NBA Trade Rumors: Celtics trying to acquire No. 3 overall pick?

By Josh Hill | Jun 25, 2015

Nov 5, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) drives the ball against Toronto Raptors forward James Johnson (3) in the second half at TD Garden. The Toronto Raptors defeated the Boston Celtics 110-107. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

The Boston Celtics are dead serious about getting into the lottery portion of the NBA Draft, and that could include the Sixers and Marcus Smart in one big deal.

When there were rumblings that the Boston Celtics were going to trade up into the lottery in the NBA Draft, there were some who blew it off as a smokescreen. In the days since, Danny Ainge has done his best to loudly shout from the top of a mountain that the Celtics are open for business.

What exactly this all means and where it will lead is up to whoever the Celtics want to do business with and who is available to be part of a trade. But the bottom line is, Boston has two first-round picks and they want to move into the lottery — something they can and might do.

According to Michael Scotto, the 76ers have heard that the Celtics want to move up and inquired about a deal that would give up the No. 3 overall pick. This would presumably be to get D’Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay to be their future guard.

Source: Philadelphia 76ers called Boston Celtics about the rumored trade for the No. 3 pick. A "Godfather" offer was never made from Boston.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) June 25, 2015

To further these rumors along, Marc Stein from ESPN.com is reporting that the Celtics are growing more and more willing to trade prized guard Marcus Smart for a lottery pick.

Whispers getting louder that the Celtics are willing to surrender prized guard Marcus Smart if it gets them in upper reaches of lottery
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 25, 2015

To be clear, it sounds like it’s the Sixers pushing for this trade, not the Celtics. But the rumors that Boston would want to trade Smart may still be in play here, even if it’s unrelated to the rumors about moving up to No. 3 overall.

More from Boston Celtics

Home/Boston Celtics