:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/49635097/usa-today-9193994.0.jpg)
The Celtics have a surplus of talented ball handlers, and for that reason Kris Dunn's agents will reportedly withhold medical reports from the franchise. According to The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski, they want to "control the process" and deter a team with a "young, established point guard" (like the Celtics or Suns) from drafting him.
Woj reports that Dunn's camp didn't submit him to get a physical at the NBA Combine because had they done that, every team in the league would have access to his records.
Dunn had two surgeries to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. The first surgery was before his freshman season at Providence, and the second was at the start of his sophomore year, so interested teams will want to assess the stability of his shoulder.
"People are gonna want to see those [medical reports] to make a decision on him. And now his group is gonna maybe be able to control this process and get him to a place where a team is gonna trade up into No. 3 or 4 for him." Woj said. "[His agents] can't stop them from drafting Dunn, but will those teams do it without his medical records, without a personal workout, without an interview with him?"
Though the Celtics are loaded at the position, Dunn appears to be their type—long and athletic. He's 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, which is similar to guards they've drafted in the past like Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, and Rajon Rondo.
Factor in Isaiah Thomas' status as the team's starter—and the possibility of Evan Turner getting re-signed—and on paper there isn't much opportunity for Dunn in Boston. Even Smart didn't get enough pick-and-roll reps last season.
You can understand why Ty Sullivan, Dunn's agent, wouldn't want his client to go into a situation like that. Minnesota (pick 5), New Orleans (6), Sacramento (8), and even Milwaukee (10), Utah (12), and Chicago (14) are all more appealing destinations when it comes to opportunity.
But if the Celtics do want Dunn, and if they believe he has higher overall potential than any of their other guards, then they'd probably be willing to move the pieces to make it work. Dunn enters the NBA with a defensive profile similar to Smart, but he's more significantly more advanced offensively. He's also a more talented shooter off the dribble than Rozier, though Dunn must continue extending his range.
"I think those picks will be in play and you're gonna see teams further back in the draft want to [target Kris Dunn and Dragan Bender]," Woj said. "You're going to see a bidding process, I think, with Boston, Phoenix. I think there's going to be a lot of deals in this draft and it'll be a lot of fun."
The Celtics have one of the more creative front offices in the NBA, so if they are unable to trade for a superstar in a traditional two-team trade they have options. Maybe they could put together a blockbuster deal that would ultimately move them down towards the middle of the lottery while picking up other assets in the form of players or picks.
Or maybe they'll just take Dunn anyway, if they even have interest in him.
Either way, the next five weeks leading up to the draft will be like a roller coaster.
Contacted me on Facebook and Twitter @KevinOConnorNBA. My 2016 NBA Draft Guide is available now and can be ordered by clicking here.