The Boston Celtics are on fire this offseason. However, even after a flurry of offseason trades, the Celtics might not be done just yet. Just hours after dealing away two key players, the front office is now exploring a new angle, this time with the NBA Draft in focus.
With their current pick deep in the first round, the Celtics are reportedly working the phones, hoping to move up. And they’ve zeroed in on one name in particular – a skilled, 6’6’’ point guard who impressed in his lone season at Illinois.
Celtics Eye Draft Jump to Select Kasparas Jakučionis
The Celtics currently hold the No. 28 pick in the first round, but according to Heavy Sports, they’re hoping to move up into the lottery range. Their reported target is Kasparas Jakučionis, a 19-year-old Lithuanian guard who averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists last season for the Fighting Illini.
While Jakučionis is projected to go somewhere between picks 11 and 14, league sources say Boston is looking for a path to get within that range.
“It remains to be seen whether Boston can get up where they’d need to be to draft him, but there are definitely teams up high that are looking to trade back,” a front office source told Heavy Sports. “The question is how far back those teams are willing to go and what Boston is willing to offer to get them to do it.”
The source added that trade talks are swirling all over the league right now, especially given how uncertain the 2025 class has been to evaluate:
“With this draft, there’s so many teams talking trade, nobody knows who’s going where. And that’s just the first round. The second round? That’s even harder to figure.”
Does Jakučionis’ Fit With Celtics’ Evolving Game Plan?
A move into the lottery would be a bold shift for Boston. The Celtics haven’t picked in the lottery since 2020 when they selected Aaron Nesmith at No. 14. But the team looks very different today than it did just a week ago.
In the span of 24 hours, the Celtics traded away Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trailblazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks in separate trades, acquiring Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang, and a future second-rounder in return.
With Jayson Tatum sidelined by an Achilles injury, there’s growing belief that Boston could be entering a reset year or at least a strategic pause.
Kasparas Jakucionis 3-point spot shooting drill at the NBA draft combine pic.twitter.com/u4nQr5yi2E
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 13, 2025
That’s what makes Jakučionis such an intriguing prospect for them. He’s a versatile, high-IQ backcourt player who can defend either guard spot and seamlessly plug into various lineups.
MORE: Try Our Free NBA Mock Draft Simulator
His ability to read the floor and create offense fits perfectly with Boston’s usual Mazzulla ball-playing style, which emphasizes strong defense and high-volume three-point shots.
While most mock drafts, including ESPN’s, project him to go just outside the top 10, PFSN’s Brandon Austin has him pegged at No. 10 to the Phoenix Suns. That pick came from the Kevin Durant trade, and with Tyus Jones hitting free agency, Phoenix is seen as needing a long-term backcourt piece.
Whether Boston can climb that high up in the 2025 NBA Draft remains to be seen. But with all the movement they’ve already made, it’s clear the Celtics aren’t simply standing by this draft season.
Meanwhile, this year’s NBA draft will be held on June 25-26, 2025, giving Boston just a day to move up in the first-round draft order.
