The Boston Celtics are the subject of a new NBA Draft piece by the Athletic’s Sam Vecenie and Jared Weiss that looks at what might be in Boston’s plans for the 2020 Draft, using a number of prospects reviewed in big board style instead of specific draft pick projections.
The list the duo analyzes has six players in total, five of which the Celtics Wire has analyzed before, and a new prospect for us to dive into as well.
Some of the potential picks might not fall within Boston’s likely range — 17th overall (via the Memphis Grizzlies), No. 26 (their own) and 30th overall (due from the Milwaukee Bucks) if the season ended today.
But with seven rookies on the roster already this season, a move to consolidate contracts, picks or both seems more than plausible. We’ll include a portion of their analysis of each player as well, and our previous assessments — where applicable — are linked in each player’s name and school.
That said, let’s work our way through the prospects Weiss and Vecenie float as potential fits for Boston, in reverse order for just a touch of drama.
A 19-year-old, 6-foot-6 shooting guard, Green is an excellent defender who needs to work on his shot, which aligns well with Vecenie’s analysis:
“Defensively, he’s an absolutely terrific on-ball defender who can deal with multiple different player types due to his quickness at 6-foot-5 with solid length.”
Green averaged 12 points, 4.6 boards, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game in his freshman season at Arizona.
Bey is a 6-foot-8 small forward who weighs just 218 pounds, and is a little older at 21 as a sophomore. But while he’ll need to put on some muscle to defend at the next level, he’s a very good shot who likely won’t need to adjust much to be effective in the NBA offensively.
“Bey knocked down over 45 percent of his 3-point attempts this season, and was a multi-positional defender for Villanova,” agrees Vecenie. “The Wildcats had no issue throwing him on guards or forwards.”
Bey logged 16.1 points, 4.7 boards and 2.4 assists per game for Villanova last season.
A Celtics Wire favorite, and for good reason. The Vanderbilt product is a lethal long-distance shooter (52.2 % on 8.2 attempts per game in 2019-20), and a good defender to boot.
“Nesmith is a monster shooter, and he’s particularly great at it coming off screens and off movement,” observes Vecenie. “That’s an immediately translatable skill, and it’ll help him make an impact early as a floor spacer.”
Nesmith recorded 23 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest last season.
It may be tough to nab Vassell without moving up, but if it’s possible, Boston has the assets to make a case for it. And Vassell would be worth a solid package, too, given his elite passing and feel for the game. He’s an excellent 3-point shot at the NCAA level at 41.5 % — a fact not lost on Weiss:
“Vassell excites me the most of any of the potential post-lottery prospects, especially the way he attacks off handoffs and is so good off the catch.”
Vassell scored 12.7 points, 5.1 boards, 1.6 assists and a block per contest with the Seminoles last season.
While Achiuwa doesn’t do anything at an elite level, he’s a well-rounded player who likely can hold his own at in NBA defensively. His lack of feel for the game and poor shooting loom as issues for the 20-year-old, 6-foot-9 forward, but the latter is at least fixable.
“Achiuwa seems like he would be the ultimate guy for [Boston’s] defense,” offered Weiss.” He’s shown he can switch across the board, and I like how he moves his feet back and puts both hands in the air. ”
The Bronx native put up 15.8 points, 10.8 boards and 1.9 blocks per game in his sole season with the Tigers to date.
Tyrese Maxey – Kentucky
Maxey will likely require wheeling and dealing to get to his range. But the 6-foot-3 shooting guard — just 19 years old — is probably worth a call, as he shows elite passing skills and solid handles if a poor shot at 29.2 %from deep.
“I like Maxey’s fluidity off the bounce and the way he can spot up and attack closeouts with some smooth shiftiness,” opined Weiss. “He would bring an element of ball control and composure in the paint the team really needs.”
The Texas native logged 14 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his freshman season at Kentucky.
