NBA Draft Rumors: Boston Celtics keeping No. 3 overall pick
By John Buhler
While the Boston Celtics were reportedly shopping around their No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, it now seems likely that Boston will hold on to it.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, “there’s a sense in Boston that the Celtics will keep the third overall pick in Thursday night’s NBA draft because it appears that they may not be able to negotiate a suitable deal.”
Pompey adds that Boston will probably target either Providence’s Kris Dunn or California’s Jaylen Brown, with the likelihood of keeping Brown, but eventually trading Dunn to somebody else.
The Philadelphia 76ers have had their eye on moving up to get Dunn to run the point alongside supposed No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons of LSU. Simmons is a skilled ball handler at the point forward, but Dunn remains the premier point guard prospect in his draft class.
Given that Boston already has a bevy of ball handlers in All-Star Isaiah Thomas, an All-Defensive player in Avery Bradley, and a strong rotational guard in Marcus Smart, Dunn may be a great talent, but not necessarily a need for the Celtics.
They need scoring and depth out on the wing. Brown would fill that need, but taking him at No. 3 feels very much like a reach in the 2016 NBA Draft. However, Brown will almost certainly be off the board by the No. 8 overall selection and Boston won’t have the luxury to take him with either of their two other first round picks.
Could Boston eventually trade Dunn if the Celtics do end up taking him at No. 3? Sure, but the Celtics seem just fine to use the greatest right to a pick swap in recent NBA history. Keep in mind that this first round pick originally belonged to the Celtics’ lowly Atlantic Division rival in the Brooklyn Nets. Outside of center Brook Lopez, the Nets have no All-Star caliber players entering 2016-17.
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