Boston Celtics Better Off Holding Brooklyn Pick Until Offseason

The Celtics will have a better idea of what to do with the Brooklyn Nets pick once the season is over, so they should wait until then to make a decision

For all the fans and media members that suggest Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge can’t be trusted at the NBA Draft because of a “poor drafting history,” here’s a little story for you:

Trailing by 18 points with 8:27 left in the third quarter against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, the Celtics and coach Brad Stevens didn’t seem to have an answer for a team missing star scorer DeMar DeRozan. The offense was numb. The defense proved even worse. Isaiah Thomas’ 20 points up to that point served as the lone bright spot in a game that had spiraled out of control in a painful heartbeat.

So, Stevens did what he has done all season long when his team is in dire need of a big comeback; he turned to his youngsters.

Third-year guard Marcus Smart started taking the ball up while playing with the starters, and he helped Boston to a 13-4 run by scoring four points and holding Kyle Lowry scoreless in the span. Rookie Jaylen Brown and second-year guard Terry Rozier came on to join Smart a little later, combining efforts to get the Celtics to within six near the start of the fourth quarter.

The comeback was on, and Boston came away with its fifth straight win.

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Anyone who watched the contest knows all three of those players served an instrumental role in an important victory, which is something they’ve done time and again while starter Avery Bradley remains sidelined with an achilles injury. That depth has proved huge, evident by a winning streak that’s now at six games after the Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.

And guess what; Ainge acquired Smart (2014), Rozier (2015) and Brown (2016) all via the draft.

What was that about poor drafting?

For some reason, there seems to be a growing concern over Ainge’s ability to do the right thing when it comes to the NBA Draft. But it seems like (to me, at least) it’s totally unwarranted, as the one-time Executive of the Year has a great track record of drafting key players for either the current team or the teams that made it to the 2008 and 2010 NBA Finals.

Notable Draft Picks Under Ainge
Draft Year	Pick (Round/No.)
2003	Kendrick Perkins (1/27)
2004	Al Jefferson (1/15)
2004	Tony Allen (1/25)
2006	Rajon Rondo (1/21)
2007	Glen Davis (2/35)
2010	Avery Bradley (1/19)
2012	Jared Sullinger (1/21)
2014	Marcus Smart (1/6)
2015	Terry Rozier (1/16)
2016	Jaylen Brown (1/3)

The reason I bring this all up is because – as you already know – the Celtics potentially have the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft via the miserable Brooklyn Nets. It’s a huge deal, and everyone has an opinion on what Ainge should do with it.

Most people want him to trade it by the deadline for a superstar, all so Boston can contend for a title this year. Others don’t care when Ainge trades it, as long as he gets a good return for it. Then there’s the remaining few who in fact don’t want Ainge to trade it and instead use it on a potentially franchise-changing youngster. All points are valid.

I, for one, feel that what he does with the pick depends on a variety of unknown variables, though, which is why I believe Ainge should wait until the offseason to decide.

I’m all for trading the pick for a well-established player right now. However, I also believe it’s worth considering that analysts are saying this draft class is one of the best groups we’ve seen in over a decade. Just imagine what the best player of that group could do for a franchise. Should Ainge use it then?

Jan 12, 2017; Berkeley, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) shoots from the free throw line during the first half against the California Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

Or, on the other end, what kind of talent would teams be willing to part ways with in order to acquire the No. 1 pick? Four of the top five prospects on ESPN’s Chad Ford’s Draft Big Board are guards – a position Boston doesn’t exactly need help in. It might benefit the team more by trading the pick away for an established big man.

But here’s the thing; that pick isn’t a lock at No. 1. The Nets are sitting dead last, but so were the Celtics when they ended up with the fifth pick in 2007 (before trading it). Don’t you think Ainge could get a great talent for a cheaper price – meaning less picks/current youngsters – if the draft pick was a definite No. 1 instead of a potential No. 1?

No trade partner would take a risk like that, and we won’t know what number the pick will be until after the season’s end.

Some might say that it would be better to trade it now because Boston won’t get as much value if it ends up with, say, the fourth pick instead of the first. Then a trade for another star would be more difficult.

That’s when I say don’t make the trade; use the pick instead. Isn’t the chart above enough of an example as to how good Ainge is at drafting quality players? Take another look and see how only two of those picks were within the top-10. Just two. This guy can spot talent, so you can count on him to draft an impact player for the immediate future.

This is what I meant though by unstable variables. There are a lot of “what-if” to consider. Maybe a star center prospect will emerge come the end of the collegiate season, and Ainge will want him with the first pick (doubtful, but possible). Maybe the Kings will offer DeMarcus Cousins for this year’s pick and next year’s (good deal).

Next: Magic Emerging as Likely Trade Partner

The thing is, we don’t know what will happen. And that’s why I want Ainge to have a full boat of options when it comes to this pick. Those options don’t emerge until the offseason, so he should just wait until some of the uncertainty clears up a little. Once that happens, look out for what Ainge will do.