NBA Draft: 5 predictions for a potentially crazy night

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WALTHAM, MA – JUNE 30: Danny Ainge, Boston Celtics’ president of basketball operations. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

One of the Conference Finals teams will trade up in the lottery

Of the four teams that appeared in the conference finals — Houston, Golden State, Cleveland, and Boston — one will trade up in (or into) the lottery during the draft.

Cleveland already holds the No. 8 pick (originally Brooklyn’s pick, conveyed via Boston due to last summer’s Kyrie Irving trade), so if they were to move it would be a trade-up, which seems difficult due to their overall lack of assets, but certainly not impossible. If there’s a prospect that they’ve fallen in love with, combined with what they may see as writing on the wall regarding LeBron James‘ future, they may go all-in on trading up.

Houston does not have a first round pick; theirs was moved to the Clippers in the Chris Paul trade and is now owned by Atlanta. They’re easily the least likely conference finals team to move all the way up the draft order.

Golden State drafts at No. 28, and while it certainly seems unlikely that they’ll move up to the lottery, you never know what they could have up their sleeve — especially with the “don’t trade with the Warriors” talk that’s out there. It almost feels like it would fit their M.O. for them to make an unexpected splash to jump up and take a high-upside talent that they feel fits their team.

Lastly, we have the Boston Celtics, who for the first time in seemingly forever don’t have a high pick (or two). Sitting at No. 27, the Celtics would have to give something of significance up if they’re to vault into the lottery. But remember, with Gordon Hayward returning from injury, Boston has somewhat of a wing surplus with both Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum existing as tantalizing assets.

While it would be a surprise to see the Celtics fork over one of their talented young sure-things for, quite literally, a lottery ticket, front office boss Danny Ainge is always a wild card on draft night and throughout the offseason.

Next: The complete and final 2018 NBA Mock Draft

Here’s hoping that we’re in for a wild ride throughout the evening.