Danny Ainge's final Boston Celtics draft class helped pave way to title
While the 2020 NBA Draft was remote in the middle of the pandemic, it ended up being an important night for the Celtics. That was also then-Boston president Danny Ainge's final draft class for the C's as he nailed a couple first-round picks. He then made way for Brad Stevens a few months later.
Turns out, those picks were huge for the Celtics to help them win the 2024 NBA title. Back then, the C's selected Aaron Nesmith at No. 14 and Payton Pritchard at No. 26 in the first round. They also traded away the pick that became Desmond Bane, along with taking Yam Madar in the second round.
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But the two draft picks in Nesmith and Pritchard became big hits, especially considering where they were taken. Pritchard enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 season, being named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year. Notably, he became a key part of the rotation this season as a playoff contributor. Plus, his four-year, $30 million contract is one of the best value deals in the league.
Nesmith also showcased how good he can be as he helped the Pacers stun the Knicks in Game 1 of the East Finals. The Vanderbilt product couldn't get consistent playing time on a crowded Celtics roster as he was part of the 2022 NBA Finals run. But Nesmith was also a part in landing Malcolm Brogdon from the Pacers back in the 2022 offseason.
While Brogdon only spent one season with the Celtics, also earning Sixth Man of the Year honors, his contract was also important. Brogdon was part of the trade package sent to the Trail Blazers to get Jrue Holiday, who had just been traded from the Bucks. Holiday, of course, was an integral member of the 2024 NBA title run. So, it took a few steps, but the C's benefited as they got to their ultimate goal of Banner No. 18.
Nesmith struggled to get playing time in Boston, but he's now a starting piece for the Indiana operation. He's averaging 16.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 11 playoff games, including shooting 53.8% on his 3-pointers. Nesmith is also an energy guy as that's been evident during this Pacers run to the East Finals and perhaps beyond.
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Pritchard figures to be part of the Celtics for the foreseeable future. He proved last season that he can impact the game on a nightly basis and in a playoff setting. The C's will look to offload salary this summer to cut down on costs, so Pritchard could see his role expand depending on what moves the front office makes this summer.
So, Ainge's final draft class ended up helping the Celtics significantly now five years later. Of course, drafting Jaylen Brown then Jayson Tatum in back-to-back years laid the foundation for years to come. But one of his lesser-known draft classes, in a couple solid picks, also helped along the way.
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