On Wednesday night, the Celtics agreed to a massive three-team trade in which guard Marcus Smart was traded to the Grizzlies and Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis was sent to Boston. The Celtics also traded away the 35th overall pick to Washington and received the 25th pick from the Grizzlies, putting president of basketball operations Brad Stevens in position to make his first choice in the first round since stepping into this role two years ago.
Instead, Stevens did his best Bill Belichick impersonation during Thursday’s draft, trading down time and again and piling up second-round choices as he went. In the end, according to league sources, the Celtics added four future second-round choices and kept one, using it to select Arkansas freshman Jordan Walsh with the 38th pick.
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Walsh, a 6-foot-7-inch forward, averaged 7.1 points and 3.9 rebounds per game for the Razorbacks last season. He is an explosive athlete and a skilled, versatile defender. His offensive game remains somewhat raw, however, and he made just 27.8 percent of his 3-pointers and 71.2 percent of his free throws last season.
Moments before making the 25th overall pick Thursday, the Celtics traded it to the Pistons in exchange for the No. 31 overall choice and two future second-round picks. Boston then turned around and traded the 31st pick to the Hornets in exchange for the 34th and 39th selections. But Stevens was not done there.
The Celtics then sent the 34th pick to the Kings in exchange for the 38th pick and a future second-rounder. After taking Walsh, they then traded the 39th pick for another future second-round choice.
On Wednesday, the Celtics were close to finalizing a three-team deal that would have sent guard Malcolm Brogdon to the Clippers and brought Porzingis to Boston. But league sources said that trade eventually crumbled because Los Angeles had concerns about moving forward without completing Brogdon’s physical.
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In most cases, teams are able to rescind trades when players fail physicals. But this situation was more complicated. Porzingis faced a midnight deadline to opt into his $36 million player option for next season, a move that was necessary to complete the trade to the Celtics.
There was not enough time to complete physicals with the players involved prior to the draft, and since the deal involved the Clippers’ first-round pick, there were simply too many moving parts. The Clippers had some concerns about Brogdon’s forearm strain that slowed him during Boston’s conference finals series against the Heat.
Sources said it’s unclear whether Brogdon will need surgery, but even if he does, he is expected to be ready in time for the start of the regular season. Nevertheless, the deal was off, and Boston shifted to its backup plan, sending Smart to the Grizzlies and netting Porzingis and the 25th pick.
Stevens then spent most of Thursday night stretching that draft selection as far as he could.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.