The league slammed the Clippers with major penalties, a direct hit stemming from their circumvention dance with Kawhi Leonard and his uncle. If you missed that bombshell, know this: it makes the Celtics’ 2028 first-round pick look a whole lot more appealing. The complex provisions tied to that pick are enough to make your head spin, but the bottom line is the situation for Boston just got a little sweeter.
How That Celtics Pick Actually Lands
So, what’s the deal with this 2028 asset for Boston? It’s a bit of a maze, but there are two main paths. The Celtics get a 2028 first-round lottery pick via swap from Philadelphia or Los Angeles if the Clippers’ pick lands between 1 and 16, and/or the Sixers’ pick lands between 1 and 8. In that scenario, Boston would get the higher of those picks, swapping it with their own.
Then there’s the outright win: the Celtics get the 2028 first-round pick directly from the Clippers if their pick falls between 17 and 30, and the Sixers’ pick lands between 9 and 30. That means no swapping needed, just a straight-up Clippers pick. Honestly, until next offseason, when we see what the Clippers actually do, all the percentage tables in the world won’t make it perfectly clear. But one thing is: we should be rooting against both the Sixers and the Clippers.
What’s Next For The Clippers And Brad Stevens’ Big Decision
You gotta feel for Clippers fans a bit, but their team dug this hole with their own aspirational shovels. Owner Steve Balmer is banned from the team for a year, though his money is still limitless, so they could try to pay their way out of this mess. But it’s going to be incredibly tough without all those draft picks. We’ll be watching closely to see how they navigate the next couple of years, with some suggesting they might lean into taking on bad contracts for other teams’ draft picks.
For the Celtics, this 2028 pick is a serious asset, and it definitely just got a bit better because of all this drama. Now, we wait. Brad Stevens has this improved chip in his hand. What’s he going to do with it? That’s the real question as we look ahead to what this means for Boston’s future.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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