Five Realistic Celtics Draft Targets

Now that the Celtics’ season has (tragically) ended, it’s time to look ahead to everyone’s favorite draft, the NBA Draft. For now, the Boston Celtics only have the 27th overall pick; unless Danny Ainge throws fireworks directly into our faces, they’re going to need to think long and hard about who they’ll draft.

This is a deep, strong draft class, as per usual with basketball, even into the early second round. Boston should focus on backup backcourt help this draft year, with Marcus Smart being a restricted free agent and Terry Rozier set to hit the market next year. With Kyrie coming off of a knee injury when next season rolls around, the Celtics are going to need to ensure that the All Star has solid backup ready behind him on the bench.

Here’s my top five realistic draft targets, assuming that the Celtics remain put with the 27th pick:

De’Anthony Melton – SG/PG, USC

This 6’4”, 190-pound combo guard only played one season for the Trojans after missing his sophomore season due to suspension by the NCAA due to eligibility issues and was bribed during recruitment, an entirely separate story for another day. Melton averaged only 8.3 points per game as a freshman, hitting just 34 percent of his two-point jumpshots.

The attraction in his game is, you could probably guess, on defense in regards to his size. His 6’8” wingspan and near-200 pound stature makes for a perfect backcourt player on any NBA team. Melton is a notable shot blocker, averaging 1.9 blocks per game as a freshman. He has the ability to guard the perimeter, a critical quality in any player in today’s league. He’s somewhat of a swiss army knife on defense, being a versatile body who can guard multiple positions and can keep up with the average professional player.

Melton is frequently compared to Marcus Smart, and rightfully so. Their college stats are quite similar: Melton’s steal percentage at 4.0 with Smart’s at 5.2, and Melton’s block percentage at 3.9 with Smart’s at 2.0. Both also possess some ugly offensive numbers. Melton has a high ceiling, most likely as a role player in the NBA; he could use someone like Brad Stevens to develop him further (who couldn’t?).

Bruce Brown – SG/PG, Miami

This 6’5”, near-200-pound combo guard missed the latter half of this past season with a foot injury, significantly dropping his draft stock. Originally, multiple analysts placed him as either the 13th or 14th overall pick. Now, he’s slated to fall to the late first round or even late second round.

As a freshman, Brown was on fire with the ball in his hands, averaging 12 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game on a solid Canes team. In just 19 games as a sophomore this past season, he scored only 43 points on 58 jumpers. Although, Brown can set a mean pick and roll, one of the main strengths to his limited offensive game.

Brown is much more appealing on defense, with a high ceiling and elite ability. You can also compare this player to Marcus Smart, both being offensively challenged but can change the outcome of a game single-handedly with their strong and physical defense. Brown can guard most anyone and switch to multiple positions, which would mold well with the way the Celtics are currently set up.

Moritz Wagner – C, Michigan

While the Celtics are set at the moment with big men, this is a unique player in my eyes who could also mold well into Brad Stevens’ positionless basketball system. This 6’11”, 230-pound giant is a spectacular shooter for a guy his size, shooting nearly 39% on 300 attempts in his three-year college career. He’s a solid three-point shooter for his size, as well, getting massive separation behind the arc, let alone anywhere on the court.

Wagner ranked in the 76th percentile nationally this past season on catch-and-shoots, a good scorer off the dribble with nice handles for a player as big as he is. He’s a decent post scorer, as well, so he isn’t frustrating to watch, which I heavily appreciate. Unfortunately, Wagner will most likely be a defensive liability in the NBA, as he isn’t a terrific rebounder or blocker, which is strange considering how he’s nearly seven feet tall. He struggles to defend quick and athletic players and he himself lacks athleticism.

The center’s gift of ability to score in a number of ways will be what makes him a late first round pick, which is what most experts project. I see him becoming a situational center in the NBA at best, a flashy-type player off the bench.

Josh Okogie – SG, Georgia Tech

This 6’5”, 210-pound swingman made his mark in his two college seasons at Georgia Tech, becoming only one of six players in school history to record over 1,000 points before the end of their sophomore year (1,033). Okogie ranked fourth in ACC scoring this past season averaging 18.2 points per game, the highest PPG average the school had seen in 20 years.

On offense, Okogie is nothing to write home about. He’s a spotty shooter who can, at times, play a bit too wildly and turn the ball over too often for most people’s liking, averaging 2.5 turnovers per game in two seasons. He also can’t really finish at the rim, finding it hard to score in traffic. Defensively, his build gives him the edge in most matchups with his egregious seven-foot wingspan and large hands. He averaged a block per game and 1.5 steals per game in college.

The two-way guard would fit well in Boston’s positionless basketball system. Okogie has high value at the 27th pick regardless. His athleticism and overall potential make him a highly intriguing late first round target.

Jalen Brunson – PG, Villanova

I had to save the best for last, of course. This 6’2”, 200-pound pure point guard would be the perfect backup to Kyrie Irving, if Terry Rozier is moved at some point. Brunson was an x-factor in both of Nova’s title runs. He has two NCAA championships under his belt as well as being the most recent AP Player of the Year and also winning the Wooden Award, among others. His three-year resume with a highly renowned team like the Wildcats is quite endearing if I’m in the draft room with any NBA team.

While Brunson is a fairly average athlete, he is extremely skilled in most every department. The only question mark in his game is his size and slight lack of quickness. I worry that it’ll be a struggle for him to score on NBA bodies and that he’ll become a liability on defense as he can only defend one position, the point guard position. He has short arms with just a 6’4” wingspan.

Despite him being undersized even for a point guard, he shot 52.8 percent from the field this past season and 40.8 percent from deep. He’s left-handed, which gives him an edge on those towering over him to a degree in certain matchups. He’s a crafty scorer and can score from most anywhere. Brunson plays with much physicality on both ends of the court to help make up for his small size, which I admire and is probably the main reason why he’s my favorite for the Celtics to land in the upcoming draft.

At the end of the day, the Celtics really can’t screw up with the 27th pick. This is a deep draft with lots of options at hand. It will be interesting, nonetheless, to see which path Danny Ainge chooses to go down in the draft if he does decide to stay put at 27. The pick may or may not foreshadow another move down the line. Until then, we play the waiting and hypotheticals game.