Boston Celtics: If they trade up in the NBA draft, they should keep the pick

If the Boston Celtics decide to package their first-round picks and move up, the focus should be on drafting a future star, rather than flipping that pick.

Hearing rumors concerning the Boston Celtics in the leadup to the NBA Draft is by no means surprising. They’re an organization that always makes a noise throughout the offseason. This current Celtics team is a young and upcoming one, as well as being competitive at the same time. They’ve come close the last few seasons, and seem to be just a piece away from taking that next step towards another championship. This is why there’s plenty of talk at the moment surrounding potential trades the Celtics could look to make to take that step.

Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported recently that the Celtics could potentially package the three first-round picks that they have in this year’s draft, to move higher up into the lottery and then flip that more valuable pick to the New Orleans Pelicans for defensive star Jrue Holiday. The veteran is certainly a player who would make this Celtics team better.

Just imagine a Marcus Smart-Jrue Holiday backcourt duo in crunch time – an opposing guard’s nightmare. But, the contract that Holiday is on, and the fact that they’d have to give up a pick that could provide a valuable asset makes this deal a pretty risky one in terms of the future.

If the Celtics do package those picks to move up towards the top of the draft – like it’s been reported – then selecting a prospect would be the wise decision here. Holiday would help the team now, but with so much cap space in the near future already being dedicated to the likes of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, trading for a player in Holiday who will earn $25 million next season might not be the best financial move.

Another reason not to trade away a high pick if they get one is a particular center from USC. If the Celtics are on the clock in the lottery and Onyeka Okongwu is on the board, this is the route that they should be taking. There are many areas that the Celtics need to improve in to be a legitimate competitor for the title, but one area, in particular, has always been important when it comes to Celtics title-winning teams in the past – the center spot.

Bill Russell, Dave Cowens, Kevin Garnett. These are some of the most important players in team history and a star center is something that this team has been missing for some time.

Through the draft, it can always be hit or miss, and it has been a very up-and-down process for the Boston Celtics in recent times. But, if the Celtics want to get their next potential All-Star caliber big, then the draft is the route to take. Okongwu is one of the top players in this year’s draft, and the Celtics will likely have a shot at him if they do move up. At 6’9″ and 220 lbs, he’s a great athlete who could turn into a dominant force in the paint over time.

At USC, Okongwu averaged 16.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game as he cruised his way into the PAC-12’s First Team. He has the ability to shoot the ball and will be able to stretch that shot as he develops in the league. But his defensive presence, athleticism, and coordination make him the complete package for a team looking for their future center in this year’s draft.

The Celtics need shooting, scoring, depth at the wing, and potentially a back-up at the point guard position, but a center – especially a potential long-term solution – is something that would provide greater value to the franchise as they look for their eighteenth championship. Robert Williams III has looked excellent in recent times, but Okongwu has the higher ceiling. Pairing those two together could provide opposing offenses with major problems for years to come.

The Boston Celtics are in a good position, as they always seem to be when the draft comes around. Three first-round picks give general manager Danny Ainge plenty of flexibility, as well as ammunition to get a deal he sees fit with the current situation that the Celtics have. They’re a good team but in order to become great there are still plenty of changes to make happen.

Okongwu would be a great fit for the Celtics, and the Celtics have the means to land him. We’ll just have to see if that’s what they decide to do.