Celtics Rumors: Latest on Draft Plans and Potential Kristaps Porzingis Trade

The Boston Celtics were already active in the lead up to Thursday's draft, shipping the No. 1 overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for No. 3 overall and a future first.

As has been the case for years now, Celtics fans are waiting for the next shoe to drop. General manager Danny Ainge has to make use of his war chest of assets at some point, and this feels like the summer to pounce.

Paul George and Jimmy Butler have been names tossed around for months, and the rumor mill is once again heating up with discussion of their next potential destination. It's also possible Ainge winds up moving back again in the draft and acquiring an even bigger haul.

One such possibility was thrown out by Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald: "One NBA executive told the Herald that Ainge would love to find a way to get North Carolina State point guard Dennis Smith Jr., who isn't rated by anyone as the third overall pick. Another said the Celts were looking at perhaps moving down in the draft again and picking up another asset for their trouble."

If the Celtics really think Smith is their guy, they should just take him at No. 3. There's such a thing as too much fiddling around when it comes to the draft. It's possible Ainge could move back a couple of spots and still get Smith. It's equally possible another team winds up moving into a spot ahead of Boston and grabbing him.

Don't get overly cute here. If Smith's the player you want, take him. Anything after Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball in this draft is a crapshoot.

If the Celtics want to trade their pick, they might do it for Kristaps Porzingis. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported there has been contact between the Celtics and New York Knicks: "As Phil Jackson has stated publicly, nobody is untouchable on the Knicks—including Kristaps Porzingis. And with trade season in full swing ahead of the draft, the Knicks have been flooded with interest in their frustrated star, including some from the asset-laden Boston Celtics, a source told the Daily News."

The relationship between the Knicks and Porzingis has seemingly reached a nadir, with the two sides throwing not-so-subtle public barbs.

"Despite how the Knicks are treating their players, Kris wants to stay in New York," Janis Porzingis said to ESPN (h/t Bondy). "He loves the city and he loves the fans and he wants to win with this team. If he's going to be traded, he's going to play out his contract and decide his future on his own."

Porzingis is a player you trade No. 3 this and next year to get. He's a foundational star who would fit in well next to Al Horford and make the Celts a difficult out for Cleveland.