Should the Boston Celtics trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft to select a player who could make a meaningful impact as a rookie?
The C’s are one of only three teams in the second apron of the luxury tax, which limits their ability to add players via trade and free agency. Therefore, the upcoming draft is likely the best avenue for the Celtics to add young, cost-controlled young players.
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But the Celtics own the No. 28 pick near the end of Round 1. There are usually a couple good players near the end of the first round and early second round in each draft, but finding them is difficult.
If the Celtics packaged the No. 28 pick, the No. 32 pick (second pick in Round 2) and maybe a future pick, perhaps they’d be able to move up into the late lottery or early 20s.
And if they were able to swing that kind of move, one player worth considering in that range is Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis. He is projected to land between the No. 10 and No. 17 picks in a lot of mock drafts.
Learn more about Jakucionis and his potential fit with the C’s below:
Kasparas Jakucionis’ bio
- Position: Guard
- Height: 6-foot-6
- Weight: 200 pounds
- Birthdate: May 29, 2006
- Birthplace: Vilnius, Lithuania
- College: Illinois
Kasparas Jakucionis’ collegiate stats
- 2024-25: 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 44.0 field goal percentage, 31.8 3-point percentage (33 games)
Kasparas Jakucionis’ college accolades
- 2025 Big Ten All-Freshman Team
- 2025 All-B1G Second Team (AP)
Kasparas Jakucionis’ highlights
Why Kasparas Jakucionis fits with Celtics
Jakucionis hit just 31.8 percent of his 3-pointers for the Fighting Illini, but an arm injury during the season might have been the reason for those struggles. He does have a nice offensive game driving to the basket. He boasts an impressive repertoire of moves near the rim, including fantastic footwork. Jakucionis is a three-level scorer and is effective on pick-and-roll scenarios.
The Lithuanian guard also is a very good playmaker, but he did turn the ball over a little too much at Illinois — 3.7 turnovers per game, tied for the fourth-most of any player last season — so he’ll have to clean that up a bit in the pros.
Should the Celtics target Jakucionis in Round 1, especially if they have to trade up to get him?
Here’s what our insider Chris Forsberg thinks:
“The one-and-done Illinois combo guard is known for his creative passing and the way he sees the floor. He gets to the free throw line a lot, too, and as we’ve seen with Jalen Brunson and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the foul-merchant business is a good one to be in.
“Before suffering a midseason arm injury, Jakucionis was shooting 41 percent from 3-point range. His numbers dipped afterward. If that dip can be attributed to his injury, his game fills out a bit more. If the Celtics can get higher in the draft through some wheeling and dealing, Jakucionis could be the target.”
