The Boston Celtics own three picks in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft.
For now, at least.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman reported this week that scouts and agents mentioned the Celtics, among other teams, have expressed interest in moving up the draft board.
According to Wasserman, it’s unclear who Boston would target, though it’s possible the Celtics could look to consolidate their draft capital, which currently includes the 14th, 26th and 30th selections in Round 1.
The Celtics face a bit of a roster crunch even before factoring in their three first-round picks. So, packaging them in a trade certainly would make sense, as it would alleviate said crunch while theoretically increasing the likelihood of Boston landing an impact prospect.
This year’s draft is difficult to project, with even the No. 1 overall pick up for debate. Wasserman described Obi Toppin as being perhaps the draft’s “most popular prospect,” while wondering whether a team like the Celtics — who are in win-now mode — might view the Dayton product as an immediate contributor worth trading up to obtain.
The Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns also have expressed interest in moving up, according to scouts and agents Wasserman spoke with.
The draft is scheduled for Nov. 18.
