Five things to watch for during the Celtics' draft night

Five thoughts on the Celtics heading into the 2019 NBA Draft on Thursday night in Brooklyn (7:30 p.m., ESPN)

1. How many rookies will the Celtics plan on bringing in? The team has three first round picks and four picks in total (No. 14, 20, 22 and 51). Danny Ainge has made it clear he has no interest in bringing in three rookies and that probably still remains the case even after Al Horford and Kyrie Irving appear to be headed out the door. The question now, with the C’s likely pivoting towards a competitive youth movement to a certain degree, is how much talent they want to bring in. There is clearly room for three rookies on this roster now but the Celtics might be looking to leverage those assets for the future as trade chips instead of wasting them on mid-first round picks. The smart money is on the team making a variety of moves to kick the can down the road in some form but there are a number of names the team has zeroed in on in this draft, according to league sources. Those names include Gonzaga forward Brandon Clarke, Virginia Tech guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, USC guard Kevin Porter Jr. and power forward Darius Bazely. The former three are projected to go in the teens by most mock drafts, while Bazely is expected to be available later in the first round.

2. Will Jaylen Brown remain a Celtic? Ainge has a big decision to make on the future of the third-year guard this offseason as extension talks with the 22-year-old can begin. This draft will be one of the last times that Brown will remain a high-value asset for Boston before commanding a big money deal next summer. If the team is confident building around Brown and making him upwards of $20 million per season next year, he’s not going anywhere. If not? Draft night is an opportunity to cash him in for other young talent or future assets. Tonight is not the deadline for such a move but it will probably be the time in which the most assets will be offered. As the C’s planning for this offseason pivots more towards the future, we should get a better sense of where Brown stands in that movement.

3. What’s the team-building plan for this summer? The Celtics are stuck in the middle with the current talent on the roster following the expected departures of Irving and Horford. They will have sizable cap room this summer if they renounce free agency rights on Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris and other deep bench pieces, giving them an opportunity to pursue young free agents with cap space if they choose. However, that list of names isn’t particularly promising considering the high price the Celtics would have to commit in what will be a market loaded with space. The other alternative over the short-term will be to rent out cap space for additional assets, something that sources told BSJ the team is exploring. Whatever path the team is planning to take should get a lot more clear after draft night.

4. How risky does Ainge want to get with his picks? Three first-round selections do give the Celtics an opportunity to swing for the fences a little bit when it comes to the potential upside. The sense of urgency to compete right away may not be as strong with Irving and Horford departing, so some uncertainty right away is understandable. The risk/reward of bringing aboard a polarizing prospect like Bol Bol is easier to swallow when the C’s could also take safer choices with their other options. If the price is right, Ainge may be in a gambling mode as they hope to reload with assets.

5. The Celtics shouldn't stand pat: This is more of a gut feeling than anything else, but it’s something I feel very confident about. Boston has assets that have a limited shelf life and using many of them on draft night is not ideal for team planning over the long-term. Since the C’s best odds of contending have shifted this offseason, they are best served to roll over some of these assets towards the future so they are available to use when a new star target becomes available in free agency or via trade. The Celtics may elect to invest in more top tier youth talent now (trading up) or simply replenish their draft assets by trading down or out, but the odds say here they are going to do something. Standing pat is not an ideal course of action unless top names on the team’s draftboard slide down to No. 14, 20 and 22.