5 NBA teams that might draft Lonzo Ball

3. Boston Celtics

Assets, asset, assets, and more assets. If there’s been one consistency across the post Boston Three Party era of the Celtics it’s been asset collection. Danny Ainge might be a joke on the internet for always talking about that trade he almost made and his infatuation with winning any trade he makes, but he’s always been an asset collector. Now that he’s projected to have a top four pick in the draft he’s been presented with another opportunity to collect an asset.

Boston taking a point guard would be strange. They have Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas already. Avery Bradley can even run the point too if they’re desperate. However, what Ball does is provide a different kind of skill set that Boston doesn’t have in their guards. He’s long and athletic. Doesn’t need the ball in his hands and impacts games in ways that aren’t scoring. Not only does this sound exactly like the type of player the Celtics would take, but it would give them major flexibility in how they use him. Ball could play next to any of their current guards and provide an impact.

This could also just be a case of Boston taking the best player available whenever they end up picking. For an asset collector like Ainge he doesn’t really need to worry about fit right now. It’s about getting players that can net him a decent return, or at worst set him up in a good situation during the long term future. That’s been his M.O. for years now and there’s no reason for him to change it now.