The draft stock of Georgetown center Roy Hibbert, front, shown working against PC’s Randall Hanke, has dropped.

AP / Michael Dwyer

BOSTON — After holding the weight of the world on his shoulders last June, Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge can breathe a bit easier when he guides the world champions through the annual NBA Draft.

A year ago, the Celtics owned the fifth pick and oodles of expectations on draft night. Ainge selected Georgetown’s Jeff Green with the pick but shuttled him off to Seattle in a five-player deal that brought Ray Allen to town. That trade started a series of events that ultimately led to Kevin Garnett, James Posey, 66 regular-season wins and world title No. 17.

Ainge’s options are much more limited this time around. While he admits to looking to move up in the draft, the newly crowned NBA champions are most likely going to pick 30th, and last, in the first round. Then they’ll close the proceedings by picking 60th.

“We were up until two in the morning (yesterday) and we still feel under the gun to make the right decisions,” said Ainge, “but it’s just not a team-altering thing. We have fewer options. It’s a simpler process.”

Ainge said he has a list of 23 players on his board who could fit into pick No. 30. While he didn’t mention any names, it’s clear the Celtics will either wait and see whether a player they rate highly somehow falls to them (which is likely) or look at a foreign player they can draft and keep overseas for some seasoning for a year or two. Asked if he could find a player at that spot who could break into a bench that may be ravaged by free-agent departures (James Posey, Eddie House, P.J. Brown), Ainge said the 30th pick has just a 5-percent chance of becoming a starter.

“We have a deep roster as it is,” he said. “I don’t know. We hope that we can (add an impact player), but the odds would say we don’t. It’s a longshot, but we’re going to try.”

There are several college stars who could make a run at playing time if they are still around at the 30th slot. Chris Douglas-Roberts, an unconventional guard from Memphis, is a fierce defender and proven winner. Indiana All-American D.J. White (6-foot-10) is a skilled big man who rebounds well, California’s DeVon Hardin (6-11) owns a world of potential, and 7-2 Georgetown center Roy Hibbert has reportedly fallen into the mid-20s this year after having been a potential top-10 pick if he left school last spring. A good crop of younger American big men such as North Carolina State’s J.J. Hickson, Texas A&M’s 6-11 center DeAndre Jordan and Nevada 7-footer JaVale McGee also intrigue the Celtics.

But another option may also play out. There are several foreign big men who scouts like as future NBA contributors. Ainge agreed, but noted that group “is deep but with not star-like players but a lot of guys who will make the league.”

He said there are players he’d consider drafting, but only if they’d choose to remain in Europe for further seasoning. That move would save the team money against the luxury tax, and “then you get them when they can maximize their value when they do come aboard.”

Leading that group of players would be 6-10 Serge Ibaka, a native of the Congo who plays in Spain; 7-2 Croatian Ante Tomic; Australian Nathan Jawai (6-10, 280), and Croatian shooter Damjan Rudez. The two highest-rated foreign players, Italian shooter Danilo Gallinari and 7-1 Frenchman Alexis Ajinca, are expected to be gone in the top 15 picks.

Ainge has shown a talent for drafting well after the lottery has ended. He has picked or traded for Ryan Gomes (50th), Leon Powe (49th), Gabe Pruitt (32nd) and Glen Davis (35th) in the last three seasons. He’ll need more of that late luck tonight.

Once the draft is over, Ainge’s biggest test will come on the free-agent market. He said yesterday the free-agent market “is more unpredictable than the draft,” and added that players from championship teams “sometimes want to take advantage of that and go onto bigger roles and paychecks.”

Celtics fans hope that’s not the case with Posey. The team’s sixth man is expected to pass on his $3.4- million option for the 2008-09 season and look for a bigger deal on the open market. Ainge made no guarantees on Posey’s return, but emphatically stated, “We want James back. That’s my position. We need to come to an agreement, and that process will start on July 1.”

Ainge added that Brown, a center, is leaning toward retiring. If the Celts lose Posey, Brown and free-agent guards House, Sam Cassell and Tony Allen, they’d be down the bulk of their bench. Powe, Davis, Pruitt and Brian Scalabrine are all under contract for next season. Ainge is hoping Pruitt can be a solid backup guard, but he’d need to add a center and some wing players via free agency.

kmcnamar@projo.com