Boston Celtics Daily Dish: One Is The Lonliest Number

Happy Hump Day, Boston Celtics fans!

We’re one day away from the 2014 NBA Draft – are you excited?!?

Man, I know I am.  The NBA Draft provides it all: Drama!  Hope!  Excitement!  Disappointment!  What more could you ask for?

Time for a look at the ever-changing world of Mock Drafts.  It’s now a two-man race for the top spot, with Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker neck and neck.  Meanwhile, Joel Embiid is projected to slip as far as sixth . . . which as you all know is where the Boston Celtics pick, as of right now.  Is Embiid really that untouchable as far as the top five teams are considered?  Milwaukee’s new co-owner Marc Lasry believes so:

"“I think it’s hard to take Embiid,” Lasry said Monday at a joint breakfast meeting of the region’s Rotary Club and the Milwaukee Press Club. “I think he’s a phenomenal individual, but with the injury and not knowing how severe or long it will take to recover, I think for us today we’re going to want somebody who’s going to help us on day one.”Multiple league sources told ESPN that Embiid is still under consideration at No. 3 (Philadelphia 76ers), No. 4 (Orlando Magic) and No. 5 (Utah Jazz)."

I almost wish someone would draft Embiid before the sixth pick, simply because I know it will be next to impossible for the Celtics to pass up on the big man.  Trust me – I’ll be a nervous wreck all day tomorrow thinking of this!

Many pundits feel that Boston won’t even wait until the sixth pick to try and land Embiid.  Instead, Boston could be trying to trade its way up in the draft to make sure it gets Embiid.  What other teams are likely to try and trade their draft picks?  Check out this video over at Bleacher Report to find out!

Also: check out this piece by Jay King about attempts the Celtics have already made to improve their lot in life!

I have not encouraged you to take part in the Morning Shootaround much lately, but today’s is worth a look, since it discusses the draft and the free agent frenzy that will follow Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James.  And there are free agents not named ‘Melo and LeBron that teams should be looking at, you know, including a certain big man from Detroit who I hope the Boston Celtics are planning on pursuing:

"The unrestricted free agents are the ones that draw the most attention every summer, and for good reason. You pick your team and you go there. It’s all clean and simple.It’s those restricted free agents that muddy the waters. The would-be new team has to overpay to get their attention and then the current team is put on the spot to match. Think the Pacers wouldn’t like to re-think that $58 million commitment they made to Roy Hibbert two summers ago when the Trail Blazers put them on the spot with an offer to their big man?With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top five restricted free agents who’ll be available on July 1 . . . ."

Thanks, and get ready for my look at players the Boston Celtics could wind up sing the 17th pick in this year’s draft on!