Despite having the best record in the Eastern Conference the previous season, the Celtics would originally win the number one pick at the end of the year because they activated the right to swap their own first-round draft pick (which was pick number 27) with the
Brooklyn Nets, who held the worst record of the entire NBA that same season. (The Nets struggled in part because of a previous, infamous trade with the Celtics, that swapped role players
Jason Terry and
D.J. White and superstars
Kevin Garnett and
Paul Pierce for other players and draft picks, including the right to swap first-round picks in the 2017 NBA draft.) However, on June 19, four days before the
2017 NBA draft commenced, the Celtics would trade that coveted pick to the
Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the third pick of the draft (which was projected to be a small forward in either
Josh Jackson or
Jayson Tatum by that point) and either the
Sacramento Kings or
Philadelphia 76ers'
2019 first-round pick, depending on what happens in that year's draft. Other than that, the Celtics also hold three second round draft picks, each of which were acquired by trades, while losing their own second-round pick as an added piece of help for the Nets later on down the line. Their first second-round pick was acquired from the
Phoenix Suns back when it was considered a first-round pick from the
Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for
Brandan Wright. The next second-round pick was from the
Cleveland Cavaliers alongside their 2016 second-round pick and
Keith Bogans in exchange for
John Lucas III,
Erik Murphy,
Dwight Powell,
Malcolm Thomas, and the protected rights of the
Sacramento Kings' own second-round picks from both 2015 and 2017. Finally, their last second-round pick was acquired from the
Los Angeles Clippers in a three-way trade with the Phoenix Suns, where Boston would acquire
Shavlik Randolph again and a trade exception from the Suns, as well as both
Chris Douglas-Roberts and a second-round pick from the Clippers. With their top pick (and the one that
Danny Ainge claimed would have taken as the number one pick instead of
Markelle Fultz), the Boston Celtics selected a 19-year-old freshman, small forward
Jayson Tatum, of
Duke University. In his only season at Duke, Jayson averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game in over 29 games there, while also earning All-
ACC Freshman Team and All-ACC Third Team honors throughout last season. Tatum would end the season as a near-unanimous
NBA All-Rookie First Team member. In terms of their second-round picks, the first one they took would be another small forward, this time being
Semi Ojeleye, a transfer junior from
Southern Methodist University (previously from
Duke University as well). During his only year at Southern Methodist, Ojeleye helped lead the Mustangs to their second ever
AAC Tournament victory by recording averages of 18.9 points and 6.8 rebounds per game there. As a result of his efforts, he became the AAC Tournament's MVP that year, as well as be named to the All-AAC First Team, the AAC Player of The Year, and was an honorable mention via the
Associated Press for the NCAA All-American Team. For the second of Boston's three second-round picks, at number 53, the Celtics selected senior shooting guard
Kadeem Allen from
University of Arizona. In his senior year at Arizona, he averaged 9.8 points and 4 rebounds per game, which would be enough for him to be named a member of the
Pac-12 Second Team and Pac-12 Defensive Team. Finally, with their last second-round pick at number 56, Boston chose another senior shooting guard, this time being
Jabari Bird from the
University of California. During his last season at California, Bird averaged 14.3 points and 4.3 rebounds for the Golden Bears, but he suffered a concussion during one of his last games there. Both
Kadeem Allen and
Jabari Bird would become the team's first-ever players to sign
two-way contracts with the team, meaning they get to split their playing time for at least this season between the Celtics and their
NBA G League affiliate, the
Maine Red Claws, with Maine holding them for the majority of this season as a result of the two-way contract's stipulations. ==Roster==