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Could the Boston Celtics make a move into the top 10?

ByLiam O'Brien|
Danny Ainge Boston Celtics (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Danny Ainge Boston Celtics (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

How realistic is it that the Celtics could move into the top ten of tomorrow night’s draft?

When he’s not chatting with Big Cat and PFT Commentator of Barstool Sports about taking MMA classes with high school kids, Ryen Russillo of The Russillo Show is a reliable NBA source.

Earlier this morning, he dropped a news nugget on Twitter that the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers were the two teams most active in calling teams with regards to trading up into the top ten of the NBA Draft.

Russillo quantified this tweet by stating that he can never tell if these rumblings mean teams are actually set on moving up in the draft or are just feeling out the trade waters. Additionally, the Clippers are in a better spot in terms of jumping into the top 10 as they have both the 12th (via the cold-hearted Blake Griffin trade) and 13th picks.

However, this reports cements our certainty that there is no telling what general manager Danny Ainge has up his sleeve.

Currently, the only first-rounder Boston controls is the 27th pick. However, Russillo is not the only source reporting the team’s interest in upgrading to the lottery. The plugged-in James Stewart of Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub echoed this thought on Tuesday, tweeting his belief the Celtics were trying to move into the top-five to increase their chances of selecting Slovenian baller Luka Doncic.

Early on in the draft process, Boston was connected to big man Mo Bamba of Texas. Rumors of the Celtics dangling Jaylen Brown in front of teams to entice them into relinquishing a top five selection even surfaced. At the combine, the team interviewed Bamba in addition to Duke’s Wendell Carter, Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr., Michigan State’s Jaren Jackson Jr., Oklahoma’s Trae Young and Alabama’s Collin Sexton, all of which are expected to be taken in the top 10.

After posting 18.0 points per game in the playoffs, Brown appears to be safe from a draft day trade. With two more seasons of team control before he hits restricted free agency in the summer of 2020, Brown has incredible value to a Celtics team that has their sights narrowed on at least making the NBA Finals next season.

With Boston stocked with Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, it wouldn’t make sense to let go of Brown to press the restart button on a prospect, especially one such as Doncic whose athleticism is remedial compared to Brown’s. While Doncic could be an instant hit with the team he ends up heading to, he’s an unknown commodity who has yet to be faced with NBA competition.

He was both the EuroLeague MVP and Final Four MVP this past season and set the world ablaze with videos of one-footed fadeaways from three-point range and shots best served for a game of HORSE. However, his most prominent teammates were NBA rejects Gustavo Ayon, Trey Thompkins, Jeffery Taylor, Chasson Randle and Anthony Randolph.

Not exactly Giannis Antetokounmpo, Ben Simmons or LeBron James, three of the behemoths Brown showed flashes of brilliance against during this spring’s playoffs.

Especially with Doncic being heavily linked to the Atlanta Hawks at No. 3, we can almost forget about the Celtics trading up to land him. Sliding up 24 slots would require Brown + No. 27, something Boston would be wise to avoid.

Unless the Hawks are unsatisfied with prospects such as Doncic, Jackson, and Duke’s Marvin Bagley and would rather punt on this pick in exchange for a 2019 lottery selection, it is unlikely they would settle for a collection of picks.

The Celtics have plenty, such as next year’s Sacramento Kings’ first-rounder or the first-rounder from Memphis that could land in either 2019 or 2020 depending on how the Grizzlies finish next season.

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But, with the wealth of talent this season, Atlanta would be better suited taking the three first-rounders they have tomorrow night and focusing on acquiring talent now as opposed to waiting until next June to fire this ammunition.

Based on what we have heard so far, trade suitors in the top five would only do business with the Celtics if they included Brown or Jayson Tatum in the deal. However, maybe Ainge could swing for Carter, Sexton or Porter Jr. in the latter part of the top 10 without having to hand over either of these two young studs.

Terry Rozier would likely be the key to Boston moving into the 9th or 10th spot. If Ainge has accepted the notion the team will not be able to afford a new deal for Rozier once he hits restricted free agency after next season, there are a couple potential landing spots for him in New York and Philadelphia controlling those two picks.

The Knicks’ point guard position heading into 2018-19 is a collection of mediocrity, with Trey Burke and Emmanuel Mudiay leading the pack. Perhaps they would accept a package of Rozier, the 27th pick and a 2019 or 2020 first-rounder in exchange for the ninth pick. With this pick, the Celtics could opt for the multi-faceted Carter or replace Rozier with Sexton.

The 76ers have more confidence in their point guard position, with 2016 and 2017 first overall picks Simmons and Markelle Fultz manning the post. But, Philadelphia saw first-hand how much of a killer Rozier can be in the second round. Scary Terry averaged 19.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in the series with 20+ points in Games 1 and 2.

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Ainge could be opposed to dealing Rozier to a team the Celtics could very well face in the conference finals in 2019, but you never know with Danny.