Goodman: C’s should consider trading up for this draft prospect originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics currently own the 28th and 32nd overall picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. But what if they’re enticed by a prospect who may not fall to the end of the first round?
If the C’s have their sights set on a specific player, they could package those two picks in a deal to move up the draft board. This is the route college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman would take if he were Stevens, and he has a certain prospect in mind.
“I think you keep it, you see if you’re Brad in the early 20s, can you package both of those — 28 and 32 — and move up if there’s a guy that’s sliding that you really like. To me, a guy like that is Cedric Coward,” Goodman said on NBC Sports Boston’s latest episode of The Off C’season.
“He’s the guy that, to me, is the most intriguing. Played two years at Eastern Washington in the Big Sky, transferred to Washington State this year. Followed his coach David Riley, only played six games, got hurt. Was set to go to Duke this season to be one of the best transfers in the country, but he’s gonna be a first-round pick, so he stayed in the draft. But he’s a 6-6 3-and-D guy who, to me, he’s athletic, he can shoot it, he can guard, he’s mature. He’s a guy that I think I would roll the dice on if he’s there at 28 or in the early 20s and you can trade both picks and move up and get him.”
As Goodman notes, Coward is expected to land anywhere from the late lottery to the mid-20s in the first round. There is some uncertainty surrounding the 21-year-old guard as teams haven’t seen much of him over the last year.
So, why is Goodman so high on Coward heading into the draft?
“To me, that mystery. That intrigue. And that’s what Cedric Coward has,” Goodman added. “In addition to what I said before, which is the versatility, the ability to guard, the ability to shoot the ball, the maturity. In the interview process, I talked to NBA guys, they were absolutely blown away by Cedric Coward and how he can probably go into any locker room and fit in any sort of position of need for these teams. His versatility is probably what’s gonna get him somewhere I think in the 20 range at the end of the day.
“But again, for Cedric Coward, he could go late lottery. It wouldn’t shock me. He could also slide to 25, and that’s where if he does slide, Brad Stevens, you’ve got two picks here that you can move up.”
Coward averaged 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 59.5 percent from the floor (38.8 percent from 3) over 72 games across three collegiate seasons. In his last full season with Eastern Washington in 2023-24, he averaged 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 56.5 percent from the field to finish with Big Sky First Team All-Conference honors.
Six games into his 2024-25 campaign with Washington State, Coward suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He was the Cougars’ leading scorer with 17.7 points per game at the time.
Coward is undoubtedly a compelling trade-up target for the Celtics, but there should also be some solid options if they stand pat at Nos. 28 and 32. Creighton big man Ryan Kalkbrenner and Stanford 7-footer Maxime Raynaud have been linked to Boston in multiple mock drafts, and there are plenty more potential fits where that came from.
The 2025 NBA Draft is set to begin Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
Watch the full episode of The Off C’season with Goodman, Chris Forsberg, Kevin O’Connor, and Tom Giles below:
Goodman: C’s should consider trading up for this draft prospect
Should Brad Stevens trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft to select Cedric Coward?
Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics currently own the 28th and 32nd overall picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. But what if they’re enticed by a prospect who may not fall to the end of the first round?
If the C’s have their sights set on a specific player, they could package those two picks in a deal to move up the draft board. This is the route college basketball analyst Jeff Goodman would take if he were Stevens, and he has a certain prospect in mind.
“I think you keep it, you see if you’re Brad in the early 20s, can you package both of those — 28 and 32 — and move up if there’s a guy that’s sliding that you really like. To me, a guy like that is Cedric Coward,” Goodman said on NBC Sports Boston’s latest episode of The Off C’season.
SIGN UP HERE “He’s the guy that, to me, is the most intriguing. Played two years at Eastern Washington in the Big Sky, transferred to Washington State this year. Followed his coach David Riley, only played six games, got hurt. Was set to go to Duke this season to be one of the best transfers in the country, but he’s gonna be a first-round pick, so he stayed in the draft. But he’s a 6-6 3-and-D guy who, to me, he’s athletic, he can shoot it, he can guard, he’s mature. He’s a guy that I think I would roll the dice on if he’s there at 28 or in the early 20s and you can trade both picks and move up and get him.”
As Goodman notes, Coward is expected to land anywhere from the late lottery to the mid-20s in the first round. There is some uncertainty surrounding the 21-year-old guard as teams haven’t seen much of him over the last year.
So, why is Goodman so high on Coward heading into the draft?
“To me, that mystery. That intrigue. And that’s what Cedric Coward has,” Goodman added. “In addition to what I said before, which is the versatility, the ability to guard, the ability to shoot the ball, the maturity. In the interview process, I talked to NBA guys, they were absolutely blown away by Cedric Coward and how he can probably go into any locker room and fit in any sort of position of need for these teams. His versatility is probably what’s gonna get him somewhere I think in the 20 range at the end of the day.
“But again, for Cedric Coward, he could go late lottery. It wouldn’t shock me. He could also slide to 25, and that’s where if he does slide, Brad Stevens, you’ve got two picks here that you can move up.”
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Coward averaged 11.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 59.5 percent from the floor (38.8 percent from 3) over 72 games across three collegiate seasons. In his last full season with Eastern Washington in 2023-24, he averaged 15.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 56.5 percent from the field to finish with Big Sky First Team All-Conference honors.
Six games into his 2024-25 campaign with Washington State, Coward suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. He was the Cougars’ leading scorer with 17.7 points per game at the time.
Coward is undoubtedly a compelling trade-up target for the Celtics, but there should also be some solid options if they stand pat at Nos. 28 and 32. Creighton big man Ryan Kalkbrenner and Stanford 7-footer Maxime Raynaud have been linked to Boston in multiple mock drafts, and there are plenty more potential fits where that came from.
The 2025 NBA Draft is set to begin Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
Watch the full episode of The Off C’season with Goodman, Chris Forsberg, Drew Carter, and Tom Giles below:
