BOSTON – Danny Ainge stockpiled draft choices for his major rebuilding project with the Boston Celtics.
Now the team's president of basketball operations gets to start using them.
The Celtics have 10 first-round picks in the next five drafts. That starts with two choices Thursday night when they pick sixth and 17th.
Arizona forward Aaron Gordon and Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart should be available for the Celtics' first pick with a slim possibility that Kansas center Joel Embiid will drop that far following foot surgery that is expected to sideline him four to six months.
The 6-foot-3, 227-pound Smart averaged 18 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists as a sophomore last season. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound Gordon averaged 12.4 points, eight rebounds and two assists as a freshman.