Celtics Called Out for Trading Away Former First-Round Draft Pick

The Boston Celtics recently traded away a first-round draft pick, who ultimately became one of the best players in the league.

The Celtics held the No. 30 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but instead of taking a player, the team opted to trade the pick, along with forward Enes Freedom's salary, to the Memphis Grizzlies in a contract dump situation.

The Grizzlies chose shooting guard Desmond Bane with the pick, who established himself as one of the best players at his position in the league.

Although he's a bit undersized for a two guard, Bane provides rare two-way value on both ends of the court. On the Celtics, he could have flourished, but it never materialized.

According to ESPN's Zach Kram, the trade has aged poorly, to the point where it could be one of the worst moves that the team has made since 2020.

"This was a reasonable move at the time: The Celtics didn't have room on their roster for another young player, and trading Bane's draft rights allowed them to shed Enes Freedom's salary," Kram wrote.

"Nobody expected the No. 30 pick to develop into the sort of player who'd one day command four first-round picks in a trade," Kram added.

This summer, Bane was flipped to the Orlando Magic, where he figures to provide a massive upgrade to the team's backcourt shooting and scoring.

"But Bane did, and Boston certainly could have used him over the past half-decade," Kram noted. "A solid defender for his position and career 41% 3-point shooter, Bane would have been a perfect fit in the Celtics' system."

While Bane would have ended up on a big contract down the line, he fits the mold of the ideal Celtics player, providing consistent shooting at a high volume with impressive perimeter defense.

He offers similar value as Derrick White, though he is younger and has much more basketball left in his career.

While the Celtics could use Bane, the team still ended up winning the 2024 NBA championship and looks poised to challenge for a title for the next decade.