Are the Boston Celtics about to trade up in the 2025 NBA draft?
Are the Boston Celtics about to trade up in the 2025 NBA draft? The Celtics will head into the '25 draft armed with a pick in the first and second round each at Nos. 28 and 32, respectively. Likely in need of new talent for their big man and backcourt rotations with a potential departure of veterans Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis due to cap crunch issues, we have an idea of the sort of players Boston might be looking to add to their roster.
But will they have enough talent on the board by the time they are on the clock late in night one, and early in night two? We have heard some rumors that the Celtics' front office may be looking to trade up in the draft to secure a better player for their future -- how much fire is there to this particular smoke?
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The folks behind the "NESN" YouTube channel put together a clip from their "Hold My Banner" show, with guest Fran Fraschilla weighing in on who Boston might want to take if they do move up in the draft. Check it out below!
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Are the Celtics about to trade up in the 2025 NBA draft?
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New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
How Pacers' counterintuitive strategy shut down Thunder's stars in NBA Finals
It's never too late to make a change in life — or at least in the most important moment of one's professional life. The Indiana Pacers are all about chaos. They've made this run to the 2025 NBA Finals by amplifying games to a blurring speed their opponents can't control. That includes a strategy that's rare in the NBA: A full-court press designed to wear out opposing ballhandlers. Advertisement But their Game 6 triumph over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday was, in one important way, a grand reveal that they are more than a one-note team. How did the Pacers solve the seemingly unsolvable problem of defending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams? They pulled the chair on the entire Thunder offense. After several games of full-court pressure, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle took some heat off the Pacers' approach. Instead of pushing forward, Indiana's defenders dropped back and waited for the Thunder stars to come to them before bringing their pressure. As Caitlin Cooper of Basketball, She Wrote noted, the Pacers' pick-up points on Thunder ballhandlers were much more conservative than they have been all series. Average pick-up distance for the Pacers on defense in Games 1-5: 56.9 feet Average pick-up distance for the Pacers on defense in Game 6: 41.4 feet Big difference — Caitlin Cooper (@C2_Cooper) June 20, 2025 The Thunder weren't ready for it. As the Pacers' coverages evolved throughout the game, their primary objective was to keep Thunder ballhandlers from getting downhill. That required slowing things down on defense to provide a chance for more precision and balance. Indiana loosened the grip on its fastball, putting some more bend on its cutter that Gilgeous-Alexander couldn't figure out. The result was eight turnovers for the MVP. The Pacers' problem with full-court pressure coming into Thursday was that it invited Thunder players — particularly Isaiah Hartenstein — to set step-up ball screens in the backcourt. Indiana couldn't control the vast space underneath those picks, so the Thunder stars had tons of room to rub off their screeners and get wherever they wanted. Indiana's adjustment was to wait until those ballhandlers, particularly Gilgeous-Alexander, crossed the half-court line before springing their trap. On the first play of the game, the Pacers stacked off-ball defenders high into the gaps, steering the MVP into a tight pocket against the sideline. The way Andrew Nembhard suddenly flipped around to pick up Gilgeous-Alexander caught Hartenstein by surprise. Even that play was higher up the floor than Indiana operated for much of the rest of the game. Indiana's guards set their pick-up points in a more typical area closer to the 3-point line, which made most of their pick-and-roll coverages more effective. When Williams or other guards screened for Gilgeous-Alexander, Indiana was able to switch more comfortably because there wasn't an acre of space behind them. There was less pressure to contain the ball at the point of attack when switching, since the ballhandler would run into help quickly if they got past Indiana's primary defender. Advertisement This forced the Thunder into more isolation plays, making it easier for the other Pacers defenders to aggressively clog the paint. Gilgeous-Alexander lost steam as the game went on, with his possessions looking more listless. That helped Aaron Nesmith and T.J. McConnell pick up some steals by double-teaming Gilgeous-Alexander from behind. The prior two games, both Thunder wins, made it clear that while the Thunder stars weren't looking to take pull-up 3s off high screens, they gained momentum from driving into space without a body in front of them. Even when the Pacers' bigs crept above the screen level to double-team Gilgeous-Alexander, he still had space to dribble around those defenders and pick up speed. He is a master at staying in motion and then pushing into gaps to break through coverage. In Game 6, the Pacers forced the MVP to do everything over a squared-up defender and lots of help. Remember Pascal Siakam sitting in the gap on the first play of the game that resulted in a turnover? He was now able to essentially be a secondary dropper on Gilgeous-Alexander pick-and-rolls as part of Carlisle's bet to sacrifice some 3-point coverage to clog the star's driving lanes. If the Pacers kept pressing full court, Gilgeous-Alexander would have come off those high ball screens with more paths to speed past any gapped defenders. But pushing back the pick-up points made it easier for Siakam to plant in driving lanes behind Myles Turner when the center was guarding up to the screen level. The strategy against Williams followed the same spirit, though it differed slightly. For one, the Pacers started ducking under high screens for Williams, allowing Nesmith to catch up from below the action while the screener's defender pushed Williams' drives sideways. Advertisement But Carlisle finally accepted he'd need to put bigs on Williams if necessary. I wrote Thursday morning that the Pacers should start mixing in more pick-and-roll switches involving Siakam, Obi Toppin and Turner, even if it left them on an island guarding Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams in isolation. Siakam has been the Pacers' best help defender in this series, and having him guard either of the two Thunder stars takes him away from that role. Now, the Pacers have moved away from lineups with Siakam at center, giving them another big on the floor to take on the lane-clogging role if he needs to switch at the point of attack. In Game 6, Siakam was able to stay in front of Williams and Gilgeous-Alexander, then contest high to be an effective antidote. His length threw off Gilgeous-Alexander's tempo. Most defenders have to be within reaching distance of the Thunder guard to create leverage, but Siakam is long enough to sit a full dribble back. He can close his hips to shuffle backwards when Gilgeous-Alexander hits his trigger step into a drive and use his wingspan to contest any potential stepback jumper. That makes it easier for help defenders to sit deeper into the gaps and get Gilgeous-Alexander to pick up his dribble early. In contrast, there were many possessions in Games 1-5 where Nembhard and Nesmith stayed in front of the Thunder's drivers, but lacked the length to contest mid-paint stepbacks. The Pacers won't be able to catch the Thunder off guard two games in a row. But Oklahoma City's shooting, which has been mediocre in this series, will have to improve in a high-pressure situation to make the Pacers pay for dropping back into the gaps. The Thunder may need to rely even more on their defense, which failed to stop a hobbled Tyrese Haliburton from taking control of Game 6. Game plans can only do so much on the biggest stage in basketball. 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Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Duke's Cooper Flagg, Rutgers' Ace Bailey are the one-and-done headliners among NBA draft's forwards
Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey were the first two names mentioned last summer when it came to college basketball's top incoming freshmen. Now they're the headliners among forwards in the NBA draft. Flagg led Duke to the Final Four and became only the fourth freshman named Associated Press men's national player of the year. Bailey put up quality numbers at Rutgers, though in a losing season. Flagg and Bailey were ranked 1-2 in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports, Rivals, On3 and ESPN. Now Flagg is the projected No. 1 overall pick, while Bailey is a likely top-five prospect. Here's a look at the position entering Wednesday's first round: Cooper Flagg, Duke STRENGTHS: The 6-foot-8, 221-pound Maine native has a versatile all-around game far more advanced than his age, with room to develop as he turns 19 in December. He led Duke in scoring (19.2), rebounding (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.4). He shot 38.5% on 3-pointers and 84% from the line. He proved he can thrive as a scorer, such as when he had an Atlantic Coast Conference freshman-record 42 points against Notre Dame. That included ranking in the 85th percentile or better in converting as the ballhandler in pick-and-rolls, on post-ups and in transition, according to Synergy's analytics rankings. He also thrived as a playmaker, while his length allows him to alter shots, get into passing lanes and finish at the rim — sometimes over a defender. And then there's his competitive edge, with multiple examples of Flagg's willingness to take on big moments and receptiveness to firm coaching. That included coach Jon Scheyer lighting into Flagg during a first-half timeout in January for playing soft (in so many words) against N.C. State, then Flagg responding with 23 of his 28 points after halftime. Flagg also went for 30 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three blocks as Duke held off Arizona in a shootout win in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16, a performance Scheyer called 'one of the best tournament performances I've ever coached or been a part of.' CONCERNS: Not many. He can always get stronger, though he checked in at the combine 16 pounds heavier than his listed weight at Duke (205). He could also cut down on turnovers considering he had 15 games with at least three, though only two came after Feb. 1. Ace Bailey, Rutgers STRENGTHS: The 6-8, 203-pound Bailey is a versatile shotmaker with athleticism. He averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds with stepback skills, a good midrange game and the ability to shoot off the dribble or on the catch. Notably, he ranked in Synergy's 94th percentile for contested catch-and-shoot looks (39 of 81, 48.1%). Bailey can attack the paint and stretch defenses with his range. He had five January games with at least four made 3s while shooting 34.6% from behind the arc on the season. The versatility and athleticism indicates defensive potential, too. He averaged 1.3 blocks and had six games with at least three blocks in Big Ten play. CONCERNS: Adding strength would help him against bumps and physical play by stronger defenders, such as improving on finishing just 42.1% of layups in the halfcourt at Rutgers. There's a streakiness in his shot, such as making 12 of 31 free throws (.387) over a six-game midseason stretch or 7 of 39 3-pointers (.179) after January. There's also the awkward question of Bailey's impact beyond stats considering the Scarlet Knights had a losing record despite Bailey teaming with another one-and-done prospect in likely No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper. Kon Knueppel, Duke STRENGTHS: The 6-7, 217-pound Knueppel was an efficient wing scorer with size and defense-stretching range. 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CONCERNS: His shooting touch is a major question after he went 0 for 5 from 3-point range as a freshman, then just 9 for 34 (.265) as a sophomore. He also made just 69.5% of his free throws in two college seasons. There's also the risk of being the 'tweener' who is too slow to guard outside and too small to defend in the paint. Others of note: — CARTER BRYANT: Arizona's 6-7, 215-pound freshman reserve shot 37.1% on 3s and a block per game despite playing just 19 minutes a night. Throw in a 39.5-inch max vertical leap, and he's a possible lottery pick. — NOA ESSENGUE: The lanky 6-9, 194-pound Frenchman is a potential late lottery pick. Essengue, who turns 19 in December, has been honing his versatile skillset with Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany. — LIAM MCNEELEY: The freshman jumped right in as a starter for two-time reigning national champion UConn. He's a first-round prospect as a floor-stretching wing with size (6-7, 215) and shotmaking ability, highlighted by him going for 38 points against then-No. 24 Creighton and 22 points in the NCAA Tournament against eventual champion Florida. — WILL RILEY: Illinois' 6-8 freshman from Canada is a first-round prospect with the potential to play as a guard or as a wing forward. He showed potential as a scorer and passer at Illinois, though he needs to develop physically with a 186-pound frame. — HUGO GONZALEZ: The 6-6, 205-pound Gonzalez is a late first-round prospect who played this season with Real Madrid in his home Spain. The 19-year-old offers potential with perimeter size, shooting range and ability to attack off the dribble and perimeter size. ___ AP NBA:
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Are the Boston Celtics considering a trade with the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 2 pick?
Are the Boston Celtics considering making a trade with the San Antonio Spurs for the No. 2 overall pick of the 2025 NBA draft? Such a trade would need to have only one player on the Celtics' roster going out for the Spurs to even consider making such a deal, and that player is star Boston forward Jaylen Brown. Would it make sense for Boston to move off of Brown, given how important he has been as a tandem with star swingman Jayson Tatum? The collective bargaining agreement (CBA)'s brutal second apron penalties may make this a moot point if the front office thinks it cannot win a title as currently constructed, leaving only one other question to be answered: do the Spurs think THEY can win a title by bringing in the Georgia native? Advertisement The folks behind the "New England Sports Network" YouTube channel put together a clip from their "Hold My Banner" show featuring NCAA basketball analyst John Fanta as a guest to talk it all over. Check it out below! This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Are the Celtics considering a trade with the Spurs for the No. 2 pick?
