With only a handful of games left on the schedule and a 3 game cushion on either side of Brooklyn, baring any drastic swings in the standings it appears that the Celtics will be getting the 18th pick in the NBA draft as part of the Pierce/Garnett trade from this offseason. (h/t Gary Washburn)
For point of reference, here's a look at all the #18 picks in the NBA Draft history. It includes names like Eric Bledsoe, Ty Lawson, David West, and old friend Gerald Green.
In fact, the last time we had the 18th pick it led to Gerald Green which led to Kevin Garnett which led to a Championship. So surely history will repeat itself in exactly that way, right?
Draft Express currently has the following names slotted in the 15 to 20 range.
- Nik Stauskas
- James Young
- T.J. Warren
- Kyle Anderson
- Montrezl Harrell
Of those names, Kevin O'Connor has Stauskas rated the highest as well.
Kevin O'Connor's 2014 NBA Draft Big Board 3.0 - CelticsBlog
Nik Stauskas ended his sophomore season in impressive fashion, with a 24-point performance against Kentucky. Even though Michigan lost, Stauskas solidified his status as a lottery talent. Even when he's not knocking down three-pointers (44.2% on the year), he can make an impact as a pick-and-roll playmaker. Stauskas has quality passing skills for his position, which often goes unnoticed due to his shooting stroke. He also finishes well at the rim, at 62.1 percent in the half court, which will be valuable as he makes the jump the pros.
The Celtics sure could use a knock down 3 point shooter.
Who else would you like to see the Celtics consider at the 18th pick?