Celtics look to future, draft Alabama's Davison at No. 53

Updated Jun. 24, 2022 12:46 a.m. ET

Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — The Celtics selected for the future by drafting former Alabama wing player JD Davison in the second round of the NBA draft on Thursday night.

Davison was an SEC All-Freshman Team selection this past season for the Crimson Tide, averaging 8.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists despite only starting six games.

But the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder showed a propensity for big games, with two of 10-plus assists and 10-plus rebounds.

It was the Celtics’ lone selection Thursday after they traded their first-round pick to San Antonio as part of the deal that netted them Derrick White at the trade deadline.

It's the second straight year Boston didn’t make a first-round selection.

It’s part of an offseason in which the Celtics will have to be frugal as they look to add depth to a team that made a run to the NBA Finals.

Boston is teetering near the luxury tax threshold, but has three trade exceptions totaling just under $30 million to play with, including about $17 million left from the one created from its sign-and-trade of Evan Fournier last August.

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