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Celtics Stockpile More Picks in Trade with Dallas

Marc D'Amico
Team Reporter and Analyst

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BOSTON – The Celtics’ stable of draft picks became even more crowded Thursday night, as they pulled off a major trade with Dallas that netted them another first-round pick as well as a second-round selection.

In addition to those picks, Boston also acquired emerging big man Brandan Wright, veteran point guard Jameer Nelson and forward Jae Crowder.

In exchange for that package, the Celtics parted ways with point guard Rajon Rondo and rookie forward Dwight Powell.

Boston now has possession of at least nine first-round picks over the next four NBA Drafts. In addition to their own first-round picks during that time, the Celtics already own the rights to the Clippers’ 2015 pick, Brooklyn’s 2016 pick, Cleveland’s 2016 pick, Brooklyn’s 2018 pick and now this conditional first-rounder from Dallas.

The C’s also have the right to swap first-round picks with Brooklyn in 2017 and, if Philadelphia happens to qualify for the playoffs this season, its 2015 first-rounder would be conveyed to the Celtics.

Danny Ainge has also stocked up on second-round picks, which have great value in today’s NBA landscape. The Celtics could wind up with as many as 10 second-rounders over the next four years.

The top player coming Boston’s way in this trade is undoubtedly Wright. The 6-foot-10 forward, who is in his seventh season out of North Carolina, is having a career year.

Wright currently leads the NBA in field goal percentage (74.8 percent) and is fifth in the league in player efficiency rating (PER) at 26.19. The only players ahead of Wright on that list are Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and Stephen Curry. The likes of James Harden, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and Dwyane Wade, to name a few, are looking up at Wright on that list.

Wright is extremely athletic and long, which allows him to finish around one basket and protect the other. Wright is blocking 1.6 shots a game this season – more than double the amount of any player on Boston’s roster. This is despite the fact that Wright averages only 18.7 minutes a game this season.

Nelson is a contributor in his own right, though he has struggled thus far during the 2014-15 season. He is a former All-Star who played his first 10 seasons with the Orlando Magic, helping to propel them to the 2009 NBA Finals.

This season marks the first during which Nelson has played anywhere other than Orlando. He signed with Dallas as a free agent this offseason and started at point guard during all 23 of his appearances for the 19-8 Mavs. He carries season averages of 7.3 points, 4.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game over to Boston.

Crowder is an athletic, third-year forward who has served as a key reserve for the Mavs during each of the past three seasons. He appeared in 78 games during the past two seasons and has appeared in 25 thus far in 2014-15. Crowder is having a career year both from behind the arc (34.2 percent) and from the free-throw line (90.9 percent).

Wright, Nelson and Crowder could all turn into solid players for this Boston team once Brad Stevens gets a hold of them. However, those draft picks are what led the C’s to agree to part ways with Rondo.

It has become abundantly clear over the past 17 months that Ainge and his staff value draft picks as much as anything else. They may very well become the key to Boston’s rebuilding process. Tonight, the Celtics added a couple more picks to their already crowded stable.