The Boston Celtics have finally obtained that elusive Banner 18 after defeating the Mavericks 4-1 in the NBA Finals. Such a celebration has been long awaited, but for the Celtics front office, it’s a quick turnaround before getting right back to work.
The NBA draft is less than a week away, and the Celtics hold two picks at 30 and 54. While those aren’t exactly premier picks, that's fine because this year's draft class isn’t very top-heavy, but it is quite deep, which obviously works in the Celtics' favor.
If the Celtics do keep their core players together for the 2024-25 season, which seems likely, it will be hard for a rookie to crack the rotation and be a contributor right away. Jordan Walsh, the Celtics only selection in last year's draft, spent most of the year with the Celtics G League team, the Maine Celtics. This is the most likely outcome for whoever the organization selects this year as well.
That doesn’t mean the draft is just a write-off for Celtics fans, though, as the hope is for these players to be contributors in the future, or they can replace players like Sam Hauser, who will be due for a contract extension at the end of next season and may be out of the Celtics budget, or the aging Al Horford, who unfortunately cannot play forever.