Celtics Trading Marcus Smart For Nerlens Noel? News & Rumors Here!

The Boston Celtics are looking to move up in the draft order and they are willing to part with Marcus Smart to do it.

An article from the Los Angeles Times revealed that the Celtics were willing to offer Marcus Smart together with their 16th and 28th picks to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Nerlens Noel and the 3rd pick overall.

Unfortunately, the 76ers were reportedly not interested in the trade.

Depending on how you look at it, the Celtics would have had the glaring advantage.

Noel finished third in the 2014-15 NBA Rookie of the Year voting while Smart ended up fifth. Smart was however the sixth overall pick last year and is considered a good recruit despite the fact that he had less than impressive numbers last season (7.8 ppg).

Meanwhile, Noel made his presence overall despite the fact that he is coming from a knee injury. He was originally (and ironically) drafted sixth in the 2013-14 NBA Draft.

He would have been a key acquisition for the Celtics considering the team was looking for a reliable big man up front. With no guarantee that the team could snag Kevin Love from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Noel would have been a great backup for Danny Ainge and company.

As far as the draft is concerned, could the Celtics be spoiling the party and aim for D’ Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay? There is also of course the possibility of getting Jahlil Okafor assuming the Lakers pass on him with the number 2 pick.

The options seem to be tempting enough for Danny Ainge to dangle Smart to move up in the coming NBA Draft.

 No offense to the Sixers but the team has been notorious for trading up their picks in the past. The rumored deal seems to be no different unless Philly was looking to get something more (like perhaps cash considerations or maybe another player other than Noel).

Though the supposed deal seems to have been shut down, there could still be possibly revisions until NBA Draft Night.

Smart could still be in play (or not) in the mix though the Celtics could sweeten their offer a bit if they consider other player in their fold like maybe Kelly Olnyk, Jared Sullinger or even Tyler Zeller.

Ainge stressed that moving up the draft was not meant to fill in key positions on the team. Rather it was all about getting the best player available in the coming draft.

Danny Ainge says, "We're having discussions to move up w/ both of our picks in the 1st round. We're hoping to move up w/ at least one."

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) June 23, 2015

With respect to who that is would depend on which player the Minnesota Timberwolve and the Los Angeles Lakers pick first if they succeed in closing a deal with the Sixers for the 3rd overall pick.

Could Ainge be in talks with the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks as well? The Lakers are picking second while the Knicks are selecting 4th and the two teams are said to be entertaining possible trades for the said picks.