Boston Celtics Draft Profile: Taurean Prince
The Boston Celtics have a lot of different needs that should be addressed this offseason, and while they are secure with their starting small forward, they are desperate for depth behind Jae Crowder. Especially with Evan Turner anticipating a decent pay day in free agency, the Celtics would be wise to look for the depth they need with some of their later picks in the draft. One person the Celtics will be looking at, who can provide the exact kind of depth they need behind Crowder is Taurean Prince.
There may be more immediate help available to the starting unit, but Prince is exactly the kind of player the Celtics need to make sure they can maintain an advantage with their second unit. At 6’8 and 220 pounds Prince has the measurable to play the same 3/4 hybrid that Crowder was so successful in last season.
Prince has also shown the potential to be a similar two way player. He will not be a ball handler for the Celtics and his play making ability will be limited, but he can come in and be productive on both ends. Prince is a capable shooter that quickly turned into a three point threat. He regressed in his final year but Prince’s career average is a solid 37.6%.
It takes a special combination of aggressiveness and intelligence to play the way Crowder did for the Celtics this season, but Prince will have a great opportunity to grow behind him in the exact same system that allowed Crowder to break out.
If Prince cannot prove that he is a three point shooter in the NBA then he may never take on a serious role, but his ability on the defensive end should be enough to get him minutes from Stevens. Crowder plays the most significant defensive role and it is important to try to maintain that with the second unit.
Prince has proven that he can generate steals and a career defensive rating of 98.7 is exactly what the Celtics are looking for. If Prince can hold his own on the defensive end with the second unit the Celtics will be a great place for him to work on the efficiency that he needs to be successful.
Prince never got the minutes to truly dominate on the offensive end with Baylor, but the productivity he managed in his minutes is a great sign for the Celtics. He knows how he can attack and Stevens should be able to find a way to use that.
The Celtics have used the draft to solidify their guard depth and Prince would be a great option to do the same for their small forwards. Their plans with Turner would certainly impact how much they value small forward depth but Prince would remain a great option to help fill in when Crowder is out.
Prince’s defensive intelligence may be his most appealing aspect. The Celtics flourish with a lot of aware defenders and Prince should be able to find a way to feed off his teammates, and on a second unit with Smart and Rozier or Turner, Prince could help solidify the defense of one of the more important second units.
The hope is that the Celtics will get their high end talent in free agency but these NBA finals have put on full display the importance of a good second unit. Stevens loves to use a lot of different lineups and with Prince’s ability to guard either guard and small forward positions gives him great versatility. At 6’8, Stevens will also certainly give Prince a chance to guard the four in certain small ball lineups.
Prince has shown signs of that mentality that has been crucial to Crowder’s success with Boston. When on the court, he always made the necessary hustle plays and he needed to be aggressive in order to be as productive as he was.
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Prince may not be a game changer on either end, but he’s a great later option for the Celtics in a draft where they will have many opportunities to address multiple needs. The upside is if Prince can remain a good three point shooter at the next level. They need play makers but they need shooters more. If Prince can bring the defensive depth while boosting their three point shooting, then he can have an extremely impactful rookie season.