So who are the Celtics going to pick?

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2016/05/18/onhoop/hMDIrQYw65YbgMCDM9HaiI/story.html



So who are the Celtics going to pick?





By Gary Washburn GLOBE STAFF  


MAY 19, 2016




WALTHAM — This can’t be just a two-man draft, can it? That apparently was the case last year when the Minnesota Timberwolves were supposed to decide between Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor.

Then D’Angelo Russell emerged with impressive workouts and into the good graces of the Lakers, who picked second. Then Kristaps Porzingis turned into the next international sensation in New York and Devin Booker, drafted 13th, averaged 19.2 points per game after the All-Star break.


The NBA Draft isn’t an exact science and the Celtics’ third pick could eventually be a better player than the first two picks. And the Celtics’ 16th pick could potentially be an All-Star. The process is unpredictable, and there shouldn’t be disappointment because the Celtics didn’t land one of the top two picks — projected to be Ben Simmons of LSU and Brandon Ingram of Duke.

There is a list of talented players that will be available at No. 3. The Celtics don’t have to move the pick unless they get a sweetheart deal for a veteran player. This situation is not as bad as believed if the Celtics find someone they covet.

The question is the direction the Celtics choose for that third pick. With a handful of players already developing — Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, James Young, R.J. Hunter, Jordan Mickey, and even last year’s second-rounder, Marcus Thornton — do the Celtics want another player who may need time to develop?


Jamal Murray of Kentucky is a solid shooter, a good prospect. The freshman averaged 20 points per game, an impressive feat, and could develop into the shooting guard the Celtics have missed since the departure of Ray Allen. Murray enters the draft as one of the youngest players in the lot. He turned 19 in February.

Excelling at the high Division 1 level does not necessarily equate into being NBA ready. The Celtics chose a 19-year-old one-and-done out of Kentucky two years ago — Young — and are still waiting for him to develop.


Young was selected 16th overall, and the draft is littered with prospects who could take as many as five years to turn into starters.

While it has been rumored that Kris Dunn may have to avoid the Celtics in the draft, the Providence product said following Tuesday’s draft lottery he would be interested in playing in Boston.

“I bring a lot on and off the court,” he said. “I’m a team player. On the court, I try to impact the game in multiple ways, not just scoring but defending, trying to rebound, get guys involved. I’m right up the street from Boston and I know about those guys. It would be fun to be there to fulfill a lot of my dreams.”

Dunn is a gifted defender and the best true point guard in the draft. He could immediately become a top reserve for the Celtics with the possibility of flourishing into a star. Rozier, Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, and Smart have had to adapt to playing point guard. Dunn is a true point guard.

The most intriguing player who likely will draw the most attention in the next few weeks is Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield, a senior who averaged 25 points and shot 50.1 percent from the field and 45.7 from the college 3-point line in his final season.

He is the most NBA-ready player among the candidates at No. 3, and there could be a level of excitement with his arrival because of his scoring prowess and comparisons to two-time MVP Stephen Curry.

“In Buddy Hield, you have a guy who not only is a great shooter, but makes tough, contested shots because he has great footwork,” ESPN draft guru Fran Fraschilla said. “He’s a product of four years of just being in a gym; you combine it with his athleticism and he’s ready-made to help a team right away.”

Perhaps the antithesis of Hield is 7-1 Dragan Bender of Croatia, this year’s best international prospect. He is considered raw and might play another season with Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israeli Super League, but he could emerge as the long-awaited big man the Celtics have desired.

Bender has been compared with Knicks rookie standout Porzingis of Latvia, but Porzingis, at 7-3, was considered further along as a prospect and more prepared for the NBA.

“Sometimes we all really like a guy,” Celtics assistant general manager Austin Ainge said. “Just hoping he falls to us, and sometimes we’re not all in agreement, but it’s still early in the process and we’re still working through it. There are some good players.”

When asked about Bender, Ainge said: “Dragan is one of the top players in his last four years in Europe. So he’s well known.”

There are other candidates for the Celtics, such as Cal’s Jaylen Brown, Marquette’s Henry Ellenson, and 7-1 Jakob Poeltl of Utah. It will be an arduous next five weeks for the Celtics’ brass because of their options. But the NBA is filled with stars who were not considered even close to being the best player of their draft class.

It all depends on the scouting, and the team situation. The Celtics have plenty of needs, and plenty of players are available who could fill them more than capably.



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