The Boston Celtics own the Brooklyn Nets’ lottery pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and unless it is a top-two pick, the Celtics should try and trade down or trade for a star.
It is no secret that the Boston Celtics and general manager Danny Ainge made out like bandits after their monster trade back in 2013 with the Brooklyn Nets because the Nets have gotten much worse since their trade and the Celtics have been heading in the right direction.
The Celtics own the Nets’ first-round picks in 2016 and 2018, and they can swap picks with the Nets in 2017. All of this sounds great, but the Celtics need a player that can contribute right away if the team wants to start winning in the playoffs.
This year’s NBA Draft has two players that are a step above everyone else in the draft, Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram. There is no consensus No. 1 pick and it would not shock anyone if either Simmons or Ingram went first.
The Celtics could use either of these players to help their team, but after the top two picks, not many of the other players could help out the Celtics right away.
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Boston has a 15.6 percent chance to land the No. 1 pick, a 15.7 percent chance to land the No. 2 pick, and a 15.6 percent chance to land the No. 3 pick.
The Celtics want to land one of the top two spots and if the lottery does not work in their favor on Tuesday night, then Boston should think about trading their pick or moving down in the draft if they can.
Boston’s Draft Outlook
Simmons or Ingram are top on the Celtics’ draft list, but another player that could high on their list is Buddy Hield. There is not a better scorer in this year’s draft than Hield and he can create his own shot around the perimeter.
The Celtics desperately need consistent three-point shooting and if they add Hield, he can help with his shooting and hopefully Celtics’ rookie R.J. Hunter can continue to mature because he can add great deep shooting as well.
Hield is a player that can step in right away for the Celtics and he played in college for four years, so he will not need that much time to develop his game. According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, the Celtics could go after Hield if they do not have a top-two pick.
Boston should take a chance on Hield if they do not get a top two pick or they should try and package their lottery pick with a couple players for a proven star that can contribute right away.
Overall
Danny Ainge is going to have to make some tough decisions over the next couple weeks if Boston’s pick lands outside the top two, but keep in mind that the team does have three total first round picks.
The team could be able to trade a pick or two with other players to try and land a star for their team. Boston has been patient and they have overachieved with the personnel they have had, but they should not draft a player that needs time to develop.
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Simmons or Ingram would be great for the Celtics, and so would Hield, but none of the other potential lottery picks should be that appealing for the Celtics.