Celtics’ future first-round picks

The Celtics used six of their eight draft picks this year and traded two of them for a future pick. The team still has a bunch of future draft picks to use, and I thought it would be a good time to look through the list.

For reference, see this RealGM article that details future traded draft picks, from which all quoted sections in this article were derived.

2017: Brooklyn Swapping

The Celtics have the right to swap picks with the Brooklyn Nets. Keep in mind, this privilege means that the Nets will be getting the lower of the two picks, likely the Celtics’ slot. Obviously we’re hoping the Nets pick will be in the top three and that the Celtics pick will be in the high 20s.

Note: If the Celtics do swap places with the Nets, we’ll also send them a second-rounder if it falls between pick 46 - 60. I think we can spare it, though.

Other 2017 second-rounders:

• Wolves second-rounder (unprotected)
• Clippers second-rounder (unprotected)
• Cavs second-rounder (unprotected)

The Wolves pick might be worth packaging in a trade, but the other two seem destined to be draft-n-stash candidates.

2018: Brooklyn’s last gift

This will be the last Brooklyn pick from the Pierce/Garnett trade conveyed to Boston from the Nets. It is unprotected and does not involve swaps of any kind.

The Celtics will also own their own first-round pick. Again, we’re hoping this one comes later in the first round.

The Celtics will only lose their 2nd rounder if they have one of the top 4 records in the league. They only owe the pick to the Thunder if it falls between picks 56-60.

2019: Walking in Memphis

The Celtics have their own 2019 pick and a bunch of other complicated protected picks directly or indirectly related to Memphis. Here are the details for each.

2019 first round draft pick from L.A. Clippers - If at least two years after the L.A. Clippers conveyed a 1st round pick to Toronto, then the L.A. Clippers will convey their 1st round pick to Boston (via Memphis) protected for selections 1-14 in 2019 and 1-14 in 2020; if the L.A. Clippers have not conveyed a 1st round pick to Boston by 2020, then the L.A. Clippers will instead convey their 2022 2nd round pick to Boston

Wait, what was all that? Let’s break it down.

The Clippers owe us a future pick (via Memphis), but it can’t be conveyed until two years after another pick that is owed (due to the Stepien Rule). If the Clippers’ 2017 pick is outside the top fourteen (likely) and is thus sent to the Raptors, then L.A.’s 2019 pick will be sent to the Celtics as long as it isn’t in the top fourteen (also probably likely, unless the Clippers collapse completely). Note: The Clippers’ core is aging, and this is the Clippers after all, so it’s not a given that the Clippers won’t be in the lottery by 2019.

2019 first round draft pick from Memphis - Memphis' 1st round pick to Boston protected for selections 1-8 in 2019 (conveyable if Memphis conveys a 1st round pick to Denver in 2017) and 1-6 in 2020 (conveyable if Memphis has conveyed a 1st round pick to Denver by 2018) and unprotected in 2021

Here we go again with the Stepien Rule. This pick is a little more likely to convey than the L.A. pick. The Griz owe a 2017 pick to the Nuggets as long as it isn’t in the top five. The Griz look like they will good enough this season to have a pick outside that range, so it is likely that the Celtics will be getting the 2019 pick from the Griz, as long as it lands outside the top eight that year.

2019 second-rounders:

We also get a second-rounder from Detroit (via OKC) and owe a second-rounder to the (wait for it...) Memphis Grizzlies (though that one is protected through the top 55 selections—so if it conveys we won’t be complaining much because our record will be one of the top four in the league).

Got all that?

After that, the only pick swap is the 2020 second-rounder that the Miami Heat owe us.

So, to recap, the most likely picks the Celtics will have over the next few years are as follows:

• 2017 Nets 1st
• 2017 Wolves 2nd
• 2017 Clippers 2nd
• 2017 Cavs 2nd
• 2018 Nets 1st
• 2018 Celtics 1st
• 2019 Celtics 1st
• 2019 Memphis 1st
• 2019 Clippers 1st
• 2019 Pistons 2nd
• 2020 Celtics 1st
• 2020 Heat 2nd
• 2020 Celtics 2nd

That’s thirteen picks in four years—not a bad stash of future picks. Now it is up to Danny Ainge to use them wisely.