I would say critical, not just important.
Also bringing up Fultz is pointless. Our ods of getting him are so low that the idea is barely worth mentioning.
If our odds are so low, then what more for other teams?
That's aalmost completely irrelevant for the most part.
We have a better odd, on paper, of getting #1 then any other team. Unfortunately the lottery contains 14 teams, not two.
So even if we have better odds then any other team, we still only have a 25% chance. That means its 75% probability that we don't get the #1 pick.
If you look at historic drafts, you'll see that the team with the worst record has rarely even gotten the top pick. It happens, but rarely. The Sixers getting it last year was I think only the second or third time it's happened in the past 10 years. In fact in the last 15 years I think there have been more teams that have won the #1 pick from outside the top 5, then there have been actually from the #1 spot. Its usually teams in the 2-4 spots that tend to get the #1 pick.
And when it comes to draft pick Boston hasnt exactly head the best of it historically.
At the end of the day the odds of getting the #1 pick are so low that there may as well be no difference - whether you come last, 2nd last or 3rd last, the odds are similar enough that is practically a non factor.
We have a better shot then anybody, but our chances are still very low. There are a lot of people who seem to be practically banking on the fact that we will get the #1 pick and have the freedom to select whoever we want. Most likely scenario is we end up picking 2nd or 3rd.
Id love as much as anybody if we do select #1, but I am managing my expectations based on my knowledge of how improbable it is, and how unlucky the Celtics typically always get in the lottery.