LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Good article on Boston.com on upcoming draft. I think we can find some talent who could fit right in next year.

Roster will get greener
By Gary Washburn

The Celtics may be competitive for another season with their current roster of seasoned veterans, but they are in desperate need of youth. They own the 19th and 52d picks in next month’s draft and need to hit on those picks. While this draft is not star-studded beyond Kentucky guard John Wall, the Celtics can nab a productive player at No. 19 who will help the transition from the Big Three to the Rajon Rondo/Kendrick Perkins team. What this draft lacks in star power it makes up for in depth. That’s good news for an organization that has depended on the draft for Rondo and Perkins (by draft-day trades) and Tony Allen. With the salary cap, the most viable way for the Celtics to get younger is through the draft.

“They’re going to get two good players,’’ said NBA scouting director Ryan Blake. “Guys that may have a chance to make an impact at the end of next year. If they need a big, they have a chance for maybe someone like [Baylor’s Ekpe] Udoh, or [Kansas’s Cole] Aldrich could fall that far. A [Hassan] Whiteside could be there.’’ Falling from a potential lottery pick to late first round is Georgia Tech forward Gani Lawal, who could drop into the Celtics’ lap. Lawal is an athletic power forward who could succeed Kevin Garnett. His numbers may not reflect his potential because he played with Thaddeus Young and Derrick Favors at Georgia Tech.

“There are a lot of options out there,’’ Blake said. “I think there are a lot of players under the radar that really developed. What you want to do sometimes is go more for the sure thing than the home run and that player will still really have an upside. You don’t stop developing after you leave college.’’ If the Celtics went for Gordon Hayward, he could quickly become a fan favorite because of his rags-to-riches story at Butler. He was inches from winning the NCAA title with a half-court shot. Butler’s tournament run allowed Hayward to display his talents. He is a 6-foot-8-inch swingman with long-range shooting skills who proved a tough matchup for shooting guards and small forwards. Hayward just completed his sophomore season and has drawn unfair comparisons to Larry Bird, but he is an intriguing prospect for the Celtics.

“I have seen this guy a lot, and you look at his numbers and he’s pretty versatile,’’ Blake said. “He can really shoot the ball. He knows how to play. He’s not the strongest and not the quickest. Could he fall to 19? Of course he can. This draft is so unpredictable.’’That uncertainty may benefit the Celtics. With so many early entries, talented players are sure to fall. And president Danny Ainge has flourished with late first-rounders and second-rounders. Rondo was picked 21st, Allen 25th, Perkins 27th, and Glen Davis 35th.

Since the Celtics have few free agent options besides the mid-level exception this summer, the draft is even more critical.
“There are definitely star players in this draft,’’ said Blake. “But like anything else, there are going to be busts. You can’t look in a guy’s heart and tell how hard he is going to work. But that’s what makes this thing so inexact. “What I would tell people is don’t forget about the seniors. There are a good amount of seniors in this draft who don’t get the publicity because they stayed in college so long. And that adds to the options the Celtics have, so they have a real chance to get two good players.’’



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