NBA Draft Rumors: Celtics aggressively shopping No. 3 pick
By Tom West
The Boston Celtics are reportedly aggressively shopping their No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft in an attempt to trade for a superstar.
The general consensus among NBA fans and experts is that the Boston Celtics will select Dragan Bender with the No. 3 pick in the 2016 NBA draft. If the 18-year-old, 7’1″ big man with a rare fluidity, passing and shooting isn’t the one for the Celtics, then perhaps they will take a scorer like Jamal Murray. Or, if you’re Danny Ainge and want a superstar to jolt your team forwards in a 2017 playoff push, why not pursue a trade instead?
The possibility of a trade has been a popular topic of discussion since Boston was awarded the No. 3 pick, and now it seems that might be the Celtics preferred option.
As A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN has reported, the Celtics are “aggressively shopping” their No. 3 pick:
"“[I’m] hearing that No. 3 pick overall is the one that they are really shopping… trying to be as aggressive as possible in trying to move that pick, because they want to get a difference-making, impact player right now. And they believe using that No. 3 pick, and maybe some other players and/or picks, might be the best way to [make] that happen.”“The guys that they want are the guys that everybody wants. We’re talking about [Kevin] Durant, we’re talking about Jimmy Butler, those type of players. And those guys are going to be at the top of their wish list until those guys say, ‘We don’t want to come to Boston.'”"
Kevin Durant is a long shot, and he is generally expected to stay put with the Thunder this offseason. Jimmy Butler, however, seems like a genuine possibility. He has been involved in trade rumors for some time now due to the decline of the Chicago Bulls, his relationship with Derrick Rose, and the possibility the Bulls want to hit the restart button by trading Butler for young assets or draft picks.
It’s not surprising to hear that Ainge is considering such a move either. The Celtics showed what a strong position they’re currently in after winning 48 games this season, ranking fourth in defensive efficiency, and rallying behind a total team effort at both ends of the floor and the offense of first-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas. But taking things one step further by using some of their endless draft picks and role players to upgrade with a star makes sense.
Thomas can’t carry the offense to an elite level by himself, though. Perhaps a blockbuster trade built around the No. 3 pick could change that.
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