Boston Celtics Offered the World for Winslow

All the pre draft talk surrounding the Boston Celtics was about how they were expected to move up in the draft. A lot of fans were disappointed when they failed to move up, especially considering Justise Winslow was still available when the Hornets were picking at number 9.

As disappointed as Celtics fans may have been the Hornets may have done the team a favour by turning down their offer. Everyone knew that the Celtics offered the Hornets a lot but what was recently revealed by Grantland’s Zach Lowe is pretty shocking. It was reported that the Celtics offered a grand total of four first round draft picks including an unprotected Brooklyn Nets pick that could easily wind up being higher than number 9.

The Celtics threw everything they could to move up 7 spots in the draft but now they get to sit back with all those remaining picks. The Brooklyn pick is the most concerning aspect of the trade. To think that the Celtics might have lost a pick higher than number 9 in order to get the number 9 pick is alarming.

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Justise Winslow (Duke) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number ten overall pick to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The definite status of that Brooklyn pick is still uncertain and that is the only reason why that trade may have been acceptable from a Celtics point of view. Justice Winslow could have changed the face of the Celtics’ franchise and they figured they could sacrifice a pick that is potentially higher than number 9 considering Winslow is a talent that is better than the number 9 pick.

Winslow saw the most significant drop in this year’s draft and getting him at number 9 would have been an absolute steal.

Another benefit to the Celtics not giving up their collection of draft picks is that those assets can also be used in trades. The Brooklyn pick is one of the best trade assets the Celtics currently have and with them potentially on the fringe of being relevant in the race for the east they may need that when the trade deadline comes around.

There are enough options with all the picks the Celtics would have given up for Winslow that there still is no reason to regret missing out on him. If Winslow comes out and has an immediate impact Celtics fans may even wish that they offered up more but until we see what the Celtics end up doing with those assets there is no reason to wonder what could have been.

The Celtics are in a great position to compete in games and continue to rebuild. If the Celtics are having success their own draft picks will suffer but they can do that knowing they have that Brooklyn pick to fall back on.

Winslow would have made a world of difference to this Celtics team especially considering how much they could use him at the small forward position but patience is gong to be key for the Celtics over the next while. A lot of players still need to develop and a lot of draft picks are still stored away.

There’s no doubting that the Celtics would currently be better if they had done the trade for Justise Winslow but there is a strong chance they will be better in the long term without it.

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