Just a few seasons ago, when it came to owning draft assets the Boston Celtics were the envy of the league.
Thanks to trading cornerstones Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets in 2014, Boston received Brooklyn’s unprotected first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 along with the option to swap picks in 2017. The Celtics also had other, lesser first-round picks from dealing point guard Rajon Rondo and additional players not long after the infamous Nets deal.
Boston may no longer have the hoard of draft selections they once possessed but the 2020 NBA Draft could still be an impactful one for the green and white.
The Memphis Grizzlies’ pick
First off, and arguably most importantly, the Celtics still have a first-round pick from the Memphis Grizzlies that could convey next year. It is top-six protected and the C’s were given it as compensation for trading forward Jeff Green to Memphis back in 2015.
While it appears that the Celtics would love to be given the pick in 2020, one would be mistaken for believing this notion. The pick will be unprotected in 2021; meaning no matter what record the Grizzlies finished the year with it would be heading to Boston.
That being said, fans should root for Memphis to finish among the top-six worst records in the NBA next season, wholly possible after the team has headed firmly into a rebuild.
Such a scenario would simply ensure that the Celtics have an unprotected pick the year after, and one that is likely to land high in the lottery so long as the Grizzlies are a team entirely reliant upon their youth.
Is the Grizzlies’ pick going to convey in 2020?
Well, that too is quite possible given the exceptional talent of rookie point guard Ja Morant, a pure passer that will be the centerpiece of a team that has another talented young piece in big man Jaren Jackson Jr.
The duo could be able to keep the group from being among the NBA’s worst teams assuming they can stay healthy and continue to show promise. Ultimately, the Grizzlies will be a mediocre team in 2019-20 but whether they will keep their draft selection at the end of the campaign or not will be up to the play of their youthful nucleus.
Time for Trader Danny?
In addition, along with having their own pick in 2020, the Celtics own the Milwaukee Bucks’ first-round pick after trading center Aron Baynes to the Phoenix Suns during the 2019 NBA Draft.
The Suns had the Bucks’ 2020 first-round pick from trading Eric Bledsoe to Milwaukee in 2017. The pick is top-seven protected but considering the Bucks are one of the best teams in the NBA, there is virtually no chance it will fall among the top-seven barring a catastrophic sequence of events for the organization. With this in mind, the Celtics are probably going to end up with a selection in the mid-to-late 20s this summer.
With a high possibility that Boston will end up with three first-round picks this coming June, fans should once again look forward to the NBA Draft.
And if anyone is willing to make a major move during that time of the year, it is Celtics general manager Danny Ainge. Ainge has playfully been called “Trader Danny” because time and time again, he’s proven that he is not afraid to pull the trigger on deals if it can help the team win games.
It’s quite feasible that by the time the draft rolls around, another star in the league will look to be traded and if Anthony Davis’ experiment Los Angeles doesn’t work out, the Celtics could look to make a move for a player they’ve long held interest in.
Will Ainge and company be able to land their next star via trade? Only time will tell.
Nonetheless, with a talented bunch of players and a handful of valuable draft picks, the Celtics are in a great position to be active on draft night.
