The Celtics are doing their due diligence on level guard prospects forward of the 2025 NBA draft, in addition to evaluating potential trade-up situations, league sources inform Grant Afseth of RG.org.
Boston at present controls the No. 28 choose within the first spherical and the No. 32 choose within the second spherical, giving the staff some ammunition to doubtlessly transfer up a couple of spots if there’s a particular prospect the entrance workplace likes in that vary.
After all, the flexibility to draft a participant with that No. 32 choose and signal him to a rookie-minimum wage would profit the cap-strapped Celtics as they appear to scale back their payroll, so the membership must weigh its choices fastidiously if it considers a transfer up — packaging the No. 28 choice with a future choose or two whereas hanging onto No. 32 may be an possibility, although that’s simply my hypothesis.
As Afseth writes, the Celtics have “quietly evaluated” plenty of level guards on this yr’s draft class, conducting background work on these prospects and making an effort to deliver them in for exercises. Including a “rotation-level” guard on a rookie scale contract is seen as a precedence for a staff that operated over the second tax apron this previous season, Afseth provides, particularly with Jrue Vacation thought of a chief offseason commerce candidate.
Amongst this yr’s draft-eligible level guards, Dylan Harper, Jeremiah Fears, Kasparas Jakucionis, and Egor Demin are seen as possible lottery picks. Nolan Traore is at No. 25 on ESPN’s massive board, with Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 27 and Ben Saraf at No. 30. For what it’s price, Traore was as soon as thought of a possible top-10 choose and was nonetheless within the lottery in ESPN’s mock drafts as of mid-March, however has fallen within the rankings this spring.
In accordance with Afseth, Boston is one of some groups with a number of picks within the first spherical or early second who’re exploring the thought of buying and selling up. The Thunder (Nos. 15, 24, and 44), Magic (Nos. 16, 25, 46, and 57), and Nets (Nos. 8, 19, 26, 27, and 36) are additionally “seen as lively in that market,” sources inform RG.org.
