The Celtics made their first pick of the second-round in the 2025 NBA Draft a bit later than expected on Thursday night, selecting Amari Williams at No. 46 overall. Boston originally held the No. 32 overall pick but elected to trade away that pick (Noah Penda) to the Orlando Magic in exchange for No. 46, No. 57, a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick. The swap netted Boston three additional second-round picks.
Williams is a 7-foot big man from England who played last season with Kentucky after transferring from Drexel. He averaged 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He led the team in assists and also had 10 double-doubles during the season. He was also a three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year.
Williams is a candidate for a roster spot or a two-way contract at the bottom of Boston’s roster. The Celtics currently have 13 players under contract including first-round pick Hugo Gonzalez who was selected at No. 28 overall on Wednesday night. However, several of those players under contract for Boston are on non-guaranteed contracts (JD Davison, Jordan Walsh), creating some potential openings at the bottom of the Celtics roster.
The Celtics also remain engaged in exploring trade opportunities across the roster as they retool following Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear so it’s possible a 15-man roster opportunity will be available for a second-round pick who plays well in Summer League and during training camp.