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Draft Day 2018 is finally upon us and the Celtics hold a solitary selection, the 27th pick which falls late in the first round. Boston have been involved in all nearly every league rumour since the Finals concluded two weeks ago. With an assortment of young players fresh from an Eastern Conference game 7 and holding a selection of future first round picks, President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge could prove to be willing trade partner once again.
#Celtics Brad Stevens on Danny Ainge: Danny works really hard. He is at games all over the country, all of the time. If he feels he needs to go back out to the West Coast to watch a game, he doesn’t blink. He just does it. His work ethic has been a sight to behold.
— Scott Souza (@Scott_Souza) June 21, 2018
Each and every year the thought of trading up, trading down and trading out crosses the minds of NBA Execs in draft war rooms when they are “on the clock”. As in previous years, the pundits have speculated on numerous blockbuster trades that could be in the works.
In terms of possible first round trading partners, the Bulls, Clippers, Suns, Kings and 76ers could be active as those organisations all have two picks apiece. The Atlanta Hawks have three picks in the 2018 first round which could also be used to entice a trade. Stick around CelticsBlog and comment live as it happens.
First Round
| Pick | Team | Player | Notes/Trades | CelticsBlog Analysis | CelticsBlog Big Board by Sam Sheehan & Alex Kungu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pick | Team | Player | Notes/Trades | CelticsBlog Analysis | CelticsBlog Big Board by Sam Sheehan & Alex Kungu |
| 1 | Phoenix Suns | DeAndre Ayton, 7-0, C, Arizona | Consensus seems to be that he’s the top big man prospect.. (Ayton) would seem to be a great fit for a team that needs young bigs. . . Offensively, he’s got a lot of touch for big, and his bounciness projects him as plus rebounder in the NBA. - Sam Sheehan | Luka Dončić | |
| 2 | Sacramento Kings | Marvin Bagley III, 6-11, PF, Duke | (Bagley's) got that incredible quickness and could potentially be an elite switch guy at the next level. His incredibly high motor makes him a nightmare on the boards, and we’ve seen how guys like Tristan Thompson can change a playoff series. To me, the question for Bagley is pretty similar to the big question for Ayton. Can he figure out how to play good help defense at a NBA level? - Sam Sheehan | Jaren Jackson Jr | |
| 3 | Atlanta Hawks | Luka Dončić, 6-8, SG/SF, Slovenia | Swapped 3 with 5 and a protected 2019 Dallas first round pick | Doncic is an intriguing player who has drawn a lot of fans with his next-level passing ability and rapidly developing shot-making. He seems to be everything you would want in the modern NBA as a versatile wing who can wear many different hats. - Alex Kungu | Mohamed Bamba |
| 4 | Memphis Grizzlies | Jaren Jackson Jr , 6-11, PF/C, Michigan State | He has such a breathtaking fluidity on the defensive end highlighted by his ability to switch all over the perimeter, his solid use of length, and his ability to protect the rim. Offensively he’s shown an ability to put the ball on the floor a little bit and get by slower defenders while also being able to be a strong spot-up shooter. - Alex Kungu | Wendell Carter Jr | |
| 5 | Dallas Mavericks | Trae Young, 6-2, PG, Oklahoma | Ahh Trae Young - one of the most fascinating prospects in this year’s draft. Is he Steph Curry? Or is he just Trey Burke with a worse defensive skillset? I’ve been rather low on Young for the last few months thanks to his poor shot selection and lack of burst, BUT imagine if he does pan out? Young’s basketball IQ shines in pick-and-roll schemes and he’s in shooting range the second he steps in the gym. - Chris Grenham | Marvin Bagley III | |
| 6 | Orlando Magic | Mohamed Bamba, 7-0, C, Texas | The Bamba party, to me, begins with what he brings defensively. The wingspan, standing reach, athleticism, etc. have DPOY written all over them. Providing that type of value makes him a fit on any team, adding spacing on top of that puts him in contention to be the best player in the draft. - Alex Kungu | DeAndre Ayton | |
| 7 | Chicago Bulls | Wendell Carter, 6-10, C, Duke | The fact that any time he squares up from deep, fans could yell ‘Tha Carter III’ makes him tantalizing enough prospect for me, and any in-game weaknesses would be offset by how fun that is. In all seriousness, think the fact that he rebounds so well is just another tally in his column and I just see him as a big that is tailor-made to play in today’s game. I feel like I’m taking a crazy pill when I see how low some people have him. - Sam Sheehan | Miles Bridges | |
| 8 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Collin Sexton, 6-2, PG, Alabama | I’m such a huge believer in Collin Sexton because I truly believe that the passion he brings in the game raises the energy of those around him. He truly wants to rip your head off and it comes off and it seeps into his game in good and bad ways. The good, he’s a tenacious on-ball defender that with his combination of length and lateral quickness should be able to contribute on that end right away. - Alex Kungu | Zhaire Smith | |
| 9 | New York Knicks | Kevin Knox, 6-9, SF, Kentucky | Scouts see and NBA body with an NBA Skillset that can be groomed into a 3 level scorer. His game feels a bit more mechanical rather than fluid which gives me Tobias Harris vibes rather than someone like Khris Middleton. With that being said, I think he’s an underrated athlete who has a chance to be a solid defender from the jump within a team concept. - Alex Kungu | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | |
| 10 | Philadelphia 76ers | Mikal Bridges, 6-7, SG/SF, Villanova | Traded with Phoenix for Zaire Smith and a 2021 Miami first round pick | The apex upperclassmen of this draft and a guy who seems custom built to be the fifth starter on a good team. Bridges is a guy who has few real weaknesses besides his age, and he figures to be able to step into an NBA role right away. - Sam Sheehan | Mikal Bridges |
| 11 | Charlotte Hornets | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, 6-6, PG, Kentucky | Swapped picks with LA Clippers and two 2nd Rd Picks | He has a really good pace to his game and his combination of height, wingspan, and patience, make me high on his ability to improve on some of the decisions he makes as a passer. His jumpshot is a little funky and looks like a set shot which makes me think he could have a bit of an adjustment year getting used to the NBA three-point line. Defensively, he has all the tools and will be great within a team concept from the jump even if he’ll occasionally run into the tough matchups. - Alex Kungu | Michael Porter Jr |
| 12 | Los Angeles Clippers | Miles Bridges, 6-6, SF/PF, Michigan State | I like Miles Bridges game. I love that he has a grown man’s body which makes me confident he can withstand an 82-game season from the jump. I don’t think he has an electric first step, but he’s pretty good moving off-ball and turned himself into a good lob target. I’m a little higher on his shot and think he can shoot on spotting up or on the move, I see him as a guy who could actually be a pin down guy. - Alex Kungu | Džanan Musa | |
| 13 | Los Angeles Clippers | Jerome Robinson, 6-5, SG, Boston College | Robinson has reportedly been killing his workouts and is one of the guys who got a green room workout invite. People have been asking “who’s this years Donovan Mitchell” and I think Robinson is a candidate. He’s a 3-level scorer who can create for himself or play off-ball, he can make plays out of the PnR, and is very good at deceleration. - Alex Kungu | Robert Williams | |
| 14 | Denver Nuggets | Michael Porter Jr, 6-11, SF, Missouri | At 6’11, Porter has some serious front court potential and could theoretically play all over the floor once he builds up some muscle mass. The biggest problem with Porter Jr. up to this point is there’s just not a lot of tape out on him. He was at one point the consensus #1 pick with some faint similarities to KD as a huge wing with some guard abilities to dribble and score. - Alex Kungu | Khyri Thomas | |
| 15 | Washington Wizards | Troy Brown Jr, 6-7, SG, Oregon | Oregon guard who profiles as an off guard, but has superb passing instincts and ability. Brown is a very heady player who understands the game, and catches opponents napping with cuts and smart off-ball movement. He’s strong and can finish through guys, but also has a lot of the skills I would look for in a SG. The issue is that the shooting is one big question mark. - Sam Sheehan | Collin Sexton | |
| 16 | Phoenix Suns | Zaire Smith, 6-4, SG, Texas Tech | Traded with a 2021 Miami 1st Rd Pick for Mikal Bridges | An outrageous athlete, Smith is a monster rebounder and has the tools to become one of the best perimeter defenders in the draft. A shorter 2 guard, Smith measures out at a little bit under 6’3” without shoes, but also possesses great length, with a wingspan approaching 6’10”. - Sam Sheehan | Josh Okogie |
| 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | Donte Divincenzo, 6-5, SG, Villanova | He has this aloof fearlessness where it seems like no moment will ever be too big for him, which scouts will love. Also, because he played in a very modern Villanova offense, he’s one of the rare college guys that played a role somewhat similar to what he’ll be asked to play in the league. He knows how to move off-ball, he can navigate a PnR, he can hit NBA three’s, and he knows how to play off his teammates. - Alex Kungu | Trae Young | |
| 18 | San Antonio Spurs | Lonnie Walker, 6-5, SG, Miami | He’s a great athlete with a nice stroke that could probably improve on his shot selection a bit. He has a chance to be a really good defender with some above average lateral quickness and NBA body that profiles as a versatile defender. That’s enough to make him a 3 and D guy from the beginning. - Alex Kungu | Elie Okobo | |
| 19 | Atlanta Hawks | Kevin Huerter, 6-7, SG, Maryland | His limitless range and fearlessness of letting it fly will force defenses to adjust to him whenever he’s on the floor. I still think there’s going to be an adjustment period for him as far as how he gets his shots. - Alex Kungu | Jarred Vanderbilt | |
| 20 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Josh Okogie, 6-4, SG, Georgia Tech | This is who I endorse that the Celtics come home with on Draft Night. 6’4” with a 7’0” wing span, Okogie is LONG and has all the requisite Celtics skills. He’s a good shooter who has the weakness of a low release point, but also defends at a very high level. He’s strong and long and can survive weak-side switches, is a big time plus rebounder, and can even score off the bounce if needed. - Sam Sheehan | Kevin Hunter | |
| 21 | Utah Jazz | Grayson Allen, 6-4, SG, Duke | Drinks for Everyone - Sam Sheehan | Troy Brown Jr | |
| 22 | Chicago Bulls | Chandler Hutchinson, 6-7, SG/SF, Boise St | Kevin Know | ||
| 23 | Indiana Pacers | Aaron Holiday, 6-1, PG, UCLA | De'Anthony Melton | ||
| 24 | Portland Trail blazers | Anfernee Simons, 6-3, PG/SG, IMG Academy | Mitchell Robinson | ||
| 25 | Los Angeles Lakers | Moritz Wagner, 6-11, PF, Michigan | I actually think he has better feet than most people give him credit for and he’s someone who I think could be a valuable closeout attacker at his size. I would have loved to see more elbow creation for him and I think you were spot on regarding his defense deficiencies. One non-skill trait that I love about him is he’s such a high-energy player who just has no fear of the moment. - Alex Kungu | Mo Wagner | |
| 26 | Philadelphia 76ers | Landry Shamet, 6-5, PG/SG, Wichita St | Melvin Frazier | ||
| 27 | Boston Celtics | Robert Williams, 6-9, PF-C, Texas A&M | Widely considered to be the top “tier 2” big in the draft, Williams projects as the prototypical rim-running center. The concerns with him is that he doesn’t do too much beyond that, as he was an abysmal free throw shooter and doesn’t have many other skills besides some decent passing. That said, seeing how valuable players like Clint Capela and DeAndre Jordan have made an impact in today’s NBA. - Sam Sheehan | Jacob Evans | |
| 28 | Golden State Warriors | Jacob Evans, 6-5, SG/SF, Cincinnati | (Evans is) a classic “3&D” upperclassman who projects to be a rotation, low-usage wing. Evans can be a bit plodding at times, and that makes me a little nervous if he’s going to be a primary wing defender in the NBA. That said, he’s really heady as a defender and has clearly put in time from year to year on getting better. - Sam Sheehan | Lonnie Walker | |
| 29 | Brooklyn Nets | Džanan Musa, 6-9, SF, Bosnia & Herzegovina | The international man of mystery: Musa is an isolation ball-handler, but he’s also almost 6’10”. With a wide array of moves and big body, he can get to the rim pretty much at will. The problem with that is that he does a lot of this in isolation, which has some questionable value unless you are at the absolute highest level. He’s also not a great shooter, and he can’t really defend very well. - Sam Sheehan | Keita Bates-Diop | |
| 30 | Atlanta Hawks | Omari Spellman, 6-9, PF, Villanova | Jaylen Brunson | ||
| 2nd Round | |||||
| 31 | Phoenix Suns | Elie Okobo, 6-2, PG, France | He’s a Pick and Roll master who can score at 3-levels and has an electric pull-up game that will keep opposing teams defense. Learning how to be a floor general is going to be the next step for him and it’s why even the most rosy mocks for him have him pegged just out of the lottery. Personally, I think the fact that he’s such a pure scorer and will be able to dictate the game with his scoring will bleed into him making the transition to leveraging that into creating for his teammates. - Alex Kungu | ||
| 32 | Memphis Grizzlies | Jevon Carter, 6-2, PG, West Virginia | |||
| 33 | Dallas Mavericks | Jalen Brunson, 6-2, PG, Villanova | |||
| 34 | Atlanta Hawks | Devonte Graham, 6-2, PG, Kansas | Traded to Charlotte | ||
| 35 | Orlando Magic | Melvin Frazier, 6-6, SF, Tulane | He’s such a dog and I love it. Frazier is one of those guys that I see being able to defend the 1-4 at a high-level. He has such a great understanding of how to use his lengthy body and he’s someone completely capable of shifting the energy of a game with a huge defensive stand. The offense has a much lower ceiling but it’s tailor for an NBA role. He’s great as catch and shoot guy, he’s an awesome athlete who can play above the rim. - Alex Kungu | ||
| 36 | New York Knicks | Mitchell Robinson, 6-11, C, Chalmette High School | Robinson is the biggest wildcard in this draft because of a weird situation where he opted out of school and instead trained for a draft after being billed as a five star recruit. Robinson is a rim-running-and-protecting center who could be exactly what the Celtics need. If his skill aren’t there, he could also be a wasted pick. - Sam Sheehan | ||
| 37 | Sacramento Kings | Gary Trent, 6-5, SG, Duke | Traded pick to Portland for 2 future 2nd Rd Picks | ||
| 38 | Philadelphia 76ers | Khyri Thomas, 6-3, SG, Creighton | Traded 2019 2nd Rd Pick & Cash with Los Angeles | Thomas is super long guard who is an absolute terror on the defensive end of the floor. He’s also very strong for a point guard which gives him a lot of switch-ability in smaller lineups. He’s a custom build defender for today’s NBA guards, and I’ve seen the Avery Bradley comp thrown around a bit. - Sam Sheehan | |
| 39 | Philadelphia 76ers | Isaac Bonga, 6-9 SF, Germany | Intriguing prospect from Germany who despite his size has grown up playing as a lead guard his entire career. Good athlete who can get to the rim at will, make the right reads, and is a willing defender. The big problem for Bonga is he can’t shot at all, but he had some big strides in his FT% (up to 90) that are at least an indicator that he could potentially be a passable shooter. At only 18 years old, Bonga is the perfect prospect to stash for a year and allow him to work on his jumper and overall body (only 179ibs) before bringing him back over. - Alex Kungu | ||
| 40 | Brooklyn Nets | Radions Kurucs, 6-9, PF, Latvia | Lativan big that can play either forward position. Capable, but not great shooter, can attack in straight line with a developing handle. Like potential to eventually become a knockdown shooter who can shoot in different situations while being able to hold his own defensively. Needs to get a stronger frame. Problem with him was Barcelona doesn’t like losing players to the NBA and they buried him on the bench. That means if you draft him you want to get him over asap and start working with him. - Alex Kungu | ||
| 41 | Orlando Magic | Jarred Vanderbilt, 6-9, SF, Kentucky | I had Vanderbilt 21st on my board, almost entirely as an upside pick. He’s an energetic, small-ball four who rebounds like a 5. I’m not sure if the shooting ever gets there and he’s an injury risk, but he’s the kind of second round big swing that could really pay off - Sam Sheehan | ||
| 42 | Detroit Pistons | Bruce Brown, 6-5, SG, Miami | |||
| 43 | Denver Nuggets | Justin Jackson, 6-7, PF, Maryland | |||
| 44 | Washington Wizards | Issuf Sanon, 6-4, PG, Ukraine | 19 year old combo guard who’s an electric 3-level scorer. Great first step with an ability to score in isolation, can finish at the rim with either hand, advanced in the PnR. Great instincts as a passer and is someone who could project to be a lead guard. Defensively he has great instincts and showed some potential as a weak side and transition shot-blocker. Moves feet well, will probably be able to switch across the perimeter when he gets bigger, but will be able to come into the league and instantly defend if he isn’t draft and stashed. Most of his weaknesses are youth-related (Physicality, decision-making), and is someone I’m very confident in as a legitimate NBA player. - Alex Kungu | ||
| 45 | Brooklyn Nets | Hamidou Diallo, 6-6, SG, Kentucky | |||
| 46 | Houston Rockets | De'Anthony Melton, 6-3, PG, USC | Melton has a chance to be the less strong Marcus Smart. He was an abysmal shooter at school, but he was young enough that I’m not totally writing him off as not improvable. Melton had a more impressive jumpshot at the combine and I wonder if his stock might have risen had he played his second year. - Sam Sheehan | ||
| 47 | Los Angeles Lakers | Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, 6-8, SG, Kansas | |||
| 48 | Minnesota Timberwolves | Keita Bates-Diop, 6-9, SF, Ohio State | He’s not an excellent shooter from deep, but is very attuned to the flow of the game and he always seemed to have the right play up his sleeve for Ohio State. I’d describe KBD as a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ type of guy. His thin frame is concerning when it come to battling for rebounds at the next level, but he’s a smart player with good length who really understands how to finish. - Sam Sheehan | ||
| 49 | San Antonio Spurs | Chimezie Metu, 6-10, PF, USC | |||
| 50 | Indiana Pacers | Alize Johnson, 6-8, PF, Missouri State | |||
| 51 | New Orleans Pelicans | Tony Carr, 6-4, PG, Penn State | |||
| 52 | Utah Jazz | Vincent Edwards, 6-8, SF, Perdue | |||
| 53 | OKC Thunder | Devon Hall, 6-6, SG, Virginia | |||
| 54 | Dallas Mavericks | Shake Milton, 6-6, PG, SMU | There will probably be better players on the board than Shake when the Celtics pick, but I Semi’s former teammate is a massive guard with good length, decent shooting percentages and ability as a secondary play maker. He has the profile of a the type of versatile guy the Celtics are always looking into. - Sam Sheehan | ||
| 55 | Charlotte Hornets | Arnoldas Kulboka, 6-10, SF, Lithuania | |||
| 56 | Philadelphia 76ers | Ray Spalding, 6-10, PF, Louisville | |||
| 57 | OKC Thunder | Kevin Hervey, 6-8, SF, UT-Arlington | |||
| 58 | Denver Nuggets | Thomas Welsh, 7-1, C, UCLA | |||
| 59 | Phoenix Suns | George King, 6-6, SF, Colorado | |||
| 60 | Philadelphia 76ers | Kostas Antetokounmpo, 6-10, PF, Dayton | This is the younger brother of Giannis, and he is every bit as physically imposing as Giannis was when he came out of the draft. He’s a very functional athlete who can run the floor, be a lob target, and has some tools to be a 5-position defender. There was some talk that after the coaching switch in Daytona he wasn’t used in a way that he was originally promised, but he’s still a super raw athlete with a developing jumpshot and minimal ball-skills. He is a prime stash candidate because I think the biggest thing he needs is just more experience. I think with a player like him, it’s important to kind of have a vision of how you want him to play and stick to that vision. - Alex Kungu |