Yesterday, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reported that the Celtics were indeed interested in Barnes, and they got to see him for a second time when they were down in Miami for the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics also got a look at Terrance Ross, a 6’7″ shooting guard/small forward from Washington.

Ross is currently projected to go in the mid-teens of the first round. The Houston Rockets hold the 14th, 16th, and 18th picks, and it has been rumored that both the Celtics and Rockets are in some sort of trade discussions.

Barnes on the other hand, is a lock at the lottery picks. For the Celtics to move up that many spots, they’ll probably have to give up one of their first round picks, along with a player or two.

Both players can play at the small forward position, but Terrance Ross is primarily a shooting guard.

In his sophomore year, Ross averaged 16.4 ppg and 6.5 rebounds. One thing that concerns me about him is that he is only a 37% shooter from the 3 point line. Usually shooting guards are decent 3 point shooters, but for Ross, he can score from different areas on the court.

From what I can gather from this rumor, the Celtics probably won’t trade up to draft both Barnes and Ross unless they play them at two different positions. Barnes could play either power forward or small forward, while Ross could always play at shooting guard.

They both sound like very intriguing prospects, and they have a lot of potential. It makes me  think that maybe they will be Pierce and Ray Allen’s replacements.

One thing the Celtics still need to answer is their lack of size. Seeing that the Celtics will have to trade up for either player, maybe they could get a big man in return.

Draft night is certainly going to be interesting. The Celtics could be very busy Thursday night, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they make multiple trades before the last pick has been selected.

Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated tweeted:

“Source says Iowa State F Royce White does not have a promise from Boston.”

Either way, the Celtics obviously seem interested. So lets take a look at Royce White and see what he could possibly bring to the Boston Celtics.

Who is Royce White?

White is a 6’8″, 261 lb small forward/power forward from Iowa State. In his sophomore year, White lead his team in points, assists, rebounds, steals, and blocks.

To do that playing at a big school like Iowa State, he must be really good.

Like Jared Sullinger, White has been red flagged, but for different reasons. White suffers from anxiety when having to fly, and he’s had a few off the court issues. His anxiety can always be dealt with, and if he can stay out of trouble, he may be a very good draft choice.

Offense

Offensively, White is a jack of all trades. He can play in the post, drive to the basket, take an outside shot, can set up the offense, and can dish the ball. In these days, he’d be known as a point-forward in the NBA.

He can run the fast break, and surprisingly for some his size, he can start and finish in transition. From what I see he has all the tools to become a good offensive player. Like I said earlier, he’s just got to stay in line, and improve on his anxiety problems.

Defense

On defense, White can matchup against most power forwards. While he did lead his team in blocks, its unlikely he’ll get as many at the next level considering most of the other power forwards in the league are bigger.

He’s an exceptional defensive rebounder, and for someone who’s going up against players 2 to 3 inches taller down in the paint, its quite impressive that he grabs so many boards.

Overall

I think Royce White could become a really good ball player. He won’t much of a project on the court since he’s developed enough to play right away. His off the court issues are my only concern, but if he can stay out of trouble and doesn’t let his anxiety of flying hinder him, then he’d be worth drafting.

Moe Harkless is one player that I am very intrigued by. Harkless, a 6’9 small forward from St. Johns could be an excellent backup to Paul Pierce, if the Celtics decide not to re-sign Jeff Green.

I really like Harkless’ potential, and I feel that he could be a good player if he gets good coaching and playing time.

Offense

Offensively, he has some growing to do. He can make shots from about 20 feet out consistently, but is not a great 3 point shooter. For a player who has the length like Harkless, shooting from the perimeter is usually one of their best strengths. If he can develop a nice outside shot, he’ll become a very lethal player on the court.

When he doesn’t have the ball, Harkless will run the floor in transition. Constantly I get frustrated when no one is running with Rondo on the fast break. Having a small forward who can run with him would make the whole team better, especially since Avery Bradley was thriving on fast break points when he was on the court with Rondo.

Harkless’ athleticism is another thing I like about him. For the past 2 or 3 years the Celtics haven’t had a player like that, and with an aging team, bringing in someone athletic maybe what the Celtics need.

Defense

On defense, Harkless uses his length to his advantage. He can block shots, tip passes away from the intended player, and on occasion gets some steals. His length alone is the reason why he can play good defense.

Rajon Rondo is probably the only player on the Celtics whose length is comparable to Harkless. Having a defense that consists of Rondo, Harkless, and Avery Bradley would be quite entertaining.

Ultimately, I like his defensive potential. Defense creates offense, and if the Celtics could force more turnovers and get rebounds, their offense will benefit immensely.

Moe Harkless’ Stats at St. Johns

15.3 ppg, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks

If a 6’9 small forward is bringing down 8.6 rebounds a game, you essentially have a power forward. Rebounding is what killed the Celtics this year versus the Miami Heat. I can’t emphasize enough that drafting a rebounder in this year’s draft is a must for the Celtics.

Personally, I’d be thrilled if the Celtics draft Harkless. It all depends on their decision, but if they decide to keep their picks, there will still be good options later in the draft.