The Celtics Moved Three Slots Up to Select Kelly Olynyk
Boston obtained the No. 13 selection in the 2013 NBA Draft from Dallas so it could take Gonzaga big man Kelly Olynyk. The Mavericks received the rights to No. 16 choice Lucas Nogueira and two future second-round selections. Danny Ainge's interest was tied to Olynyk's unusual combination of size, outside shooting and passing vision, which offered a different frontcourt option as Boston's veteran core changed. Dallas, by contrast, was gathering draft flexibility rather than committing to a specific player at No. 13. The second-round obligations meant Boston paid more than a simple exchange of adjacent picks.
Olynyk Became a Four-Season Rotation Player
Olynyk spent four seasons in Boston and gave the Celtics a versatile reserve who could space the court and keep the ball moving. He did not become the sort of traditional dominant center that a team could build an offense around, but his skill mix had practical value in Brad Stevens's lineups. That contribution was especially visible in the deciding seventh game against Washington during the 2017 playoffs. Olynyk scored 26 points as Boston advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, an important playoff moment that flowed directly from its acquired draft choice.
Dallas Used the Incoming Rights as Trading Inventory
Nogueira did not become a long-term Mavericks frontcourt player. Dallas moved his draft rights onward as part of another transaction involving Atlanta and the rights to Shane Larkin, so his later playing career cannot simply be credited as Mavericks production. The two future seconds made the initial package deeper, although each later draft right has to be followed separately before assigning any NBA minutes to Dallas. The original exchange provided flexibility and additional assets rather than a direct player with four consecutive Dallas seasons. Evaluating those rights as if they all developed in Dallas would exaggerate the realized return.
The Known Boston Contribution Breaks the Tie
Dallas's rationale for trading down was understandable because it obtained more selections and flexibility. However, Boston received the particular frontcourt prospect it wanted, used him for years and benefited in a decisive postseason game. The extra second-round choices were genuine costs, not bookkeeping details that disappear from the evaluation, but none independently offsets the measured on-court role Olynyk played in Boston. This is a Celtics win built on useful lineup minutes rather than superstar expectations. Nogueira's subsequent career elsewhere and Dallas's later use of his rights should be represented as separate asset movements.
Final Verdict
Celtics Win. Boston earns B+ for acquiring Kelly Olynyk, whose four seasons of regular frontcourt work and 26-point Game 7 in 2017 directly helped the franchise. Dallas receives C+ for Lucas Nogueira's rights and two future second-round selections, giving it options without equivalent direct playing production. The Mavericks' later rights transactions are distinct from the first exchange and shouldn't be double-counted.