Celtics Draft Night Live Blog: Round 1
The 2016 NBA Draft starts at 7:30PM.
As of 7:07PM, the Celtics still have 8 picks, 2 non-guaranteed contracts, a bunch of young players under contract on cheap deals, and have appeared in 100,000,000 trade rumors.
In the first round, there
Check back here for more updates as the Round 1 unfolds!
7:18 Is something going to happen with a trade at number 3?!?!? Brad Stevens is happy. David Aldridge is saying the Celtics are driving a hard bargain, which means there are offers on the table:
Denver tried to move up to three, but like everyone else, for now, felt Boston wanted too much for the pick(s).
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) June 23, 2016
Stevens seemed to be in an excited mood. Big smile the whole time he addressed the crowd. #NBADraft
— Matt Langone (@MattLangone) June 23, 2016
7:27 Are the Sixers willing to overpay?
Told Celtics and Philly engaging in last-minute talks for No. 3. We'll see who -- if anyone -- blinks first. ... Sixers really want Dunn.
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) June 23, 2016
7:29 Oh, hello Chicago Bulls. Jimmy Butler would be nice.
Sources: Boston is engaged with the Bulls and Sixers as Celtics inch closer to going on the clock at No. 3, league sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 23, 2016
7:32 This is getting intense. Where's that 2017 first?
ESPN sources say Philadelphia is offering Nerlens Noel, No. 24 and No. 26 in tonight's draft and Robert Covington for Boston's No. 3 pick
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 23, 2016
7:36 OK. Things are escalating.
The Sixers believed a few hours ago that Boston and Chicago were far along on a deal centered on Butler. But everything is in the air now.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) June 23, 2016
7:38 Sixers draft Ben Simmons. Marc Stein just reported on ESPN that Sixers have offered the best package for the third pick. Lakers on the clock!
7:41 Let's do this Danny.
Boston is controlling top of draft now, talking seriously with Sixers and Bulls, league sources say.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 23, 2016
7:42 Enough is enough. Something is going to go down.
GM just texts to say Ainge has been playing hardball all day, adds, "By this point, he'd better walk away with something."
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) June 23, 2016
7:43 Brandon Ingram goes to the Lakers. Ainge has five more minutes to make a deal.
7:46 It's coming down to the wire. But this is likely what's happening.
I bet Boston takes Kris Dunn and then dangles him at Chicago and Philly like a wad of bills...
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 23, 2016
Because.
Kris Dunn's agent, Aaron Mintz, is on the phone right now.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) June 23, 2016
Then there's this.
When asked if Celtics trade coming now, one league source: "No."
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) June 23, 2016
7:51 The pick is Jaylen Brown.
7:53 I'm not sure why you don't pick Dunn here and have an auction. I don't get it.
Ainge loves zagging when everyone thinks he's gonna zig. Must've thought he had best offers on table for Dunn and didn't like any of them.
— Ben Rohrbach (@brohrbach) June 23, 2016
7:57 Brown is the Celtics guy. He's not going anywhere.
"There has not been a trade. This guy (Jaylen Brown) is our guy for the future." - .@celtics co-owner Wyc Grousbeck
— A. Sherrod Blakely (@SherrodbCSN) June 23, 2016
8:00 Phoenix takes Dragon Bender with the fourth pick, setting up a Kris Dunn to Wolves possibility. Happy for Thibs...
This draft fell in an amazing way for Thibs. 2016 is coming up Thibs.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 23, 2016
8:06 Wait, this is all you need to do to get Butler? And we couldn't do it? Having a hard time not swearing right now.
Chicago wanted Zach LaVine and the No. 5 pick, Kris Dunn, sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2016
8:07 Kris Dunn officially goes to the Wolves. That young core is nice.
8:15 Wolves going after Butler. The Celtics don't seem to be involved in much chatter right now. Buddy Hield to New Orleans. Murray to Nuggets.
ESPN sources say Minnesota continues to try to engage Chicago on talks built around Kris Dunn to try to import Jimmy Butler to the Wolves
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 24, 2016
Denver will take Jamal Murray, source told ESPN.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) June 24, 2016
8:19 Pretty sure the fireworks that Wyc promised could just be a self-fulfilling prophecy of his head exploding later on tonight.
Wyc Grousbeck: "We did not SNIFF a trade today. It was a collection of rip-off attempts, and we laughed at them." #Celtics owner heated.
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) June 24, 2016
8:22 Could it be the Celtics for Chriss?
The Kings are trading the #8 pick, per source.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) June 24, 2016
8:23 Nope. It's the Suns.
The Kings are drafting Chriss for the Suns, sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 24, 2016
8:29 Here's what it takes to move up in this draft.
Phoenix will send 13, 28, the draft rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic and 2020 second round pick to Sacramento for the #8 pick (Marquiss Chriss).
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) June 24, 2016
8:30 Are we seriously not going to make a move tonight?
8:32 The Raptors go with Jakob Poetl. And apparently #10 is going to be the first surprise of the draft.
Phoenix will send 13, 28, the draft rights to Bogdan Bogdanovic and 2020 second round pick to Sacramento for the #8 pick (Marquiss Chriss).
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) June 24, 2016
Jason Kidd definitely watched that Thon Maker youtube mix from 2012
— Michael Dyer (@Mike_Dyer13) June 24, 2016
8:37 Text from buddy compares Jaylen Brown to Kedrick Brown. Draft night is not going as well as I had hoped.
8:41 If I'm Danny I'm just going pick two out of IT, Smart, Bradley, Crowder at this point.
Minnesota and Chicago still in serious talks on a Jimmy Butler deal centered on fifth pick Kris Dunn, league sources tell @TheVertical
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 24, 2016
8:48 Holy shit. Why aren't the Celtics in on these deals?
Oklahoma City has traded Serge Ibaka to the Orlando Magic, league sources told @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 24, 2016
OK that's actually a lot.
Orlando will send Victor Oladipo, Ersan Ilyasova and rights to Sabonis to the Thunder, sources said.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 24, 2016
8:55 So apparently the Hawks traded for the 12th pick in order to pick Taureen Prince who could have been had in the second round? Draft is about to get weird.
8:58 This.
FWIW, told strongly in the last 2 minutes there is “no chance” of a Bulls-Wolves trade involving Jimmy Butler. Stay by your devices, tho.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) June 24, 2016
9:03 The Kings use their pick on some random Greek guy that Ford had going in the second round.
The Kings (via Suns) select Georgios Papagiannis at No. 13. Wow. Another guy not in my Top 30. The Kings. https://t.co/XaYAFZ4554
— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) June 24, 2016
9:08 Can we just get Denzel Valentine at 16?
9:09 WTF. No. Because the Bulls just took him at 14. This isn't fun.
9:12 Will the Celtics take Luwawu out of France with the 16th pick and cause full scale riot at Draft Party?
9:17 Celtics on the clock. Ellensen, Baldwin, Davis, Beasley, Skal on the table for Celtics.
9:26 With the 16th pick in the draft...
Celtics will take Yabusele, source told ESPN.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) June 24, 2016
French Draymond Green? Those highlights looked cool.
9:31 Pretty much.
The Celtics just took the 7th pick in the draft at no. 3 and used no. 16 on a French guy sitting in the stands. I'm gonna make a drink.
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 24, 2016
9:34 Pressure might be off to learn how to spell whoever the Celtics picked at 16 this year.
For Boston, Guerschon Yabusele will likely be draft-and-stash at No. 16, league sources tell The Vertical.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2016
9:39 At least there's this:
The Bulls' talks to acquire Kris Dunn were more serious with the Celtics than the Timberwolves, per source.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) June 24, 2016
Word is Bulls were listening on Jimmy Butler, but not shopping him. Teams ALWAYS listen. Boston made the... https://t.co/8MKKgrmXZn
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 24, 2016
9:44 Denver selects Malik Beasley who is a great shooter which is what the Celtics need.
9:45 The Hawks seem to want draft picks. Can we trade a few second rounders for Kyle Korver? Or something?
9:51 OK, so 23 is just around the corner. Nets just picked Levert out of Michigan/the hospital. Maybe we roll the dice on Skal for 23? Davis from MSU? One of those two big dudes from Croatia? The Washington Murray? Another French guy (Luwawu)? Richardson from the Cuse? I could get behind some of those guys.
9:58 Not feeling feelings about other team's picks at this point.
Vertical Sources: Denver will select Malik Beasley with the No. 19 pick in the NBA draft.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2016
10:03 It's Malachi Richardson to the Kings with the 22nd pick. Celtics on the clock.
10:09 Skal is so not a Celtics pick. I bet it's Brice Johnson. I don't know anything anymore.
10:12 It's Ante Zizic. Huge Croatian guy.
10:13 Fran Fraschilla on ESPN says he's tough and then tells a story about him selling beach chairs as a ten year old and I don't know what's going on. Then he says it's a steal. We shall see.
10:19 So there's this:
Celtics: 1st team to take a pair of international players in the Top 25 since the Pistons in 2003 (Darko Milicic, Carlos Delfino)
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 24, 2016
10:20 AT LEAST WE HAVE A DINO RADJA REFERENCE.
Celtics take Ante Zizic from Split, Croatia, at 23... Guessing that Dino Radja is smiling.
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) June 24, 2016
10:29 If this doesn't turn your frowns upside down, I don't know what will.
Ante Zizic! Another son of Croatia will soon playing for the Celtic. Dino weeps tears of happy!
— Dino Radja (@DinoRadja40) June 24, 2016
10:36 Pascal Siakam to the Raptors at 27. Looks like one of the three guys left in the Green Room will be available for the Celtics at 31. Skal, Murray, Davis the last guys left at the party.
10:42 Skal is probably the most ideal pick for the first pick of the second round, right? Huge upside. Limited risk. Chad Ford had him going to the Raptors at 9.
10:43 Of course the Kings pick Skal. I'm done. This live blog is over.
Celtics get their guy with Jaylen Brown at 3. No fireworks. A couple foreign players. Considering the amount of smoke leading up to the draft, it's a surprisingly quiet night for the Celtics. Can't imagine they will use all their second round picks, but be sure to check in with our Round 2 live blog to find out what goes down.