Category: Basketball

2025 NBA Mock Draft: What would a trade up look like for Celtics? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

For the better part of Brad Stevens’ tenure as Boston Celtics president of basketball operations, draft picks have been a bit of an afterthought. 

Stevens didn’t make a first-round pick in his first three years at the helm, preferring to utilize those assets to reshape the complementary pieces around the superstar tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. That strategy delivered Boston to two NBA Finals appearances in three years, and helped the team raise Banner 18 in 2024. 

But a new collective bargaining agreement is forcing teams to prioritize drafting and developing in order to piece together the complicated financial puzzle that comes with building around two big-ticket stars. Hitting on first-round picks has never felt more important for contending teams.

All of which has us pondering all of Boston’s potential pathways in the 2025 draft. Given the murky nature of the season ahead, might this be a good time for Stevens to flip the draft-day script and ponder shimmying up in the annual pick-a-palooza?

The case for Celtics trading up

The absence of Tatum as he rehabs from Achilles surgery could change Boston’s regular-season priorities. The development of younger talent should be a bigger emphasis than the past three seasons, when the Celtics were laser-focused on title pursuits.

In a quest to find low-cost talent to pair with whatever remains of this championship core, the Celtics could give beefed-up minutes to recent draftees like Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh, while also leaning heavily into any rookie they moved up to select.

Any expected growing pains are slightly offset by tempered expectations while Tatum is out, and the Celtics would embrace developing the players selected during the Stevens era.

The case against Celtics trading up

Much of what the Celtics do this summer will be steered by money.

The Celtics need to cut $20 million from next year’s payroll just to get off the punitive second apron, and they’d need to trim $20 million more to get below the luxury tax. Moving up in the draft slots a player at a higher annual salary.

What’s more, moving up would eliminate other swings of the bat, a risk given the crapshoot nature of picking outside the lottery. 

How high can Celtics climb?

The Celtics currently own picks Nos. 28 and 32 in the 2025 NBA Draft. Unlike the NFL, there’s no widely-accepted NBA draft pick value chart, which makes it difficult to gauge just how high the Celtics might be able to climb if they packaged both their 2025 picks in hopes of shimmying up for a desired target. 

Some old-school charts, like one created by ESPN’s Kevin Pelton, suggest Boston might be able to get into the low 20s. More recent attempts to establish draft value suggest Boston might only be able to climb a handful of spots.

For the purposes of this exercise, the Celtics are calling the Hawks, who are slotted at Nos. 13 and 22, with the goal of moving up six spots for a player who lingers on the board coming out of the lottery.

The Hawks slide back, content with what they got at 13 and now armed with additional swings of the bat.

Let’s get to the trade-centric mock: 

1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, Duke

2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, Rutgers

3. Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor

The Sixers wish this was the year they could move from No. 3 to No. 1, instead of 2017.

If we were Daryl Morey, we’d be moving the No. 3 pick this year for the best available veteran and crossing our fingers on Joel Embiid’s health next season. They’ll have another lottery pick next year if that doesn’t work out.

4. Charlotte Hornets: Ace Bailey, Rutgers

5. Utah Jazz: Kon Knueppel, Duke

6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, Texas

7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma

The Pelicans now have picks Nos. 7 and 23 after swinging a deal with the Pacers during the middle of the NBA Finals. New general manager Joe Dumars can make a splash by trying to move up in the draft, but he stands pat in this scenario.

8. Brooklyn Nets: Noa Essengue, France

9. Toronto Raptors: Khaman Maluach, Duke

10. Houston Rockets (via Suns): Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois

The Rockets are almost certainly going to take a swing this summer, and it sure feels like the No. 10 pick could be a centerpiece of whatever they do. 

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Carter Bryant, Arizona

12. Chicago Bulls: Derik Queen, Maryland

13. Atlanta Hawks (via Kings): Egor Demin, BYU

The Hawks get an intriguing young guard with their first pick and can hunt a big man when they’re back on the clock with Boston’s No. 28 pick.

14. San Antonio Spurs (via Hawks): Nique Clifford, Colorado State

15. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Heat): Asa Newell, Georgia

Newell is the move-up prize we might covet most for the Celtics, but the Thunder are so well stocked that they can roll the dice on his intriguing upside.

16. Memphis Grizzlies (via Magic): Hugo Gonzalez, Spain

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Pistons): Drake Powell, North Carolina

18. Washington Wizards (via Grizzlies): Cedric Coward, Washington State

19. Brooklyn Nets (via Bucks): Thomas Sorber, Georgetown

You never want to draft for need. But undeniably, with all the uncertainty in the Celtics’ frontcourt, it feels important for Boston to at least prioritize size.

If Sorber is still on the board in the late teens, he’s a very intriguing move-up option with his two-way potential. 

20. Miami Heat (via Warriors): Danny Wolf, Michigan

21. Utah Jazz (via Wolves): Will Riley, Illinois

22. Boston Celtics (via Hawks): Joan Beringer, France

Look, do I have a thing for shot-blocking, lob-finishing big men? Obviously. (Miss you, Rob.)

The Celtics need an injection of youth and athleticism, and they get all of that in a player who will still be 18 when the NBA season tips.

Normally, we’d be thinking draft-and-stash with a pick like this, but we’re wondering if you could throw him right to the wolves (the Minnesota version and beyond) and let him learn on the NBA job.

23. New Orleans Pelicans (via Pacers): Nolan Traore, France

24. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers): Noah Penda, France

Three Frenchmen in a row?! The L’Hexagone Trois? Aww, oui oui.

25. Orlando Magic (via Nuggets): Liam McNeeley, UConn

26. Brooklyn Nets (via Knicks): Jase Richardson, Michigan State

27. Brooklyn Nets (via Rockets): Walter Clayton Jr., Florida

28. Atlanta Hawks (via Celtics): Maxime Raynaud, Stanford

29. Phoenix Suns (via Suns): Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

30. Los Angeles Clippers (via Thunder): Hugo Gonzalez, Spain

For 46 years it’s been a wonderful ride, the sweetest of sagas, the Buss family treating the Lakers like their precocious child, nurturing, embracing, empowering, transforming them into arguably this country’s most celebrated sports franchise.

But it’s time.

It’s time to give their baby to somebody who won’t be burdened by the family ties or deep friendships that have increasingly interfered with the chasing of championships.

It’s time to hand their beloved to somebody with enough money to keep it strong and enough vision to keep it relevant.

It’s time for the Lakers to... become the Dodgers?

Yes! It’s them! They’re here! Welcome, welcome, welcome! Come on in! Make yourself at home! History has been waiting for you!

Read more:Lakers selling majority ownership of franchise to Dodgers owner

This is really happening, the majority ownership of the Lakers is really being sold to Dodgers chairman Mark Walter and his TWG Global group at a franchise valuation of $10 billion, making it the richest transaction in sports history.

To Los Angeles sports fans, it’s worth even more.

For the future of professional sports in this city, it’s priceless.

This is the best thing to happen to the Southland’s sports landscape since, well, the last time Walter’s TWG Global group bought something this big.

It was 2012, and they bought the Dodgers, and just look what they’ve done with them.

Since 2013, Walter’s team has been in the playoffs every year, won their division 11 of those 12 years, appeared in four World Series and won two of them.

Since 2013, the Lakers have won one title in their only Finals appearance during that period while making the playoffs only half the time.

Mad respect to the Buss family, who oversaw 11 championships while providing the stage for greats from Magic Johnson to Kobe Bryant to LeBron James. But since the death of patriarch Jerry Buss in 2013, the organization has lacked a sustained championship vision and effective championship culture.

Everybody loves Jeanie Buss, who will continue in her role as Lakers governor, but she has grown increasingly out of touch with the demands of the modern game.

Where contending teams are now led by analytics-driven minds, she would rely on old friends like Linda and Kurt Rambis and Rob Pelinka, who became part of the family by being Kobe Bryant’s agent.

Where contending teams increasingly relied on younger players, Buss’ Lakers were always tied to aging superstars, their title hopes crashing around a hobbled Bryant and now buckling under a slowly eroding James.

Since Jerry Buss’ death, the vision-less Lakers have wandered through the NBA desert in search of a strong leader who could build for sustained success.

In Walter’s group, they have that leader.

If the Dodgers are any indication, the Lakers are in for the sort of massive facelift that would make even a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon blush.

There will be money poured into the Lakers’ woefully small infrastructure, more money for coaches, more money for scouts, more money for trainers, more money for the amenities at Crypto.com Arena.

Who knows, maybe even more money for a new arena eventually? Don’t scoff, the Dodgers spent more than $500 million just to put a shine on Dodger Stadium, they will dig deep for that fan experience. They will dig deep for everything.

If there’s an insanely expensive but wildly successful general manager candidate out there — former Golden State guru Bob Myers comes to mind — the new Lakers will buy him.

If there’s an experienced but costly head coaching candidate hanging around, the new Lakers will nab him.

Although they will be somewhat constrained by the salary cap, the new Lakers will go deep into any tax to buy the best players as long as they can retain their draft picks.

The Dodgers are about winning every year, not just the next year, so expect the new Lakers to covet the future as much as the present.

This is good news for young Luka Doncic. This is not such good news for James.

The Buss family always vowed to do whatever it takes to keep James happy and allow him to retire here. The new Lakers won’t be so sentimental. James hasn’t signed on for next season yet, and maybe this change of ownership changes what once appeared to be a slam dunk.

The new Lakers won’t have the rich heart of the old Lakers. But they also won’t have the old destructive loyalties.

The new Lakers will be only about winning, something Jerry Buss understood and amplified, something which has been sadly lost since his passing.

The Buss family was good for Los Angeles, and their stewardship of one of this city’s crown sports jewels should be celebrated.

But it’s time, and it’s perfect that their neighbors down the road have decided to be the ones to spruce up the place.

Before this sale, the only thing the Dodgers and Lakers shared occurred after victories, when both team’s sound systems would blare, “I Love L.A.”

Now they share a championship bank account, a championship vision, and a championship commitment.

Man, I love L.A.

Read more:Plaschke: A painful truth: Lakers must trade Austin Reaves

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles Lakers, a family-run business since Jerry Buss purchased the franchise in 1979, will be sold to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter and TWG Global, according to multiple people briefed on the deal.

The deal is expected to occur with the Lakers’ valuation being about $10 billion — a record for a professional sports franchise.

Walter will now lead the city’s two premier professional sports teams.

Control of the Lakers went into a family trust after Buss died in 2013, with daughter Jeanie Buss operating as the team’s governor. The structure of the trust meant the majority of Buss’ six children — Johnny, Jim, Jeanie, Janie, Joey and Jess — would need to agree for a sale to occur.

The Lakers didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The sale was viewed as a massive surprise in NBA circles.

Read more:Lakers will be looking for bargain deals when offseason gets here

Jeanie Buss reportedly will remain governor under the terms of the sale. All controlling governors representing teams in league meetings need to own at least 15% of the franchise to serve. The Buss family owned 66%.

The sale will end family-run control of the Lakers, who have achieved incredible success — 11 NBA championships earned by some of the league’s most iconic figures, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James — under Buss and his children’s leadership.

“I know that my sister Jeanie would have only considered selling the Lakers organization to someone she knows and trusts would carry on the Buss legacy, started by her father Dr. Buss. Now she can comfortably pass the baton to Mark Walter, with whom she has a real friendship and can trust,” Magic Johnson wrote in a post on X.

“She’s witnessed him build a winning team with the Dodgers and knows that Mark will do right by the Lakers team, organization, and fans! Both are extremely intelligent, visionaries, great leaders, and have positively impacted the greater Los Angeles community! I love both my sister @JeanieBuss and my business partner Mark Walter.”

In March, Bill Chisholm purchased the Boston Celtics from Wyc Grousbeck for $6.1 billion. Mark Cuban sold his control of the Dallas Mavericks late in 2023 for $3.5 billion.

And earlier that year, Marc Lasry sold the Milwaukee Bucks for $3.5 billion. Grousbeck and Cuban were two of Jeanie Buss’ closest confidantes among league ownership.

Walter and Todd Boehly became the Lakers’ largest minority shareholders in 2021 when they bought 27% of the franchise — a stake previously held by Phil Anschutz.

“The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful and admired franchises in sports history,” Walter said in a news release at the time. “I have watched the organization grow under Jeanie’s leadership and couldn’t be more excited to partner with her and the entire management team. I am committed to supporting the franchise’s iconic status by continuing to bring together culture, community and entertainment to Lakers’ fans.”

Walter was a relatively anonymous billionaire in 2012, when Johnson and Stan Kasten were the marquee partners in the purchase of of the Dodgers for $2 billion, then the largest price paid for a Major League Baseball team.

Critics scoffed at the purchase price, but Walter and Boehly then negotiated a record $8.35-billion local television deal with Time Warner Cable. Sportico this year valued the Dodgers at $7.73 billion and estimated that they generated $1 billion in revenue last year, highlighted by the global economic boost they gained from signing Shohei Ohtani to a record $700-million contract.

The Dodgers also won the World Series last year, their second championship and fourth World Series appearance in the last eight years. In the 13 seasons since Walter and his group bought the Dodgers, the team has posted a winning record every year. In that same 13-season span, the Lakers have one championship, one NBA Finals appearance and six winning records.

After buying the Dodgers, Walter and Boehly explored buying AEG, the entertainment giant that owns the Kings and Crypto.com Arena. Walter subsequently bought the Sparks, invested in the Lakers and launched a professional women’s hockey league in which the championship trophy is called the Walter Cup.

If the Dodgers’ purchase is any indication, Walter might not make an immediate flurry of changes with the Lakers. After he bought the Dodgers, he retained general manager Ned Colletti through the 2014 season before replacing him with Andrew Friedman.

The beloved O'Malley family sold the Dodgers before the turn of the century, saying the economics of professional sports had exploded beyond the means of families with no other significant source of income.

Under Walter, the Dodgers have not only raised their payroll to record levels but invested heavily in areas that they believe help deliver a winner, from a vaunted analytics department to dietitians for their major and minor league players and expanded clubhouses with the latest in hydrotherapy. The owners also have invested more than $500 million into renovating Dodger Stadium, adding modern amenities to a 63-year-old ballpark.

The Lakers, whose minority owners include Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, are entering a critical moment in the franchise’s history. James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has a $53-million player option that he needs to either accept or decline by June 29. If he declines, he’d be an unrestricted free agent.

The team also is trying to sign Luka Doncic, who it acquired in a shocking trade last February, to a massive contract extension functionally making him the future face of the franchise. He’s eligible to sign an extension on Aug. 2.

Times staff writer Jack Harris contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers at a $10bn valuation, ESPN reported on Wednesday, marking the end of an era for one of the NBA’s most influential families.

Mark Walter, the CEO and chair of holding company TWG Global, is set to take the majority ownership under the agreement, ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania said in a post on X. Walter was already a minority owner in the Lakers and is also primary owner and chair of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball, and the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.

Related: Thunder move one win from franchise’s first NBA title in 46 years after holding off Pacers

The Lakers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The late Jerry Buss bought the Lakers in 1979 and turned it into one of the most popular and valuable franchises in all of professional sports, winning five championships during their now-iconic “Showtime” era in the 1980s.

His daughter, Jeanie Buss, took over as principal owner after Jerry Buss died in 2013, making her one of the most powerful women in sports. The modern-day Lakers have continued to attract big stars with mixed success, including recently with LeBron James, with whom the team won the 2020 NBA title. This year, the team swung a blockbuster trade for Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić.

Jeanie Buss will stay on as governor after the sale, Charania reported.

Buss family to sell Los Angeles Lakers to owner of Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, the CEO of TWG Global and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources familiar with the deal told NBCLA on Wednesday.

The deal, first reported by ESPN, has a valuation of about $10 billion, a source told NBCLA.

Walter is part of the ownership of other sports franchises, including the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Chelsea FC of the English Premier League and several auto racing teams.

NBCLA has reached out to the Dodgers organization for comment.

Jeanie Buss, who took over the Lakers after the death of her father Dr. Jerry Buss, will continue to serve as the team’s governor after the sale, an indication that the Buss family’s long history with the Lakers will continue.

The Buss family has owned the Lakers since 1979 when the late Jerry Buss bought the Lakers for $67.5 million in 1979. 

Magic Johnson, who led the Lakers’ “Showtime” era, took to social media and said Laker fans should be “ecstatic” about the new ownership, calling Walter “the best choice” and “best caretaker of the Lakers.”

“(Mark Walter) is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win!” Johnson said.

Laker fans should be estatic. A few things I can tell you about Mark – he is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win! I can understand why Jeanie sold the team to Mark Walter because they are just alike -…

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 18, 2025

CNBC Media and Sports Reporter Alex Sherman agreed that having Walters with “deep pockets” will be beneficial for the Lakers franchise.

“He’s clearly willing to spend money on the Dodgers,” Sherman said, especially with the looming reality of LeBron James’ retirement. “If LeBron retires at some point, they’ll be obviously be in the market again for a marquee free agent to replace him.

“Having someone like Mark Walter in that chair, I think Lakers fans can rest easy, realizing the money is going to be no object,” Sherman explained,

This blockbuster deal will be the most expensive franchise sales in sports history after the Boston Celtics in March of 2025 were sold to William Chisholm, a lifelong fan, for a $6.1 billion valuation. 

The Lakers have won a total of 17 NBA championships, one less than the Boston Celtics for the most championships in league history. (18)

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Bobby Marks: D-White trade would command ‘Desmond Bane-plus' offer originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics will be forced to make some tough decisions this summer to get under the second apron of the luxury tax. If they want to accomplish that feat while maximizing their return, they could look to trade beloved guard Derrick White.

Boston must shed roughly $20 million in salary to get under the second apron threshold, and White will cost $28.1 million for the 2025-26 season. Although White played a critical role in the 2024 championship run and remains a key contributor, the Celtics could get an offer they can’t refuse. Judging by Sunday’s Desmond Bane deal, a White trade would bring a massive haul to Boston.

The Memphis Grizzlies traded Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks, and a future pick swap. According to ESPN’s NBA front office insider and former Brooklyn Nets general manager Bobby Marks, it may take even more than that to pry White from the C’s this offseason.

“I think it would have to be a Desmond Bane-plus type offer,” Marks said of a potential White trade on NBC Sports Boston’s The Off C’season special. “I love Derrick White. Every team needs a Derrick White. I think his salary is really good at four (years) for 118 (million). I think he provides tremendous value for you. I think if you did a Jrue (Holiday) trade, you’re probably sliding him. He’s probably gonna play on the ball a little bit more.

“It’s hard for me because I do think you have to have high-level players around. Jayson (Tatum) is gonna return eventually, and he’s gonna return probably better than he was, that you still have to have high-level players still around him.”

That doesn’t sound like someone convinced a White deal will go down this summer. Trading Holiday, on the other hand, seems like a strong possibility. Marks mentioned the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks as potential fits for the 35-year-old guard.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, the Celtics would prefer not to trade White or fellow star Jaylen Brown but are listening to offers on both players. For what it’s worth, NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics analyst Brian Scalabrine said there’s “no way in hell” White isn’t on the team next season and beyond.

Last season, White notched career-highs in points (16.4) and rebounds per game (4.5) while breaking the Celtics’ single-season record for 3-pointers made. He earned All-Defensive nods with Boston in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Watch the full episode of The Off C’season with Marks, Chris Forsberg, Kevin O’Connor, and Drew Carter below:

Buss family to sell Los Angeles Lakers to owner of Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, the CEO of TWG Global and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources familiar with the deal told NBCLA on Wednesday.

The deal, first reported by ESPN, has a valuation of about $10 billion, a source told NBCLA.

Walter is part of the ownership of other sports franchises, including the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Chelsea FC of the English Premier League and several auto racing teams.

NBCLA has reached out to the Dodgers organization for comment.

Jeanie Buss, who took over the Lakers after the death of her father Dr. Jerry Buss, will continue to serve as the team’s governor after the sale, an indication that the Buss family’s long history with the Lakers will continue.

The Buss family has owned the Lakers since 1979 when the late Jerry Buss bought the Lakers for $67.5 million in 1979. 

Magic Johnson, who led the Lakers’ “Showtime” era, took to social media and said Laker fans should be “ecstatic” about the new ownership, calling Walter “the best choice” and “best caretaker of the Lakers.”

“(Mark Walter) is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win!” Johnson said.

Laker fans should be estatic. A few things I can tell you about Mark – he is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win! I can understand why Jeanie sold the team to Mark Walter because they are just alike -…

— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 18, 2025

CNBC Media and Sports Reporter Alex Sherman agreed that having Walters with “deep pockets” will be beneficial for the Lakers franchise.

“He’s clearly willing to spend money on the Dodgers,” Sherman said, especially with the looming reality of LeBron James’ retirement. “If LeBron retires at some point, they’ll be obviously be in the market again for a marquee free agent to replace him.

“Having someone like Mark Walter in that chair, I think Lakers fans can rest easy, realizing the money is going to be no object,” Sherman explained,

This blockbuster deal will be the most expensive franchise sales in sports history after the Boston Celtics in March of 2025 were sold to William Chisholm, a lifelong fan, for a $6.1 billion valuation. 

The Lakers have won a total of 17 NBA championships, one less than the Boston Celtics for the most championships in league history. (18)

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Celtics draft fits: Should C's trade up in first round for Cedric Coward? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics aren’t scheduled to pick until late in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft, but that doesn’t mean good players won’t be available.

Boston currently owns the No. 28 overall selection. Most drafts, especially in recent years, have produced real talent at the end of the first round and early second round.

For example, the Indiana Pacers selected Andrew Nembhard with the No. 31 overall pick (first pick in Round 2) in 2022. He quickly emerged as a key starter for the Pacers and a huge reason why they’re in the NBA Finals right now.

Cam Thomas (No. 27) and Herb Jones (No. 35) were steals in the 2021 draft, and so was Jaden McDaniels (No. 28) in 2020.

Even though there’s typically talent in this range at the end of the first round, would it make sense for the Celtics to try to trade up in Round 1?

More Celtics Draft Fits:

• Ryan Kalkbrenner
• Thomas Sorber
• Adou Thiero
• Rasheer Fleming
• Liam McNeeley
• Walter Clayton Jr.
• Asa Newell
• Nique Clifford
• Chaz Lanier
• Koby Brea
• Maxime Raynaud

One player in the 2025 draft class who might be worth trading up for if he falls a bit is Washington State guard Cedric Coward. Coward was going to transfer to Duke before declaring for the draft. Based on mock drafts, he is projected to go anywhere from the late lottery to the mid-20s in the first round.

And according to HoopsHype, Coward is one of the players the Celtics have worked out ahead of the draft.

Learn more about Coward and his potential fit with the C’s below:

Cedric Coward’s bio

• Position: Guard
• Height: 6-foot-6
• Weight: 206 pounds
• Birthdate: Sept. 11, 2003
• Birthplace: Fresno, California
• College: Washington State

Cedric Coward’s collegiate stats

• 2024-25 (w/Washington State): 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 55.7 field goal percentage (six games)
• 2023-24 (w/Eastern Washington): 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 56.5 field goal percentage (32 games)
• 2022-23 (w/Eastern Washington): 7.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 68.3 field goal percentage (34 games)

Cedric Coward’s college accolades

• 2024 Big Sky first team All-Conference

Cedric Coward’s highlights

Why Cedric Coward fits with Celtics

Coward has good length with a 7-foot-2 wingspan and plenty of athleticism. He shot 38.3 percent or better from 3-point range in each of the last three seasons, including a career-high 40 percent rate for the Cougars last season (six games).

The fact that he’s risen from Division III basketball to a potential lottery pick over the last three years is pretty impressive. He just keeps getting better and better.

Coward could be an effective 3-and-D player for the Celtics.

“Coward was set to transfer to Duke, but he elected to stay in the draft after a strong showing at the NBA Draft Combine in May,” our Celtics insider Chris Forsberg says in the video player above. “His only season at Washington State was limited to six games due to a shoulder injury, but he shot around 40 percent from deep in that small sample and his two prior college seasons at Eastern Washington.

“Having not played against elite competition, there is a question about how his game will translate to the pro level, but he has an NBA-ready frame. If the Celtics identify his traits as a match, they might have to move up from No. 28 to land him.”

NBA mock draft roundup: The latest projections for Sixers with draft a week away  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The NBA draft’s first round is exactly one week away. 

Here’s our third mock draft roundup for the Sixers,  who hold the No. 3 pick and have high-stakes decisions ahead: 

ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo

VJ Edgecombe, Baylor 

Givony: “Edgecombe takes over this spot from Ace Bailey in ESPN’s mock draft after a positive visit to Philadelphia, where sources say he made a strong impression in a private workout as well as in meetings with the front office and ownership. He appears to be ‘the leader in the clubhouse’  currently, with Bailey losing momentum after refusing to visit, initially unsatisfied with his search for a proven pathway to development. However, Bailey is scheduled to work out in Philadelphia at the end of this week, and we’ll see if he’s able to sway the tides in his favor.

“… Surrounding the hyper-explosive Edgecombe with prolific 3-point shooters such as Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, Quentin Grimes and Paul George could add another dimension to the Sixers’ offense, especially if the team buys into the development of his passing ability long term.” 

NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark reported Bailey is set to meet with Sixers executives Thursday and have a private workout with the team Friday. Throughout the pre-draft process, there’s been an array of opinions on the 18-year-old’s game and potential. 

Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman

VJ Edgecombe, Baylor 

Wasserman: “VJ Edgecombe versus Ace Bailey has been a debate all season long. Fit could potentially give Edgecombe the edge or tie-breaker for Philadelphia, as he’d give the lineup different/needed elements of explosion, defensive quickness and feel compared to Bailey.

“Rival teams think the Sixers could be more drawn to Edgecombe’s athleticism and superior analytics, as well as his encouraging shooting development. He averaged the same amount of three-point makes as Bailey, who was supposed to be much further ahead in that department.”

Edgecombe and Bailey’s bottom-line three-point numbers were indeed very similar. Bailey went 47 for 136 beyond the arc (34.6 percent) and Edgecombe was 52 for 153 (34 percent). 

NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin, Raphielle Johnson and Noah Rubin

VJ Edgecombe, Baylor 

Johnson: “In the eyes of many, the draft begins with the 76ers at No. 3. While Philadelphia may move down in the draft, staying put could net the team an attractive piece for the future. Rutgers’ Ace Bailey is a possibility, but so is the ultra-athletic Edgecombe, who would provide a dimension the current 76ers’ perimeter rotation lacks. The 6-foot-5 guard does not need the ball in his hands to be impactful on offense, and defensively, he’s a high-level competitor. Edgecombe does need to become a more efficient offensive player, but Philadelphia has the talent to compensate for that.”

The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie

Vecenie has the Sixers making two first-round deals: “The Sixers trade No. 3 and Andre Drummond to the Hornets for No. 4 and No. 33; the Sixers then trade No. 4 and Eric Gordon to the Wizards for No. 6 and No. 18.”

He’s got the team taking Duke wing Kon Knueppel at No. 6 and Michigan center Danny Wolf at No. 18. 

Vecenie: “Philly is both bringing in top prospects for workouts and seeing what’s available on the market. The Sixers are looking to contend now, but league sources say they wish to bridge the gap between eras of players on their roster and potentially provide cheaper production. If someone comes in and blows their doors off, maybe they keep the pick. If not, they have options.

“With these two trades, they end up with No. 6, No. 18, No. 33 and get off the Drummond and Gordon deals as they look to re-sign Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele. It’s not a massive haul, but it’s extremely helpful. And at No. 6, they get the guy I’d have at the top of their board at No. 3 in Knueppel, a bigger shooter who is competitive and tough. He has a case as the best shooter in the class along with (Tre) Johnson, and his overall game was more impactful this season. He also has more ball skills than you think, especially in ball screens, and was better defensively than he got credit for being. He gives them more roster flexibility and versatility off the bench, as I think he can play the two and three fairly easily.”

Knueppel wasn’t miles off a 50/40/90 freshman season for Duke; he shot 47.9 percent from the floor, 40.6 percent from three-point range and 91.4 percent from the foul line. Wolf’s a skilled big man who posted 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game last year. 

Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor

O’Connor also projects the Sixers to move down in the draft: “Sixers send the third pick and Kelly Oubre (player option) to the Pelicans for the seventh pick, a 2026 Pacers 1st (top-4 protected) and Herb Jones.”

At No. 7, the Sixers go with Duke center Khaman Maluach in Yahoo’s latest mock.

O’Connor: “Trading down would solve a lot of issues: pick up an additional asset or two (an elite defender in Herb Jones plus one future first in this case) while just moving down for a player the Sixers might want to take with the third pick anyway. … Maluach is capable of erasing shots at the rim and shadowing quick guards on the perimeter. These skills would make him an intriguing fit alongside Joel Embiid early in his career in double-big lineups. Plus he could serve as a backup too. Beyond dunking lobs, he’s a work in progress on offense with a lack of seasoning as a screener, shooter and creator. But he displays a shooting touch that hints at a much higher upside, not too different than Embiid when he entered the NBA. Such a raw skill-set should come as no surprise since the South Sudan native didn’t start playing basketball until he was 13.” 

Outside of Al Horford’s single season in Philadelphia, the Sixers have not regularly rolled out two-big units with Embiid. If they drafted Maluach, we imagine the idea would be hoping the 18-year-old can contribute some in the present, especially in the event Embiid’s left knee troubles continue, and grow into a strong center of the future. 

CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone 

Ace Bailey, Rutgers 

Boone: “I wouldn’t be terribly surprised if Philly considers other players here such as VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson or Kon Knueppel. But most view the draft dropping off in talent *after* Bailey — even if his prospect profile is a bit more volatile than others. He’s a big wing and talented shot-maker with tremendous size and athleticism.”