The Boston Celtics used the K-8 Edison School in Brighton as the venue to introduce the newest Celtics to the local media. The Celtics recently donated 25 “Celtics” MacBooks to the school and used today as an opportunity to show off the new mobile tech lab and their two most recent draft picks JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore.

Said Moore: ”It’s great, any time you do something in the community, for them to see us and us to meet them, welcome us to their community is definitely exciting.”

Johnson, who wore #25 in college, chose #12 to honor the number his mother wore in high school. Said his mother: ”And I told him, because our school colors were green and white.”

Moore, who wore #33 in college, chose #55 as a way to stay motivated with the constant reminder of where he was drafted .

Picking a number is not an easy chore for any new Celtic. The legendary cast of former players leaves few desired numbers left to choose from. Said Johnson: “It wasn’t a lot to decide from.”

#25 had been retired 44 years ago in honor of KC Jones and #33 was retired to honor the one and only Larry Legend.

Total A+ effort by the Celtics using a school to showcase their newest players who took the unconventional route and stayed in school. We have said this time and time again, the Celtics made the best of what was made available to them and are better for it. With an aging group of veterans already on the roster, the Celtics could not afford to take a gamble on a Euro or project player that would have taken years to yield tangible results.

Said Moore: ”It was definitely exciting for both of us, being chosen to the same team, we didn’t know it was going to happen, but it’s great. I’m excited and I can’t wait to start playing.”

As I look back at the draft I tend to like the picks more and more. In JaJuan Johnson, you get a versatile big man that can run the floor, play defense and hit a mid-range jumper. In E’Twuan Moore, you get a versatile guard that does just about everything well enough to pick the C’s up in different spots. Do I think they’ll be superstars? No, but I think they can be serviceable NBA players and that is a pretty good outcome considering how deep in the draft each player was selected.

With the 27th selection in the first round, the Celtics took 6-10 senior power forward JaJuan Johnson from Purdue. With the 25th (55th) selection in the second round, the Celtics took 6-4 senior shooting guard E’Twuan Moore, also from Purdue during the annual NBA draft on Thursday night.

Technically, the Celtics selected Providence College guard Marshon Brooks with the 25th overall selection. In a draft-day trade, the Celtics sent Brooks to the New Jersey Nets in return for the rights to Johnson and a 2014 second round pick. Brooks had been trending as a likely selection for the C’s leading up to the draft. The dynamic shooting guard lit up the Big East averaging 24.6 points and 7 rebounds per game.

While the trade is getting a lot of negative press in the Boston area based solely on the local connection. The Celtics added depth to the front court they so desperately needed.  Brooks is an electric player capable of driving to the hoop, he struggles on defense and has yet to find a consistent three-point stroke. With only Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O’Neal currently in the front court, the Celtics needed to add some length to their roster in a big way.

Let’s take a closer look at each selection:

JuJuan Johnson:
6-10 senior power forward from Purdue
20.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in the 2010-2011 season.

Strengths:

• Long, athletic big man: 8-10 reach with a 7-2 wingspan
• Above average shot-blocker
• Great leaper
• Runs the floor well
• Decent mid-range shot

Weaknesses

• Strength
• Low post game
• Basketball IQ
• Ability to transition to NBA

E’Twuan Moore

6-4 senior shooting guard from Purdue

18 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 3.2 assists per game in the 2010-2011 season.

Strengths:

• Lanky combo guard, capable of playing both spots
• Shooting ability, shot .400 from behind the arc as a senior
• Runs the floor well
• Decent defender

Weaknesses:

• Strength
• Athleticism
• Finishing at the basket
• Under sized
• Quickness

Overall, a solid draft for Danny Ainge. The Celtics added players that can play defense and shoot the ball well. The Celtics are loaded with scorers and needed to fill out the roster with players that can step in and contribute in other areas. Johnson and Moore may not be the sexiest picks in the draft, they fill a need. Having a player or two that can come off the bench and play defense and/or knock down a few buckets is an invaluable chip to a championship puzzle. Plus, having an extra second round pick, plus the Clippers lottery protected first round pick,  at their disposal puts the Celtics in a nice position to make extra moves leading up to and during the season.

The Houdini Says: A-

Solid draft in what was labeled as one of the worst draft classes in recent memory. In 5 years, we may look back and appreciate where the Celtics were able to nab each player.