Celtics draft picks finalized after NBA tiebreakers

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Celtics draft picks finalized after NBA tiebreakers

Souichi Terada · MassLive

Tue, Apr 21, 2026 ·

3 min read

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The Celtics just started what they hope will be a deep playoff run , but there was some draft news this week. The NBA released Monday the draft tiebreakers for teams with the same win-loss record from the regular season. That didn't affect Boston much since it's not in the lottery, but its pair of picks were finalized.

The C's own the No. 27 overall pick and the No. 40 overall pick from the Bucks. Boston traded its own second-round pick, No. 57 overall, to the Hawks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis three-team deal last summer. The Celtics got Milwaukee 's second-round pick in a trade with the Magic during the 2025 NBA Draft. The C's traded the No. 32 overall pick to Orlando for multiple second-rounders, which included the Bucks pick.

The 2026 NBA Draft is set for June 23-24 with each round taking one day. The draft lottery is May 10, which will determine who gets the top overall pick. The Celtics aren't in the draft lottery once again courtesy of their 56-26 record. The 2026 draft is considered to be loaded with talent, including a strong top-3 of prospects .

While the C's don't have a top pick, they've still had success picking later in the draft. The Celtics current roster is filled with homegrown guys who weren't picked in the lottery — or selected at all — and developed their way into the rotation.

Sam Hauser (undrafted, 2021) and Payton Pritchard (26th overall, 2020) are two older guys who helped the C's win the 2024 championship. The Celtics also have a stable of wings who were recent draft picks: Jordan Walsh (38th, 2023), Baylor Scheierman (30th, 2024) and Hugo Gonzalez (28th, 2025).

While these guys aren't necessarily contributing right away, the Celtics still have an eye on the future with these draft picks. Walsh took some time to develop, but now he's earning some playoff minutes in his third pro season. Scheierman was an older prospect after spending five years in college, and he's coming off a breakout year in his second pro season.

Gonzalez has fallen out of the rotation, but it was clear all year he will have a bright future. He's still raw after being drafted at 19, but his defensive instincts are already impressive. Gonzalez was a contributor for the C's during the regular season and considering his age, he looks like a long-term fit for Boston going forward.

The Celtics boast the star duo and headliners in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown . But in this current salary cap era, teams need cheap production to soak up rotation minutes. That's where the C's have had success with their development program, whether it's through the draft or elsewhere.

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