NBA Rumors: These Two Celtics Could Be Draft-Night Trade Pieces

The Boston Celtics don’t have a first-round pick in Thursday night’s NBA draft, and if they want to change that, it could cost them one of their former first-round selections.

The Celtics reportedly are interested in moving into the first round, and they’re open to trading either Payton Pritchard or Grant Williams if they can find the right deal, according to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer.

According to Fischer’s report, the Celtics are among a handful of teams — including Indiana, Detroit and Utah — who are interested in the back half of the first round.

“To do so (acquire a first-round pick), the Celtics appear willing to engage in conversations on rotation players like Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard, but only for the right price,” Fischer wrote.

Both Williams and Pritchard were rotational depth pieces for Boston in the Celtics’ run to the NBA Finals.

Williams, whom the Celtics drafted out of Tennessee with a first-round pick in 2019, appeared in 77 regular-season games last season, averaging more than 24 minutes per night. He’s been a solid defender who can get hot from behind the 3-point line.

Pritchard, meanwhile, was a late first-round pick out of Oregon in 2020. He played in 71 games last season, averaging just over six points per night while shooting 43% from the floor.

There are others who believe Aaron Nesmith, another former first-round pick, could be dangled in trades leading up to Thursday night.

There’s quite a bit of smoke regarding the Celtics’ desire to move into the first round. Earlier this week, Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney reported Boston had its eye on the Warriors’ pick at No. 28. Golden State certainly has familiarity with Williams and Pritchard after seeing both of them en route to winning the NBA Finals earlier this month.

As it stands right now, Boston’s only selection is the No. 53 pick.