The Boston Celtics did not participate in Sunday’s 2026 NBA Draft Lottery because they were one of the 16 teams that made the playoffs, but they still ended up being one of the winners from the event’s results.
Pretty much everything that could have gone right for the Celtics actually came to fruition.
Outside of the Pacers losing their pick to the Clippers (more on that below), there weren’t any earth-shattering results from the lottery.
Let’s dive into how the outcome of the draft lottery benefits the Celtics directly and indirectly.
Indiana Pacers’ trade fiasco
The Pacers gave up a ton of assets to acquire Clippers center Ivica Zubac at the trade deadline in February, including their 2026 first-round draft pick protected for spots 1-4 and 10-30. Despite finishing with the second-worst record in the league, there was only a 52 percent chance of the Pacers keeping their pick entering the lottery.
Indiana ultimately lost out, as its pick slid to No. 5 overall and will convey to the Clippers. This means the Pacers, who already have a fantastic roster if Tyrese Haliburton makes a successful return from an Achilles tear, will not add an elite young player to the mix.
If the Pacers were able to add a player like AJ Dybantsa or Cam Boozer, they probably would have been a top-two or -three team in the Eastern Conference going into next season, and that would have made reaching the NBA Finals a lot tougher for the Celtics and other East contenders.
The Pacers should still be a threat, no doubt. But their roster could have looked a lot scarier had they gotten some lottery luck.
Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images The Pacers fell to No. 5 in the lottery and have to send their pick to the Clippers.
Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo suitors had no lottery luck
ESPN’s Shams Charania wrote Monday that the Bucks “are open for business on trade calls and offers” for superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Almost none of the potential suitors for Antetokounmpo improved their situation in the lottery, and that’s good news for the Celtics if they decide to get involved this summer.
The Golden State Warriors have been speculated as a potential Antetokounmpo destination in the past, and they need to maximize their increasingly small window to compete while Stephen Curry remains an elite player. The Warriors ended up with the No. 11 pick.
The Miami Heat are always discussed as a potential landing spot for superstar players whenever rumors pop up, even though it’s been a while since they pulled off a blockbuster deal. The Heat don’t like to tank and are typically in the playoff mix. But the Heat had no lottery luck and will pick at No. 13 in Round 1.
The Bucks had a small chance to earn a top-four pick despite not controlling their own 2026 first-rounder, but they had no such luck and will pick at No. 10. That pick is probably not going to be good enough to land an impact player who can pair with Antetokounmpo and help Milwaukee compete in the East.
The Hawks are often thrown into Antetokounmpo mock trade proposals as a third-team or as a potential Antetokounmpo spot. They did not get a top-four pick and ended up with No. 8 overall. Is the No. 8 pick good enough to construct a package for Antetokounmpo?
Our Early Edition crew break down the latest on the Celtics after their first-round exit from the postseason
Two Western Conference teams landed in top three
If you really think that Dybantsa, Cam Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Darryn Peterson or other players in this draft have superstar potential, then it would benefit the Celtics for those players to go to Western Conference teams.
The Wizards won the lottery and will pair an elite young talent with Trae Young and Anthony Davis next season, but the Utah Jazz moved up in the lottery for the first time in franchise history and will pick at No. 2. The Memphis Grizzlies landed at No. 3 and the Clippers are at No. 5.
Two of the top three picks and three of the top five being owned by Western Conference teams is good for East contenders like the Celtics.
OKC Thunder didn’t get lucky
The Thunder had a 1.5 percent chance to win the No. 1 pick because they own the Clippers’ 2026 unprotected first-rounder. It wasn’t likely that OKC would move up, but we’ve seen crazy outcomes before, including last year when the Dallas Mavericks won the lottery with only 1.8 percent odds.
The Thunder didn’t have any luck and will pick at No. 12. It’s still a good pick for a team that might win a second straight title this season and has an absolutely loaded roster headlined by reigning league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But could you imagine how much better OKC would be if it got Dybantsa, Boozer or Peterson?
Any team with championship aspirations in the near future, like the Celtics, didn’t want to see the Thunder get lucky Sunday afternoon. And for the first time in a while, OKC was unlucky.
