Live Coverage: The 2025 NBA Draft

The 2025 NBA Draft is held at Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets. Split into two nights, the first round is on June 25 and the second is on June 26, both starting at 8 p.m. ET.

By Jordan Pagkalinawan, Sports Editor & Website Editor / 4 hours ago

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By Gobierno CDMX – Flickr, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75456047

The 2025 NBA Draft is officially upon us, and the fateful event holds major implications for the Boston Celtics and several prospects with New England ties.

The C’s own two picks—Nos. 28 and 32—with a chance to add young talent in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s torn Achilles. Duke star Cooper Flagg, a product of Newport, ME, is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick. Likewise, UConn first-year Liam McNeeley is hoping to turn his hoop dreams into reality.

Even before draft day, many teams were active on the trade market, swapping stars, standout role players, and plenty of picks. The Celtics made critical moves to get under the Collective Bargaining Agreement’s second apron, which is a tax threshold with significant penalties if crossed.

The Beacon’s sports desk has this year’s draft covered, highlighting the top picks, key storylines, Boston’s new faces, and notable moves throughout the two-night spectacle.

How to Watch the 2025 NBA Draft

Dates: June 25-26, 2025 | Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: ABC, ESPN* | Streaming: ESPN.com, Fubo

*Second-round televised on ESPN only

Check for Updates

Pinned

Jun 25, 2025, 9:23 am

All the Trades Leading Up to Draft Night

It may be night one of the NBA Draft, but we’ve already seen plenty of general managers working their magic. Speaking of which, the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies made the first pre-draft trade on Father’s Day. Other teams followed up with more minor transactions.

And then came the Houston Rockets.

H-Town took off with a blockbuster trade for two-time champion and 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant, moving on from Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks along with a plethora of draft picks. It’s a significant upgrade for last year’s No. 2 seed in the West, and the end of an era for the struggling Suns.

And as mentioned above, the Celtics began an inevitable breakup of their core, sending Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks.

Here are all of the pre-draft trades heading into tonight.

June 15

Orlando Magic receive: Desmond Bane

Memphis Grizzlies receive: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks (including No. 16 in tonight’s draft), and a first-round pick swap

June 17

Indiana Pacers receive: 2026 first-round pick (re-acquired following the Pascal Siakam trade in Jan. 2024)

New Orleans Pelicans receive: Draft rights to F Mojave King, No. 23 pick in 2025 NBA Draft

June 22

Houston Rockets receive: Kevin Durant

Phoenix Suns receive: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10 pick, five future second-round picks

June 23

Boston Celtics receive: Anfernee Simons, two second-round picks

Portland Trail Blazers receive: Jrue Holiday

June 24

Pelicans-Wizards

New Orleans Pelicans receive: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, No. 40 pick

Washington Wizards receive: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, future second-round pick

Celtics three-team deal

Boston Celtics receive: Georges Niang, second-rounder (via Brooklyn)

Atlanta Hawks receive: Kristaps Porzingis

Brooklyn Nets receive: Terence Mann, No. 22 pick (via Atlanta)

Jun 25, 2025, 9:25 am

The Celtics’ Biggest Needs

Following the Celtics’ early exit and Jayson Tatum’s season-ending injury, expectations are tempered for the 18-time NBA champions. A previous lack of financial flexibility forced them to part ways with two key contributors—Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis—in equally stunning deals. It’s only the beginning of an active offseason for Brad Stevens and Co.

Many think Boston could trade up in the first round. But if they stay put, the C’s could use some assistance at center, with Al Horford and Luke Kornet becoming unrestricted free agents. The Celtics also auditioned many guards in pre-draft workouts, but the acquisition of Anfernee Simons may have quelled any concerns over backcourt scoring.

Jun 25, 2025, 9:20 am

Key Storylines for the 2025 Draft

What are the champs up to? Fresh off their second title in franchise history (and first since moving from Seattle), the Oklahoma City Thunder own three picks in this year’s draft. The team’s front office—which includes several Emerson alumni—has key decisions to make with all 15 guaranteed roster spots filled.

Ace Bailey’s draft debacle: Rutgers forward Ace Bailey was once considered a lock for the top three, but questionable pre-draft interviews and cancelled team visits have made fans and executives skeptical of the 18-year-old. Reports say Bailey prefers to join a team where he can be a top option, a rarity for rookies in a league filled with superstars. Responding to questions about his maturity, Bailey simply said, “I can control what I can control. Me playing basketball.”

Brooklyn Nets strike it rich in round one: After a three-team trade with the Celtics and Atlanta Hawks, the Nets have walked away with a record-breaking five first-round picks—Nos. 8, 19, 22, 26, and 27. Their own second-rounder (No. 36) will make it six in this year’s draft, presuming they don’t trade any before 8 p.m.

About the Contributor

Jordan Pagkalinawan, Sports Editor & Website Editor

Jordan Pagkalinawan (he/him) hails from Burbank, California, and serves as The Beacon’s sports editor and website co-editor. A senior journalism student with a minor in Sports Communication, Jordan has fulfilled several roles on The Beacon’s editorial board since his sophomore year and consistently covered Emerson Athletics through game recaps and feature stories. Outside of The Beacon, he has interned with the CBS Sports editorial team and is an editor/writer for Last Word on Sports. When Jordan isn’t working on a story, you will find him either playing basketball, reading books, buying coffee, or indulging in Filipino food.