5 reasons the Boston Celtics should keep the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft
3. Trading the pick for a star is unlikely
To play devil’s advocate, there are probably some who believe Fultz is as risky a proposition as any rookie in NBA history, and doubts still linger about how this backcourt would function together, especially with IT, Bradley and Smart all being free agents next summer.
Even if those concerns seem ungrounded, the case can be made that now is the time for Boston to emerge as a true contender in the East. After a five-game dismantling in the conference finals, having home-court advantage and the No. 1 seed in the conference just proved how far the Celtics are from truly threatening LeBron.
I get that people want the Celtics to trade this pick for George or Butler, but that would be an incredibly silly/risky thing to do, so nope
— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) May 17, 2017
A trade of the No. 1 pick for a player like Paul George or Jimmy Butler — names that came up at the trade deadline — would move the Celtics closer to that goal. There’d be no guarantees, even when King James turns 33 years old next December, but a two-way wing like that would definitely help close the gap.
That being said, a blockbuster draft-day trade feels unlikely that this point, even if the Celtics were perfectly okay with passing on Fultz with the knowledge they’ll enjoy another likely top-three pick from Brooklyn in 2018.
I don;t see a trade for the #1 very likely. I'd put it at 70/30 today... It's more likely Celtics trade roster parts than the pick. https://t.co/7ammqb6rMh
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) May 29, 2017
For PG-13, the whispers about his interest in signing with Los Angeles Lakers next summer have grown to a dull roar, likely dissuading most interested teams from trading for him.
The Celtics have the assets to pull off a deal, but the Indiana Pacers are committed to keeping him long-term. The threat of giving up assets, falling short in the conference finals and watching George leave for the team’s most hated rival is very real for Boston too.
As for Jimmy Butler, he’d be the smarter trade target since he’s locked in through at least 2018-19. However, the Chicago Bulls remain precariously perched on the fence, unable to decide between a full-scale rebuild and continuing to flounder in putting a team around their superstar.
"We are not looking to trade Jimmy Butler" - John Paxson on @ESPN1000
— Chris Bleck (@chrisbleck) May 4, 2017
In any case, the most recent word out of the Windy City is that the Bulls are not interested in dealing Butler. A four-man core of IT, Bradley, George/Butler, and Al Horford looks great on paper, but is it really enough to provide a realistic shot at knocking off the King?
Unless that answer was a resounding “yes” (and it’s not), that’s a heavy price to pay for another conference finals appearance.
That failure would make it easier for George, IT, Bradley and/or Smart to consider signing elsewhere, no matter how close they came to reaching the Finals. Horford’s age and contract means the time is now to make a serious push in the Eastern arms race, especially after watching Ainge sit on those assets for so long. The only problem is there’s no clear home run play to make.