Very early look at unexpected turns in Celtics 2019 draft opportunities


With Danny Ainge looking at four potential first-round draft picks in 2019, there are a few early surprises. It all starts with the Philadelphia-or-Sacramento first rounder.


Boston gets the more-favorable of the 76'ers or Kings' first-rounders, top-1 protected. Many of us thought it would be a high-lottery Kings pick. We may have been wrong.


Philadelphia has a 4-4 record and Sacramento has a 5-3 record. Philly sits right at the border of lottery-land, and if the draft were held today, Boston would get that pick in the 14-16 range. Sacramento is simply not cooperating with Danny's plans.

How about the Memphis pick, top-8 protected. The Grizzlies have a 4-2 record, and Ainge would get that pick at around #23 in the first round. The Clippers have a 4-3 record, and Boston would get that pick (top-14 protected) at about #17. Right now, the Celtics own first-rounder sits at roughly #24.

For the present, the Celtics draft landscape looks like four first round picks in the 14-25 range. This chance of this scenario becoming reality come June is slim, but if it did happen, there is no way Ainge would retain all four picks. If the Celtics still held these picks on draft night, Danny would be one busy GM on that phone.

This is not what Celtics fans were hoping for, but the season is less than 10% done. These numbers will certainly be shuffled by seasons end. Right now the Clippers pick shows the most promise. Expect that to probably change.

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Photo via Christopher Evans/Boston Herald