Danny Ainge on Celtics’ No. 3 draft pick: We’ll explore all options
For a brief moment on Tuesday night, with a mere three teams left to be revealed in the 2016 NBA draft lottery, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge let himself get a little excited at the prospect of landing the top selection.
“So all along I’ve been preparing for the worst scenario that we would have the No. 6 pick or the No. 5 pick anyway,” Ainge told reporters at the Celtics’ facility in Waltham after the lottery. “So as the process was going on I think there for a second I allowed myself to get my hopes up, to get the No. 1 or 2 pick in the draft, particularly the No. 1 pick, that would have been nice. But it didn’t happen.”
Instead, the Celtics landed the No. 3 overall pick, maintaining their original pre-draft lottery position, just like all other 13 teams involved. While LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram are regarded as clear-cut choices for the top two picks in this year’s draft, the work has just begun for Ainge and his staff as they determine what to do with the No. 3 overall choice.
“We don’t know that yet. We’ll obviously explore that,” Ainge said. “We’re in the middle of that process right now of figuring out who’s in the draft and who’s the best fit for us. We’ll also probably get some calls for that pick I’m guessing, so there’ll be discussion of that too. But right now we’re really in the mode of preparing for the draft.”
The No. 3 pick is one of eight selections the Celtics have in the 2016 NBA Draft, with the top choice coming to Boston via a 2013 summer trade with the Brooklyn Nets. Ainge had previously admitted that the Celtics could consolidate some of those selections, and the fact the team now knows exactly where they will be operating from in the draft gives the front office more direction heading into a big offseason.
“The picture is more clear for sure,” Ainge said. “But still the draft is uncertain just by its nature, when you’re often times, like I said, drafting kids that are so young. So there’s a lot of uncertainty about the future, everybody’s future in the NBA. Players that we draft, there are no guarantees. But we like this draft.
“We’re excited about this No. 3 pick. We believe that a good player will come out of this draft and I can’t wait to continue the process. Yeah, we were holding out for a short hope there to get the No. 1 or 2 pick, but the No. 3 pick is a very good player. And we have our eyes set on a handful of guys.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com