2019 NBA DRAFT FROM CELTICS STANDPOINT

So the Celtics, for the first time in the Danny Ainge error, swung and missed on draft night.

Boston had the ammo to trump all deals, including the Anthony David deal to the Lakers. They just didn't want to part with Jayson Tatum and I don't blame them as it seems the Celtics are now going to be his team.

Last Thursday Boston went into the draft as the only team with 3 first round picks. Everyone thought that Boston was destined to make a huge deal and it never came. They did make a minor move however to add draft capital to next season. Ainge has really followed the Bill Belichick build your team through the draft and player development mantra and it has seemed to work for the most part.

So we need to assume that both Al Horford and Kyrie Irving are leaving as of July 6th when the market opens. That leaves 2 spots in desperate need of fixing. With that in mind Boston selected small forward Romeo Langford from Indiana with the 14th pick in the draft as their first selection. Langford had a tough year at Indiana battling injuries but a lot of people think he would have been a lottery pick had he come right out from High School. Langford has a unique ability to play at both ends of the floor and is a really good stop and pop shooter which is really the direction the NBA is headed with their players on the wing in the future. I like the pick of Langford because if Jaylen Brown leaves after this season he is our future small forward wing player.

The Celtics then had pick 20 and they decided to flip it to Philadelphia for Milwaukee's protected first rounder in 2020. What protected means is that if it falls in a certain number of the top picks, usually the top 12 is a high as it goes, Philadelphia keeps it and it becomes a 2021 first rounder. I think whenever you can make a deal to add a first round pick in the future you always make the deal especially if you're not completely sold on one particular player at the spot you're picking and Boston clearly wasn't sold on anyone but it appears they still got their guy 4 picks later at 24.

So they swap number 20 for Milwaukee's protected first rounder next year and they also moved back 2 spots from 22 to 24 while adding pick 36 in this years draft.

With the 24th pick they selected Grant Williams from Tennessee. TENNESSEE HAD ITS BEST SEASON EVER IN MEN'S BBALL AND WILLIAMS, AT 6'7", WAS A BIG FACTOR PLAYING CENTER. HE'S OBVIOUSLY TOO SMALL TO PLAY CENTER IN THE PROS BUT I BELIEVE HE'S THEIR INSURANCE POLICY IF Marcus Morris leaves in free agency this year. Williams is a banger underneath who can do a great job on the glass rebounding which is this team's greatest need.

In the 2nd round Boston ended up with 2 players both point guards who may help in a year or 2. TREMONT WATERS IS VERY SMALL AT JUST 5'11" BUT HE RUNS A GOOD POINT IN his ability to get everyone involved. The other pick, which was part of the trade with Philly, was Carsen Edwards of Purdue and this kid has huge upside. Edwards started as a sophomore at Purdue and struggled, but once he learned how to play college ball after a year or 2 he became a star and was one of the best players in the Big 10 last year. I BELIEVE THIS KID COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A YEAR OR TWO ESPECIALLY LEARNING FROM GUYS LIKE SMART, ROZIER, AND TATUM. EDWARDS CAN SET UP PLAYERS ON THE WING AND CAN ALSO SHOOT THE BALL WELL. HE'S DEFINITELY THE MOST POLISHED PICK BOSTON HAD THURSDAY NIGHT. 

EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T MAKE THE BIG TRADE WE STILL HAD A SUCCESSFUL NIGHT.

RECAP PICK 14 ROMEO LANGFORD INDIANA SMALL FORWARD

PICK 20 traded to Philadelphia for Milwaukee's 2020 protected first rounder 

Pick 22 traded back to 24 and selected Grant Williams power forward from Tennessee

2nd round Carsen Edward's Purdue point guard

Tremont Waters point guard LSU

Boston also signed an exhibit 10 contract with 7'7" center Tacko Fall out of the University of Central Florida. His raw talent and size could definitely be a big help next season

I think the future is bright even though we are rebuilding at the moment as we are the only team in the NBA with 10 players on their roster 25 or younger.