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Celtics NBA draft preview: What will Boston do with Nos. 28, 32 picks?

Published

7 months ago

June 23, 2025

Celtics NBA draft preview: What will Boston do with Nos. 28, 32 picks?

In the NBA, the offseason begins in a hurry.

Just three days after the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Game 7 triumph over the Indiana Pacers, the league will gather at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn for the opening night of the 2025 NBA Draft.

For the Celtics, the draft will be their first chance to add to a roster that could look substantially different when the 2025-26 season tips off in October. As president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and his staff wind down their draft prep, here’s what you need to know about Boston’s picks and how they might use them:

When is the draft?

The NBA made its draft a two-day affair for the first time last year, and it’s sticking with that format, which was popular among many front office shot-callers. Round 1 will be Wednesday, with Round 2 following on Thursday.

In a change from the 2024 setup, the entire draft will air in primetime, with both rounds set to begin at 8 p.m. ET.

When do the Celtics pick?

Boston currently owns one first-round selection (No. 28) and one early second-rounder (No. 32), with the latter originally belonging to Washington (the Celtics acquired it from Detroit in 2023). The Celtics traded their own second-round pick in this draft (No. 57) to Orlando in 2021 as part of the return for Evan Fournier.

In his end-of-season news conference last month, Stevens said the Celtics were open to trading up, trading back or sticking and picking at those spots.

“We’ll evaluate who we think will be available at 28 and 32,” Stevens said. “… We’ll have plenty of time to thoroughly evaluate who we think those people might be, and if we want to try to move up, try to move back, whatever, we’ll see how it all goes. But I think when you’re at 28 and 32, you’re not exactly able to pinpoint exactly how that night’s going to go.”

First-round draft picks sign rookie wage-scale contracts that are guaranteed for the first two years. If the Celtics take a player at No. 28, his 2025-26 salary will be between $1.9 million and $2.8 million. Second-round picks often sign non-guaranteed or two-way contracts.

What kind of talent can Boston expect to find there?

That’s hard to say. The odds of landing an impact player outside of the lottery – or, in some years, anywhere beyond the top five picks – are admittedly slim.

Of the 20 players selected in Boston’s two slots over the last 10 drafts, just three became long-term starters: Jaden McDaniels, Jordan Poole and Ivica Zubac. Those proved to be great value picks (though Zubac didn’t break through until he was traded from the Lakers to the Clippers).

Other hits in that vicinity over the past decade include Pascal Siakam (No. 27, 2016), Dejounte Murray (No. 29, 2016), Derrick White (No. 29, 2017), Josh Hart (No. 30, 2017), Jalen Brunson (No. 33, 2018), Payton Pritchard (No. 26, 2020), Desmond Bane (No. 30, 2020) and Andrew Nembhard (No. 31, 2022).

So, it is possible to find quality NBA players in the late first and early second rounds. But the vast majority of those picks turn out to be middling backups at best. Set your expectations accordingly.

What is the Celtics’ NBA draft track record?

Overall, pretty strong. Every year from 2014 to 2020, they drafted at least one player who went on to see prominent minutes on Boston teams that reached the Eastern Conference finals or beyond. Most of those players are either still with the Celtics (Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Pritchard) or were eventually used as trade chips to acquire current starters (Marcus Smart in the Kristaps Porzingis deal; Robert Williams III as part of the package for Jrue Holiday).

The Celtics didn’t make a first-round pick in 2021, ’22 and ’23, and their second-rounders in those drafts (JD Davison, Jordan Walsh) haven’t carved out rotation roles. The jury’s still out on last year’s first-round choice, Baylor Scheierman, but the energetic wing showed potential in his handful of late-season opportunities and could see increased minutes in Year 2, depending on how Boston structures its roster this offseason.

Stevens, who ascended to his current role in 2021, strayed from his previous draft playbook last summer, taking two players in Scheierman and second-round pick Anton Watson (who was later cut) who turned 24 before their rookie season began. His prior picks all were teenage projects with far less collegiate experience.

What do the Celtics need?

That also depends on said roster plans. The Celtics are expected to trade at least one member of their championship-winning core in an effort to shed salary and avoid the most prohibitive luxury tax penalties, but it remains unclear which player(s) they’ll attempt to move.

If it’s Holiday, then targeting a guard prospect would make a lot of sense, as White and Pritchard are Boston’s only other proven backcourt options. The Celtics could use additional wing depth regardless with Tatum set to miss at least a significant chunk of the upcoming season following Achilles surgery, and that need would be heightened if they also ship out Sam Hauser (or, in what would be a much more transformative move, Brown). The makeup of Boston’s frontcourt is a major question mark, too, with Al Horford and Luke Kornet both set to hit free agency and Porzingis another logical trade candidate.

But, again, the Celtics can’t bank on finding a solution to any of those potential roster holes this late in the draft. It will be interesting to see whether Stevens aims for a more polished and experienced prospect who could play right away or prioritizes long-term upside.

Which players could they target?

Prospects of note who could be available in the Celtics’ range include Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr., the undersized ace shot-maker who starred during the Gators’ run to the national championship, and Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner, a former teammate of Scheierman’s who offers elite shot-blocking ability and was a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year.

Other possible targets: Stanford big man Maxime Reynaud, a 7-footer with intriguing offensive versatility; French wing Noah Penda, a 6-foot-8 20-year-old who plays like a veteran; Arkansas wing Adou Thiero, an uber-athletic ball hawk with an underdeveloped shot; and North Carolina wing Drake Powell, who impressed evaluators with his high motor and defensive versatility during his lone season in Chapel Hill.

Originally Published: June 23, 2025 at 12:42 PM EDT

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Celtics, Bucks celebrate history in inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic

Published

4 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Press Room

Celtics, Bucks celebrate history in inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic

The Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks honored the 75th anniversary of the breaking of the NBA’s color barrier Sunday by squaring off in the inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic.

The game spotlighted Basketball Hall of Famers Chuck Cooper, Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton and Earl Lloyd, who were the first Black players to be drafted, sign an NBA contract and appear in an NBA game, respectively.

Players for both teams wore shooting shirts with Cooper, Clifton and Lloyd’s names emblazoned on the back. Each uniform featured a “Pioneers Classic” patch above the nameplate and a “1950” patch beneath the rear jersey number.

The three legends’ names and jersey numbers also appeared on the TD Garden court and on the stanchion beneath each basket. Relatives of Cooper, Clifton and Lloyd joined Jaylen Brown on the court for a pregame address.

“Today is the NBA’s first Pioneer Classic, and it’s an honor to speak on the behalf of some of our legends — Nat Clifton, Earl Lloyd and (the) Boston Celtics’ Chuck Cooper,” Brown, who went on to tally 30 points and 13 rebounds in a 107-79 Celtics win, told the Garden crowd. “… A pioneer, by definition, if a leader, is an innovator and a forward thinker. Who will be the pioneers of this generation? On the behalf of the NBA, I want to say thank you — thank you, Boston. Let’s have a good game.”

Cooper played four seasons for the Celtics from 1950 to 1954.

“When you coach the Celtics, we’ve had just high-character people and have history and have had a tradition in many different forms,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said pregame. “And when you’re helping move that forward, you just have a responsibility to the people who came before you to move it forward. One, to be appreciative of what those before you have done on and off the court, and then the second piece to that is doing your part and moving that forward and kind of leaving it better.

“You don’t have a situation like this if you don’t have the people that have come before you. So that’s important. And I think the league is the same way. We’ve had great people come through this league, influential people, and just taking advantage of the opportunity you have to move forward is an opportunity we’re given.”

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers, who coached the Celtics from 2004 until 2013, saluted Red Auerbach during his pregame news conference. Auerbach drafted Cooper in the second round in 1950 — his first draft as Boston’s head coach — fielded the NBA’s first all-Black starting five in 1955 and hired Bill Russell as the league’s first Black head coach in 1966.

“What I think Pioneers Day represents, to me, is America,” Rivers said. “Red Auerbach is responsible for our achievements as much as anyone else. He didn’t see color. He wanted to make the league a better league, and he kept doing it — hiring Bill Russell as coach. I mean, you think about this city that’s had its ups and downs race-wise, but you have this one guy. And I got it a little bit, but when you come here and you coach here, boy, you really get it with Red. You really get what he was about. And so Pioneers Day, first game being here, for me, obviously, being a coach here for nine years, means a lot.”

The Celtics also honored Auerbach and Russell during the game. Auerbach’s granddaughter, Julie Auerbach Flieger, and Russell’s daughter, Karen Kenyatta Russell, were recognized on the court during a first-quarter timeout.

Rivers said the Pioneers Classic is “good for history.”

“Because we live in a time right now where our history is being, you know, whitewashed, a lot of it,” he said. “And I think you learn a lot through history. You have to. I think that’s our problem. We need to teach history, whether it’s bad or good. Need to teach it more.”

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Syracuse lacrosse vs. Boston University: Live score, updates

Published

16 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Press Room

Syracuse lacrosse vs. Boston University: Live score, updates

Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse lacrosse team takes on the Boston University Terriers at 1 p.m., Sunday in the JMA Wireless Dome.

The game will be available to stream on ACC Network Extra.

See in-game team and individual stats here.

Note: Refresh this page throughout Syracuse’s game vs. Boston University to see the latest updates

First quarter

Syracuse 1, Boston University 1 – 6:23

BU goalie Connor Phillips appeared in just three games as a freshman in 2025. Now handling the starting gig, Phillips held strong against the Orange early, making three saves on four shots.

Through the first quarter, Spallina attempted anything to get going. He moved the ball three times with a behind the back pass, and shuffled a one-handed pass out of desperation once the shot clock fell under 10 seconds.

Syracuse 1, Boston University 1 – 9:35

The Orange struck iron on their first shot but retained possession on the groundball. After Finn Thomson missed a shot off a crafty pass from Spallina, SU scooped the ball up again. As the shot clock dwindled, Luke Rhoa worked downhill and beat Connor Phillips low to take a 1-0 lead 90 seconds in.

Syracuse made a stop defensively after BU hit the post too, and the Orange missed the mark on their next shot as Thomson was called for falling into the crease.

Back on the other end, the Terriers tied it up as Ethan Hart found nylon.

Opening faceoff

Multiple offseason position battles were answered quickly. With Ryan out to start the season due to a foot injury, senior Jordan Beck slotted in alongside Dwan and Figueiras. Anderson began on the attack with Deere down and Tyler McCarthy worked into the midfield.

Syracuse secured the opening faceoff on a violation from the Terriers, taking first possession.

Pregame

Syracuse’s 2025 season began with a pushover game against former goalie John Galloway and Jacksonville. The Orange led within two minutes of the opening faceoff and never looked back as a 10-0 run to start the contest ballooned into a 25-4 win. To kickstart 2026, SU faces a much tougher task.
Out of the Patriot League, the Terriers rank No. 17 per Inside Lacrosse to begin the season. Boston University lost its leading scorer, Jimmy O’Connell, to graduation, but returns three Preseason All-Patriot League players in Connor Kehm, Andrew Pape and Timothy Shannehan.
The two squads scrimmaged ahead of the 2025 season, where sophomore attack Payton Anderson remembers the Terriers matching SU’s physicality with a 10-man ride. Head coach Gary Gait emphasized BU’s 10-man ride as a top challenge the Orange will face in the season opener.
“That’s their bread and butter,” Gait said Friday. “Putting pressure on you to clear the ball and try and decrease your number of possessions.”
Syracuse returns a plethora of key contributors from its 2025 ACC Tournament title and Final Four run in senior captains Joey Spallina, Finn Thomson, Billy Dwan III and Riley Figueiras. Additionally, Michael Leo, Luke Rhoa and Jimmy McCool bring experience in high-pressure situations.
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Gait pointed to the Orange’s short-stick defensive midfield as the “biggest question mark” entering the season. SU lost Carter Rice to the Professional Lacrosse League and brought in Ohio State transfer Dante Bowen to likely fill the void.
Sophomore Cam Ryan was slated to fill the third defensive spot next to Dwan and Figueiras, but will begin the year on the shelf with a foot injury. The season-ending injury to Trey Deere from a car accident adds intrigue for Syracuse’s attack, opening with Owen Hiltz also moving on to the professional ranks.
Syracuse warmed up in Orange long-sleeve shirts with the slogan “Burn the Boats” on the back. Sporting the mantra against a school from Boston is quite ironic. Though it showcases SU’s “us against the world” mentality, entering a pivotal fifth season under Gait. Its quest toward its first national title since 2009 begins versus the Terriers.

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Boston Police Blotter: City snow slowly but surely getting removed

Published

1 day ago

February 1, 2026

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Boston Police Blotter: City snow slowly but surely getting removed

The Boston Police Department reported a lower-than-usual number of incidents in the 24-hour period leading up to 10 a.m. Saturday, which could be attributed to temperatures in the single-digits and the massive amount of snow still on the ground.

But Boston Public Works says they’re on the second one.

“No rest for the weary! After another successful night of large-scale snow removal across #Boston, PWD district continue work today removing snow banks and clearing alleys, crosswalks & crub ramps to improve safety and accessibility,” the city department reported Friday.

They were at it again Saturday, when they reported they had cleared more than 2,667 loads of snow from city streets — totaling 41,168 cubic yards.

Incident Summary

BPD responded to 178 incidents in the 24-hour period ending at 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the department’s incident log. Those included three aggravated assaults and 18 instances of miscellaneous larceny.