Boston Purchased a Late Second-Round Opportunity
Boston obtained the rights to Colorado State center Colton Iverson from Indiana on June 27, 2013, sending cash in return. The Pacers had used the fifty-third selection on Iverson, so the Celtics acquired his rights rather than a player who had already signed an NBA contract. For Boston, the appeal was a low-cost chance to assess a large college center while reworking its roster after several years of contention. Indiana could turn a late draft opportunity into an immediate payment without occupying a regular-season roster spot.
Iverson's Rights Never Became Celtics NBA Games
Iverson offered size and rebounding potential, but he did not develop into a regular-season contributor for Boston. His subsequent basketball activity took place outside the league, while the Celtics retained the capacity to evaluate his rights under the applicable rules. This distinction limits the outcome: an overseas career, a workout or a summer exhibition isn't equivalent to an NBA appearance earned through this trade. Boston received the prospect's rights, not a proven rotation center. The acquisition therefore stayed an option rather than becoming a lasting part of its frontcourt.
Indiana Received Money Rather Than a Replacement Player
The Pacers didn't receive a veteran, another selection or a rookie through this particular exchange. Their consideration was cash, which carried direct organizational value even though it could not block a shot or score a basket on the floor. Indiana still had a competitive roster, reducing the need to hold every late draft right indefinitely. Selling a second-round selection can be defensible when a club doesn't have a clear use for the player, but that decision shouldn't be reframed as an incoming player who supplied Pacers minutes.
A Small Draft Rights Deal Produced Limited Basketball Change
Neither side got a long-term NBA player directly from this transaction. Boston spent money on the prospect of developing Iverson, and Indiana accepted the payment rather than keeping his rights. The absence of a subsequent NBA Celtics role is the clearest limitation on the basketball payoff; the Pacers' financial return was more certain but less visible in game statistics. With no major player lost or acquired, the trade is best understood as a minor draft-night adjustment. The matching C+ grades reflect modest costs and narrow effects rather than equal on-court contributions.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. Boston receives C+ for taking a low-cost look at Colton Iverson's draft rights, although they never produced Celtics regular-season minutes. Indiana also gets C+ for converting a late second-round selection into cash without losing an established player. Neither franchise obtained a meaningful basketball breakthrough from this small 2013 rights transaction.