From Chad Ford at ESPN:
Celtics might pull a surprise at No. 1
Markelle Fultz has been atop my Big Board since version 2.0, and his only real challenger most of the year has been Lonzo Ball.
But Josh Jackson, who was No. 1 on Big Board 1.0, has emerged as an intriguing option for the Celtics and team president Danny Ainge (even though he canceled a workout with Boston this week, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman and Marc Spears).
2017 NBA draft
Get ready for Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and the 2017 draft, with analysis from Chad Ford and other ESPN experts.
"I've picked Danny's brain for years," one GM said. "Jackson is an Ainge player all the way. Tough, athletic, long, versatile, elite motor. If he's keeping the pick, Jackson just to me, far and away, is the most Celtics-type player for them to draft. From all my conversations with them, I'm convinced they'll take Jackson No. 1."
He's correct in that Jackson fits the prototypical Celtics mold. Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown all fit that description, and all were first-round selections by Boston (Rondo via trade).
Jackson has yet to work out for the Celtics, according to his agent, B.J. Armstrong, who said that Jackson has worked out twice for the Lakers and once for the 76ers. Jackson is also scheduled to work out for the Suns before the draft.
"We have great respect for Boston and Danny Ainge," Armstrong said. "That's a championship-caliber organization and Josh brings the things that I know Danny values. He can defend his position at an elite level. He can rebound for his position at an elite level and he can pass for his position at an elite level. All the championship-caliber teams are looking for players who can do those three things. And I know they want winners.
"We're in dialogue with Boston. We're very respectful of them. They have the No. 1 pick and can select whoever they choose. We just need to see how things play out over the next week."
While Armstrong declined to give specifics about why Jackson hasn't worked out there, other league sources believe that it's likely that Jackson's camp feels that both the Lakers and Sixers would give Jackson a larger role from day one.
A number of agents have expressed concerns that the Celtics might not have enough playing time for their clients to develop properly, given the depth and experience of their roster. (Ball also declined a workout with Boston.)
Fit is a question mark for Jackson as well, with both Jaylen Brown and Jae Crowder already on the roster.
Don't the Celtics need players with differing skill sets? Isn't Jackson a bit duplicative, especially given the arrival of Brown last year?
Another GM doesn't see it that way.
"Jackson will be better than all of those guys [at his position in Boston]," the GM said. "Danny's looking for a star, and I think Jackson has as much or more star potential than Fultz or Ball. Everyone on the Celtics is an asset. Danny can move them all. He'll take the player he likes the best. Period. He'll figure out fit in the summer."
What do the Celtics have to say about this? They're staying mum on whom they're taking No. 1, but a source says the franchise is strongly considering options other than Fultz and that Jackson is one of those options.
"We like him a lot," the Celtics source said. "But we like several guys a lot. We've got a week to figure it out."
If Jackson doesn't work out for Boston, would that scare the Celtics away? "Absolutely not," a Celtics source said. "That's true for Josh and Lonzo and anyone else. We've done our homework. The workouts are nice, but they're not mandatory. We'll select the best player."