It’s not uncommon for national mock drafts to do a poor job of projecting nuance in team needs, and given the difficulty of keeping tabs on what 30 different franchises have going on with their rosters, it’s understandable.
But team-specific mock drafts put together by established analysts often are the antidote, and in the case of NBC Boston Sports’ most recent mock draft by A.Sherrod Blakely has done exactly that with his latest, now in its eighth incarnation.
The longtime Celtics analyst has some interesting prospects on deck for the Celtics in his projection of the 2020 NBA Draft worth a look in our estimation, fitting needs as well as roster realities.
With that said, let’s take a look at Blakeley’s projected picks for Boston.
No. 14 (via the Memphis Grizzlies): Aaron Nesmith – wing – Vanderbilt
While there’s a very real possibility the Celtics trade up or even out of this draft, should they use their No. 14 pick secured in the deal that sent Jeff Green to the Griz in 2015, a shooter ought to be high on their list.
And for Blakeley, that would be Aaron Nesmith of Vanderbilt, a flamethrower from 3 who hit a ridiculous 52.2% of his treys at a sizzling pace of 8.2 attempts per game last season. While there’s no guarantee his shooting will translate, Nesmith is a very worthy prospect for Boston’s 14th pick.
No. 26 (Own): Isaiah Stewart – center – Washington
Stewart is a polarizing prospect, but his upside is indeed tantalizing. A big man with some heft who can protect the rim ought to be on Boston’s list of needs, but it’s questionable whether Stewart’s old-school big skills are worth burning a first-round pick on.
The kicker is he’s seen as having a solid chance of developing a jumper he didn’t really get a chance to work on in college. Hitting 77.4% of his free throws suggests it’s not out of the question, but it would surprise if this was the pick used on Stewart given the uncertainty.
No. 30 (via Milwaukee Bucks): Leandro Bolmaro – guard – Barcelona
The Celtics won’t be able to keep all their picks in this draft unless they free up space, and one option is stashing a player overseas. This can be a hard sell for prospects set on on playing in the NBA right away, but Bolmaro — already overseas — might be talked into it more easily.
And while in many ways a wing at 6-foot-7 with his slashing game on offense, it’s his passing that makes Bolmaro such a sexy prospect. Being able to deploy a floor general with that kind of size and game would be an intriguing option for Boston at No. 30.
