Report: Celtics trying to trade 2 late 1st-rounders for lottery pick

The Boston Celtics never seem to lose sight of the big picture.

They understand that timing is everything. They've been known to flip players for assets and assets for players. They've been known to turn three quarters into a dollar. And president and general manager Danny Ainge has spent the better part of two years accumulating quarters. Stacks and stacks of quarters.

Boston has two first-round picks in the upcoming NBA Draft, No. 16 and No. 28. Those are valuable chips on their own, but the Celtics are looking to reach a little higher. They're reportedly looking to package those picks together to get themselves into the lottery.

From Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times:

It’s hardly a secret a slew of teams, including several lottery ones, are exploring potential trades. One team that is making a concerted effort to move into the lottery, league sources claim, is Boston. The Celtics are dangling their two No. 1 picks: Nos. 16 and 28.

The Celtics, though, are sure to demand a steep price for that package – a top-10 pick at the very least – and it's difficult to see where such an offer would come from.

If the right opportunity doesn't present itself, Ainge and the Celtics won't force the issue. Their coffers are still overflowing with assets, and should they fail to trade up into the lottery, you can expect them to be all the more proactive during trade season. They understand that timing is everything.

- With h/t to PBT