Celtics' 2028 first-round pick from Clippers/76ers: An explanation, protections, and more details

When the Boston Celtics traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, they got back Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. But there are some stipulations involved.

One of the firsts is the 76ers' unprotected 2031 first-rounder. Boston gets that no matter what. They also received two seconds: A 2028 second that will be the most favorable of the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Oklahoma City Thunder's picks, and a 2030 second-rounder that will be the most favorable of the Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, and Washington Wizards' picks.

But the second first is confusing. And following the news that the LA Clippers will be stripped of five straight first-round picks from 2029 to 2033, the Celtics have even more of a vested interest in keeping tabs on Los Angeles.

Here is the exact explanation of the 2028 first-round pick, as written by RealGM (I will also break it down in simpler terms):

L.A. Clippers' 2028 1st round pick to Boston protected for selections 1-16; if this pick falls within its protected range, then Boston will instead have the right to swap the less favorable of its 2028 1st round pick and San Antonio's 2028 1st round pick for the more favorable of the L.A. Clippers' pick and Philadelphia's 2028 1st round pick protected for selections 9-30; if the Philadelphia pick also falls within its protected range and is therefore not conveyable, then Boston will instead have the right to swap the less favorable of the Boston pick and the San Antonio pick for the L.A. Clippers' pick (via L.A. Clippers unprotected to Philadelphia; via San Antonio swap for Boston) [Boston-San Antonio, 2/10/2022; L.A. Clippers-Oklahoma City-Philadelphia, 11/1/2023; Boston-Philadelphia, 7/6/2026]

Let's start with a lay of the land: The Celtics' draft picks. In 2028, the Celtics don't technically own their own first-round pick. The San Antonio Spurs have the right to swap via the Derrick White trade.

The only way the Celtics would keep the selection is if they land the No. 1 pick. If they do, they keep their pick, and they owe the Spurs their second-rounder. Obviously, that's unlikely.

If Boston's 2028 pick lands anywhere from 2-30 (almost certain), then the Spurs have the right to swap picks with the Celtics. So, if San Antonio has a worse first-rounder than Boston, it could take the Celtics' pick, and the Celtics would jump backward to the Spurs' pick.

For example, let's say the Celtics end the 2028 season with the No. 21 pick, and the Spurs get pick No. 30. The Spurs would then have the right to swap, meaning they would pick at 21 and the Celtics would pick at 30.

That's the baseline. The first-rounder Boston received from Philadelphia in the Brown trade then meshes with that Celtics-Spurs pick swap in a way that benefits Boston. A few different scenarios could come into play. Keith Smith of Spotrac broke it down right after the trade unfolded:

But again, let's break it down into even simpler terms. Sections that explain exactly what pick the Celtics could end up with, using Smith's tweet as the guide. All the scenarios involve where the Clippers and Sixers end up picking in the first round of the 2028 draft.

Scenario #1: Clippers land in picks 1-16 (the lottery), 76ers land in 1-8

Result #1: Celtics would have the right to swap their pick with whichever selection is better, Clippers or 76ers (this takes place after the Spurs' swap with the Celtics)

Example #1: Clippers get pick No. 4, 76ers land No. 7, Celtics get No. 30 after Spurs swap = Celtics can swap No. 30 for No. 4

Scenario #2: Clippers land in picks 1-16, 76ers land in 9-30

Result #2: Celtics would have the right to swap their pick with the Clippers' first-round pick

Example #2: Clippers get pick No. 15, 76ers get pick No. 9, Celtics get No. 30 after Spurs swap = Celtics can swap No. 30 for No. 15

Scenario #3: Clippers land in picks 17-30, 76ers land in 1-8

Result #3: Celtics would have the right to swap their pick with the 76ers' first-round pick

Example #3: Clippers get pick No. 17, 76ers get pick No. 8, Celtics get pick No. 30 after Spurs swap = Celtics can swap No. 30 for No. 8

Scenario #4: Clippers pick lands in 17-30, 76ers land in 9-30

Result #4: Celtics get the Clippers pick outright and keep their own pick (after Spurs' swap)

Example: Clippers get pick No. 17, 76ers get pick No. 9, Celtics get pick No. 30 after Spurs swap = Celtics get pick No. 17 and pick No. 30

That's a lot of words. A lot of examples, but they are very specific. The pick's protections make it inherently tough to simplify.

For all intents and purposes, the Celtics will get the right to swap their own pick (whatever they end up with after the Spurs' swap) with the Clippers' pick in 2028.

The only scenario in which Boston could get to swap with the 76ers instead is if their pick lands in the top eight of the 2028 NBA Draft. That would take a pretty swift decline of a team that looks poised to compete for championships right away.

And if the Clippers' and 76ers' picks both end up outside the lottery in 2028, then the Celtics get the Clippers' pick on top of their own pick. It would no longer be a swap.

Jack (@JLev2212) on Twitter posted a graphic that includes a few more examples of the way the selection could play out:

The website they built also includes a predictor tool. You can enter picks and see which one the Celtics would get. Or the machine can randomize the picks. The tool can be found here.

Personally speaking, this website is the best way I have found to explain the pick. Entering selections and seeing what Boston would end up with, while also reading the rules alongside, helps make sense of things.

All in all, the Clippers getting docked five straight firsts doesn't really have a direct impact on Boston's 2028 pick swap option. LA's penalties don't begin until the 2029 campaign.

That said, the Clippers will now have far fewer options on the trade market, as they cannot trade those forfeited picks. That means they could struggle to improve.

Anything can happen with the new NBA lottery odds, which will come into effect next summer. But if you're rooting for the Celtics to have the best possible pick, for the most part, you just have to hope the Clippers' pick ends up as high up in the draft as possible.