4 and are clearly in a downtrend. Although it’s protected over the next two years, 2021 might not be far enough out into the future for Memphis’s turnaround to be complete. It’s another *possible* top-5 selection, but more likely top-10.
2018 first round draft pick (#27)
2019 first round draft pick from L.A. Clippers
L.A. Clippers’ 1st round pick to Boston (via Memphis) protected for selections 1-14 in 2019 and 1-14 in 2020; if the L.A. Clippers have not conveyed a 1st round pick to Boston by 2020, then the L.A. Clippers will instead convey their 2022 2nd round pick to Boston [L.A. Clippers-Memphis, 2/18/2016; Boston-Memphis, 6/23/2016]
2019 first round draft pick from Memphis
Memphis’ 1st round pick to Boston protected for selections 1-8 in 2019 and 1-6 in 2020 and unprotected in 2021 [Boston-Memphis-New Orleans, 1/12/2015]
2019 first round draft pick from Philadelphia or Sacramento
Boston will receive the more favorable of Philadelphia’s 2019 1st round pick protected for selection 1 and Sacramento’s 2019 1st round pick (via Philadelphia) protected for selection 1 and Philadelphia will receive the less favorable or the protected of these two picks [Philadelphia-Sacramento, 7/9/2015; Boston-Philadelphia, 6/19/2017]
The Celtics also have a few movable players, too.
Terry Rozier – PG
Scary Terry’s contract is up at the end of this coming season. After stepping up big-time for the Celtics in Kyrie’s absence, he most definitely has caught the eye of NBA GMs as a more than capable starting Point Guard in the future. He improved by leaps and bounds this season and he’s yet to reach his full potential.
Daniel Theis – C/PF
Theis was an absolute stud for what he’s making. He’s still young, and he’s an aggressive player off the bench that can absolutely log 10-20 minutes a game. He’s a great piece that the Celtics are certainly exited to get back, but he’s someone I think many NBA teams would adore, too.
POSSIBILITY #1: TRADE UP
Memphis is reportedly shopping the #4 pick. They aren’t sold on anyone at the top and they’re in complete rebuild mode. Lucky for them, the Celtics have their eye on what could become on a key piece to fill out the championship roster: MO BAMBA.
Bamba is an extremely interesting pick. The freshman Longhorn is an absolute force at the rim, and has a 7-10 wingspan. At Texas, he averaged 12.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG, and 3.7 BPG, while shooting 54% from the field. He’s another athletic freak who reportedly ran faster than Russell Westbrook & James Harden in his NBA Draft workout. He’s also watching film and training with Joel Embiid in hopes to model his game after the emerging superstar. Bamba and Embiid look eerily similar on the court already:
Danny loves this kind of athlete. If he can incorporate a 3-point shot to his game, holy crap he’d be deadly on these Celtics.
Memphis Receives:
2019 Sacramento Kings #1 pick (protected #1)
Terry Rozier
2018 Boston Celtics #1 pick (#27 overall)
Boston Receives:
2018 Memphis Grizzlies #1 pick (#4 overall) – Selecting Mohamed Bamba, C – TEXAS.
This makes sense for both teams here. Memphis isn’t in love with anyone in this draft and they’re preparing a longer-term rebuild. With this pick, they’d receive a PG of the future, who’d back-up Mike Conley in the near-term. Conley’s had issues with injuries in the past and the only other PG on the roster is Mario Chalmers, a veteran, so they could use some youth. Memphis gets their hands on a rising star. In addition, Memphis very likely gets to make 2 selections in the top 5 of next year’s draft, while also snagging a player at the back end of a very talented 1st round this year.
VERDICT: If the Celtics have a chance to grab Bamba, they should do it. If it means giving up the Memphis first rounder, too, I think Ainge should still consider. Bamba would be an absolute star in kelly green.
POSSIBILITY #2: MAKE THE PICK
Should the Celtics stay at #27, who’d be available? Who would they take? First, here’s a complete list of who’s worked out for the Celtics prior to this year’s draft (excluding combine meetings). Here are the 5 guys I believe should be at the top of the Celtics list as possible targets at #27:
#1 KHYRI THOMAS – GUARD – CREIGHTON
Let’s get the obvious out of the way. How awesome would it be to have two Kyrie/Khyri’s on the team? And in the same backcourt? Sign me up.
No, but seriously, Khyri Thomas is super intriguing. He’s an absolute monster on defense and could provide some nice insurance should things not work out with Marcus Smart. While he’s known for his defense, don’t sleep on his offensive skills. Thomas averaged 15.1 PPG in his final season at Creighton, shooting 54% from the field. At 6’3″ he’s a little undersized at the #2, but he makes up for it with his 6’10” wingspan. He’s also 22, so he’s one of the older players entering the draft. You can watch his highlights here:
#2 JALEN BRUNSON – POINT GUARD – VILLANOVA
Jalen Brunson is one of the more polished guards in the draft. The 21 year old Villanova leader shot 52.1% from the field and 40.8% from three. While he’s not likely to be a star in the future, he’s 100% ready to take over backup point guard duties immediately. The Celtics do have Shane Larkin, but it would be nice to lock up their future backup PG for more than a year at a time. It would also add extra insurance should Smart and/or Rozier leave. Brunson had an incredible career at Nova and his high basketball IQ should fit nicely into what Boston is looking to do. He’s reportedly met with the Celtics for a private visit and should be available at that slot. You can watch his highlights here:
#3 DONTE DIVINCENZO – GUARD – VILLANOVA
This kid stole the hearts of the nation with his performance in the NCAAM Championship Game. He exemplified the “one shining moment” mentality and showed the competitive grit, scoring 31 points off the bench (10-15 shooting) in Nova’s championship win. He was then named the Final Four’s most outstanding player.
DiVincenzo isn’t really polished, but he is great at taking advantage of every opportunity he’s given. As seen throughout the Tourney, he lives for the big moment. Danny Ainge also reportedly took him out to lunch after a recent workout. Plus, Scal was a fan favorite because of his leprechaun-esque looks. You can watch his highlights here:
#4 MORITZ WAGNER – FORWARD – MICHIGAN
Wagner’s an interesting choice. At Michigan, he showed he absolutely had the toughness to bang with the best of the best. He’s a little slow, but he’s big enough and smart enough to space the floor. He plays with tremendous energy and at 6’11” he’s surprisingly a real threat from beyond the arc. Wagner is the kind of hustle player you’d like to see on your team, and if he’s able to improve his defense, he could be a great role player in the future. Wagner hasn’t been on the Celtics’ radar publicly, but he fits the personality-type they like to target. You can watch his highlights here:
#5 GRAYSON ALLEN – GUARD – DUKE
Okay, don’t kill me. This guy’s a twerp. He’s annoying. Not a clean player. Looks EXACTLY like Ted Cruz. He’s really annoying. He’s like a worse Draymond Green. But you know what? He’s going to be on an NBA roster and he’s definitely good enough to stick. I’d rather him be on my team than not (See: Brad Marchand). Fact is, this kid was the heart and soul for Duke over the last 4 years. That means he’s played with Tatum and he’s particularly fond of their time together. You might hate it, but the kid produced. He’s a legit shooter and he’s an absolute monster agitator. Imagine him and Marcus Smart on the same team? SHEESH. NON-STOP. It would wear opponents down in a matter of minutes. You can watch his highlights here:
#6 MITCHELL ROBINSON – C – USA
So this one’s interesting. Mitchell Robinson was a former 5-Star recruit out of high school who committed to Western Kentucky University. Weird, right? His godfather was on the coaching staff, but unfortunately for Robinson, he resigned before the start of the season. So, two weeks in, Robinson decided to just stop showing up. The WKU coaching staff suspended the Center for “violating team rules” and Robinson flat out left the school. Character issues for sure, but perhaps there was more to the story than his godfather “resigning” that didn’t sit well with Robinson? Either way, this is a freak athlete who would likely have been a Top-10 pick had he played. Woulda coulda shoulda is very real especially since there’s also a real possibility that he wouldn’t have lived up to his 5-Star rating. The Celtics do have the luxury of time though and could take a gamble on a player who would learn discipline under Brad Stevens. If his head is on straight, Mitchell Robinson could be the steal of the draft. It’s a risk for sure, though. You can watch his high school highlights here:
Other names to keep an eye on: Kenrich Williams (6’7″ Sr. Guard – TCU) and Jerome Robinson (6’5″ Jr. Guard – Boston College).
FINAL WORD
I want Bamba.
