The Boston Celtics have been the busiest team in the NBA since they were eliminated by the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In a desperate attempt to get under the second apron and alleviate the financial strain on a new ownership group after Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury removed them from the NBA Title conversation, general manager Brad Stevens has sent Jrue Holiday to Portland and Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta, but he may not be done manuevering ahead of Wednesday night’s NBA Draft.
Stevens could be considering a blockbuster trade to get out from under Derrick White or even Jaylen Browns contracts, but a new rumor suggests that he’s also on the hunt to bring in new young talent like Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis. Armed with the No. 28 and 32 overall picks, the Celtics, Steve Bulpett of Heavy Sports reported on Tuesday that the Celtics are trying to move up into the lottery with Jakucionis as their target.
NEW:
— Steve Bulpett (@SteveBHoop) June 24, 2025
Per sources, Celtics trying to move into the lottery. Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis said to be a target.
Plus: Jrue Holiday reportedly very unhappy being dealt to Trail Blazers. Another trade possible.https://t.co/IdXsIb6ULG
Boston could be the ideal landing spot for Jakucionis’s development
If Boston does swing a deal for the 6-foot-6, 19-year-old Latvian point guard, it could be the best thing for his development. Jakucionis would fit seamlessly into Boston’s five-out spacing and three-point happy offense after attempting over half of his shots from beyond the arc in a similar system at Illinois.
Though he shot just 31.8 percent from three, Jakucionis is a capable shot-maker with a reliable step-back and ample playmaking creativity to allow Brown and Tatum to play off the ball more. He has a good feel for operating the pick-and-roll, but he’s limited as an athlete, so he’ll need time to learn how to penetrate off the dribble and finish at the rim against NBA defenders. With impressive length at 6-foot-6, he shot 71.7 percent at the rim in his lone collegiate campaign, but it may take time for that skill to translate to the next level, and Boston has plenty.
After winning the 2024 NBA Title, the Celtics are taking an intentional step back without Tatum on the floor next season. In a diluted Eastern Conference without Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard, who also suffered Achilles tears this postseason, Brown should be able to carry Boston into the playoffs, but Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla will have the patience in this gap-year to allow Jakucionis to work through his growing pains, so he’s ready to compete for a championship once Tatum likely returns in the 2026-27 season.
Most mock drafts have Jakucionis coming off the board around pick No. 11 or 12, where the Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls currently sit. Portland would be an intriguing destination for the former Illinois star after adding Holiday in exchange for Anfernee Simons and clearing space in their backcourt for another ball-dominant creator alongside Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, but staying in Illinois with the Bulls would be a disaster.
Chicago has been stuck in NBA purgatory since Derrick Rose blew out his knee the first time in 2012, and with a crowded backcourt and no direction, Jakucionis would risk wasting away on play-in teams through his entire rookie contract. If Portland passes at No. 11, Boston could be his savior, and as a cost-controlled playmaker with high shot-creation upside, Jakucionis could be theirs.