2015 NBA Draft Prospects Guaranteed to Interest the Boston Celtics

BLEACHER REPORT

By Grant Rindner , Featured Columnist

The NBA draft lottery order is set, and now with only four teams left in the playoffs to duke it out for the title, the focus of most fanbases is on whom their teams will take in the first round of the draft.

Coming off a successful 2014-15 season, the Boston Celtics are under a lot of pressure to draft someone who will be able to contribute immediately and build on their surprise playoff appearance.

The team has a few clear holes (frontcourt, small forward, three-point shooting) that it must address. Luckily, it is in prime position to draft an impact player with the No. 16 selection.

Now that the NBA Draft Combine is over and teams are left to their own devices, let’s look at three key prospects the Celtics will be mulling over as the draft approaches.

There’s obviously no guarantee that any of these players will end up wearing Celtics green, but Boston would be foolish not to consider them and take a closer look.

Devin Booker

2014-15 Stats: 10.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, 47.0 FG%, 41.1 3P%

Boston’s backcourt has plenty of depth, but it lacks one consistent offensive contributor from the guard spot.

Marcus Smart is still a raw scorer, Avery Bradley’s offense comes in spurts and Evan Turner is best used as a playmaker, not as a primary scorer.

All three are useful players, but the C’s could use someone who could come into the game and get buckets in a hurry, a role that is perfectly suited for Kentucky’s Devin Booker.

Booker’s numbers aren’t gaudy, since he played on a star-filled squad, but he was incredibly efficient and demonstrated a sophisticated feel for the game as a freshman.

As DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony writes, “He's not a flashy or high-volume shot-creator for himself or others, but will certainly make teammates better with his ability to keep the defense honest and force opponents to account for where he is on the court at all times.”

Booker picks his spots well, rarely forcing the issue and generally taking only high-percentage looks. This skill should translate well to the league.

He’s a terrific off-the-catch shooter (as his highlight reel below illustrates) and is also capable of putting the ball on the floor and getting to the rim.

Although not an elite passer, Booker can make the right reads, particularly on the fast break. He would fit well into the Celtics’ pace-and-space system.

His game obviously has some overlap with that of James Young, another athletic product of head coach John Calipari who plays the 2, but Booker is more polished at this point in his career than Young was.

He’s also a better shooter, in terms of both mechanics and shooting in different situations. He’s best spotting up but is more than capable of shooting off the dribble.

On the defensive end, Booker will take some time to adjust to the league. He isn’t particularly light of foot and will have some trouble rotating around the perimeter to contest shots.

Booker has incredibly short arms for a wing player (with a 6'8 ¼" wingspan), which hurts his defensive versatility, even though he has decent size at 6’5 ¾”. In the Celtics’ pick-and-roll coverage, his inability to switch will cause the team some problems.

He isn’t a no-brainer pick, but Booker is a low-risk option who could turn out to be a smart selection, particularly if someone comes along with an intriguing offer for Young.

Myles Turner

2014-15 Stats: 10.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 0.6 APG, 2.6 BPG, 45.5 FG%, 27.4 3P%

Frontcourt help is still a priority for Boston, and while Myles Turner did not exactly turn heads at Texas, he possesses tremendous upside and a decent skill set.

He isn’t a freak-athlete big man, and his plodding running style is a concern for a fast-paced team, but Turner is more polished than other young players his size.

Turner is a quality jump-shooter who has the potential to be a true stretch 5 in the league.

While the C’s have worked with Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger stretching the floor, that role is a more natural fit for Turner, who is comfortable out beyond the arc and in the valuable corner spots.

Of course, the problem with being a jump-shooting big man is that it can sometimes impact Turner’s effectiveness.

As DraftExpress’ Derek Bodner writes, “That jump shot is both his biggest strength and, at times, his biggest weakness, as it plays a pivotal role in every facet of his offensive game.”

Turner works hard offensively, both in the post and off the ball, but a huge amount of his shots end up as jumpers. He'll have to get more authoritative going to the basket if he wants to succeed as an NBA center.

His season highlight video (below) is long on his impressive shooting but doesn’t feature a lot of scoring around the rim.

Still, Turner should be able to score right away, and perhaps he will make his biggest immediate impact defensively.

Boston has lacked a true shot-blocker since it dealt Kevin Garnett, and Turner was a strong rim protector for the Longhorns.

He has an absurd wingspan (7'4"), a good sense of timing and the ability to block shots both from the weak side and as a primary defender. Turner does a decent job of recovering, too, which will help with Boston’s pick-and-roll coverage.

Unlike some centers, he shows decent judgment and doesn’t go for every rejection possible, which can often get young players into trouble early in their careers.

He’s not an elite rebounder, and it will take time for him to develop the strength necessary to bang down low for boards, but he at least has the length to go up over opponents.

Boston has experimented in the past with taking raw big men like Fab Melo and Semih Erden, and while Turner is far from a fully formed prospect, he’s more of an immediate asset than those players were.

Obviously, there is a chance he never develops the ability to hang with more physical big men and ultimately flames out, but Turner’s talents make him a viable choice for Boston to fill its void at center.

Turner might not be ready to contribute much as a rookie, but he possesses a high ceiling that makes him someone for the C’s to keep an eye on.

Kevon Looney

2014-15 Stats: 11.6 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 47.0 FG%, 41.5 3P%

Although he has a reputation as somewhat of a tweener, UCLA’s Kevon Looney has a well-rounded game that should translate immediately to the league.

He isn’t an all-world athlete, but Looney can play above the rim and is a versatile scorer.

While not a volume outside shooter (1.5 three-point attempts per game), Looney has legitimate range on his jumper and is comfortable pulling up or shooting from a set position.

His highlight reel (below) showcases his ability to score in a variety of ways: from the perimeter, driving to the hole and off offensive rebounds.

Looney would be a tremendous rebounder at the 3-spot, potentially helping to shore up Olynyk’s troubles on the boards, and his tenacity means that Boston could go small and play him at power forward without getting slaughtered on the glass.

He makes good decisions in transition and would be a natural fit in Boston’s uptempo scheme.

Still, there are some concerns about how his game will translate to the league, given that he isn’t an elite athlete.

As DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony writes, “Some of his limitations are fairly worrying, though, and could certainly limit his potential to develop into a starting caliber player in today's hyper-athletic NBA, so continuing to develop his perimeter game and trying to maximize his frame and explosiveness will be imperative moving forward.”

On the defensive end, Looney tries hard and doesn’t gamble too often, but he will have trouble guarding brawnier power forwards to start his career. Looney isn’t much of a post defender and doesn’t have the hops to protect the rim consistently.

His long arms are assets that allow him to contest shots even when he has trouble keeping up with quicker players.

Looney doesn’t have superstar potential, but he should be a good bench contributor right off the bat.

Boston needs someone to come off the bench and spot Jae Crowder, and while Looney’s game overlaps somewhat, he is a good fit for what the C’s are trying to do.

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I would be surprised if Turner or Booker are there at #16 .

Booker doesn't make any sense for us. We already have a better version in James Young.
Booker isn't any better on defense, and doesn't have the versatility to play SF like Young does.

Rambone,

I fully agree with Booker not being much of a thought for Boston. Not sure that Young will ever make it, but there is no use adding another similar guy to next year's roster.

I get a kick out of Rinder's assertion that, "Evan Turner is best used as a playmaker, not as a primary scorer."  Wow, has Evan's reputation done a 180 since a year ago.


Sam