After trading away 20th overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for the 24th and 33rd overall picks in the 2019 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics promptly traded the 24th overall pick and big man Aron Baynes to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick.
However, the second pick that Boston acquired in their trade with the Sixers has been put to use on a prospect, as former Purdue Boilermakers point guard Carsen Edwards was selected with the 33rd overall pick in the draft. Edwards joins former Indiana Hoosiers shooting guard Romeo Langford and former Tennessee Volunteers forward Grant Williams as members of Boston’s 2019 draft class.
Edwards is a player who, unlike Langford or Williams, projects to fit an area of need for the Celtics. The 6-foot-1, 200 pound point guard could be the floor general for Boston’s second unit as soon as 2019-20 with last season’s starting point guard Kyrie Irving expected to sign with another franchise this offseason and last season’s backup point guard, Terry Rozier, a restricted free agent who could outprice what the Celtics are willing to spend for him.
The Texas-native averaged 24.3 points per game last season but only shot 39.4 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from three-point range. It would be nice to say his paltry shooting efficiency was an anomaly, as he shot 45.8 percent from the field and 40.6 percent from three-point range in 2017-18. However, Edwards shot just 38.2 percent from the field and 34.0 percent from three-point range as a freshman.
He projects to be a second unit spark plug and though his fearless attitude will certainly be appreciated in Boston, his shot-selection could certainly stand to improve.
