The Nets might not be as bad as we thought and the rest of the Celtics 2016 Draft Update


There was a time, maybe it was last week, when I was living in a world where the Nets were in a race to the bottom for the worst team in the league. But, sadly, after watching some of last night's insult to the game of basketball co-written by the Lakers and Sixers, it's clear that those two are in a league of their own when it comes to putridity. Really, the Nets just haven't been bad of late.

That doesn't include last night's triumph over the Suns. They've won four in a row at home and are resembling an actual NBA-level basketball team. That's not great news for those lusting after Ben Simmons, and another Simmons is starting to lean another way altogether:

That's not something the Kings are going to do, but the sentiment is the same. With the Nets looking to be just pretty bad and not God awful, is right now the most value that pick will have on the trade market? Celtics fans keeping the dream alive for the top pick from the Nets need to start hoping that the inevitable Brook Lopez foot injury happens sooner than later. Like maybe Friday night against the Knicks. Cutthroat city.

Here's a look at where the Celtics stand with the picks they got from other people for the 2016 NBA Draft:

THE PICK: BROOKLYN FIRST ROUNDER (UNPROTECTED)

Record: (5-13)
If the draft were today this would be the number 4 pick.
The week ahead: Fri @ NY; Sun vs. GS; Tues vs. Hou

Winning 4 of their last 10 and sporting a two game winning streak?!? What the hell Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are floating away from rock bottom and it needs to stop. Let's hope getting their hearts stomped on by Golden State this weekend puts them into a complete tailspin. Watching Jarrett Jack trying to stay with Steph Curry will be fun. Time to break out the Brook Lopez voodoo dolls.


THE PICK: DALLAS FIRST ROUNDER (PROTECTED 1-7)

Record: (11-8)
If the draft were today this would be the number 19 pick.
The week ahead: Fri vs. Hou; Sun @ Wash; Mon @ NY

The Mavs were in line for the 25th pick last week and now would hand over the 19th pick. That's solid progress! It took overtime last night for them to top Portland, and despite some hyperbolic praise of Deron Williams, this team might be sliding back to the mediocrity originally expected of them. Who knows what will happen in a basketball game against the Houston Rockets, but let's see how the Mavs handle a trip out to the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference this weekend.

THE PICK: MINNESOTA FIRST ROUNDER (PROTECTED 1-12)

Record: (8-10)
If the draft were today this selection would be conveyed to the Celtics as one of two second round picks. The first rounder would be protected and Minnesota would have the number 11 pick.
The week ahead: Sat vs Por ; Mon vs LAC

Exact same scenario for this future pick as last week. The Wolves are officially my second favorite non-Celtics league pass team (you'd have to be completely deluded to have anyone but the Warriors in the top spot). It's like watching a bizarro version of the Celtics rebuild if they had some luck with ping pong balls, never traded KG and had the Spanish Rondo. The team is young, fast, and super fun to watch when Rubio is at quarterback. I see them going on a run in the second half. I am holding out hope that this will be a first round pick.  Let's go Wolves.

THE PICK: PHILADELPHIA SECOND ROUNDER (UNPROTECTED)

Record: (1-18)
If the draft were today this would be the number 31 pick.
The week ahead: Wed @ NY; Sat vs. Den; Mon vs. SA

It happened. They won. There is joy in Sixer-ville (or was Hinkie giving the locker room a makeover in a fit of rage after the win?) And after seeing the self indulgent disgrace that is Kobe Bryant's farewell tour for the first time I think our death grip on the 31st pick, once thought to be impenetrable, now is loosening ever so slightly. The Lakers are a genuine trash heap. But will Kobe really just keep chucking all year if he's going to take 17 threes and miss 13 of them? He was one of the top 15 players of all-time, would he really embarrass himself like that? Does he really think he's going to go off for 82 points some night? How delusional is he? It's insane, but Kobe Bryant is the only force beyond the Sixers own awfulness that would prevent the Celtics from having the 31st pick this year.

The latest draft order from tankathon.



Photo Credit NBA.com

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