NBA draft SWAGs for the Boston Celtics

I'm convinced that something is going to happen on draft night.  Ok, technically something has to happen, they at least have to pick players.  I'm talking about trades.  As in multiple.  They may be big (DeMarcus Cousins?) or they may be small, but after watching the video of Danny Ainge's press scrum from this morning, I refuse to believe that Thursday night will be boring.

I have no (credible) sources and no additional information to share other than what I've already passed along, but I do have a blog to fill and some free time, so I figured it was as good a time as any for some creative writing.  So here goes.

5 Predictions for Draft Night

1. Marcus Smart gets traded. Wait, what? He's like the closest thing we have to untouchable, right? Well, yes and no.  He's a very good prospect and I've got high hopes for him in a Celtics uniform.  However, he also represents perhaps the biggest trade chip we've got (so if you want the big fish like Cousins, the offers start with him). By the way, point guard is one of the easier positions to fill and we've already got a starter quality (and maybe star quality) point guard on the roster with a reasonable contract.  So it might actually make sense for Ainge to trade from a position of depth.

2. DeMarcus Cousins gets traded, ....to a team other than the Celtics. Oh man, you got me all excited with the big fish talk and now this? Well, yeah, sorry. Basically, if you believe the reports from Woj (that were denied by Divac, but what is he going to say?) Karl would love to have more veterans and that's not exactly what the Celtics have a lot of. That doesn't mean Ainge won't land a big name player.  It just means I don't think it happens to be Boogie.

3. The Celtics trade up, ...with the Knicks. Now we're talking, but what will it take to move up? I'm guessing #16, #28, and a future protected first rounder (maybe the Mavs 2016 pick?).  If they want a player like Olynyk instead of one of the picks, that's fine too.  Or perhaps we'll be forced to take Calderon's salary instead. Regardless, I think the Knicks are motivated to move the pick and I know the Celtics are motivated to move up. Ok, smart guy, then who do the Celtics pick? I'm glad you asked.

4. The Celtics will pick... Kristaps Porzingis. Great, now I have to learn how to spell and pronounce that name. I'm not sure why I've zeroed in on this guy.  Well, that's a lie.  If he can be both a dead-eye shooter AND a rim protector, that will fill two needs in one pick.  Of course, there are a lot of other very talented guys at the top of the draft board that Ainge could be focusing on instead.  I wouldn't mind any of them to be honest.

5. Danny Ainge will be in the middle of a 5 team trade. Now you are putting the Silly into SWAGs. Hey, if anyone could help orchestrate something, it would be Danny. I can't help but think that a bunch of these rumors will just naturally combine like Voltron and turn into a monster trade that involves Boogie, Eric Bledsoe, Ty Lawson, the Sixers, and pick swaps galore.  All aboard the Crazy Train, next stop Insane in the Membrane.

Now that I've primed the pump, what are YOUR predictions for Thursday night?  Feel free to be creative.