Brad Stevens

Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said he likes the prospects in this draft.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

After beginning to explore some of the players in this draft pool, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens believes it would take a "pretty special" opportunity to trade the No. 3 overall pick.

"If you do end up trading (the pick), it has to be pretty impactful," Stevens said Thursday during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand show. "There are a lot of good players that are available in this draft, in my opinion. I'm just scratching the surface of learning about each of them at a deep, deep level, but there are some good guys. And I'm excited about having the third pick. So if we were to move it, then I would say it would have to be something pretty special to move it for."

After a 48-win season, the Celtics could feel some pressure to add an NBA-ready prospect. Still, team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has stressed he will take a long-term approach and try to pick the best player available, even if that means waiting years for development.

During a press conference Wednesday, Ainge delivered a comically vague comment suggesting the team could still do anything with the third pick.

"I think the biggest thing is that person has to ultimately be a very effective player for us," Stevens said on the radio. "And obviously if you keep the pick and you draft a younger player, then there has to be some patience tied to that and some understanding that guys are going to develop and mature at different rates, as far as their ability to impact the game in a real winning, impactful way for 82 games and plus hopefully the playoffs."