Boston Celtics Mock Draft 4.0: June Edition

No. 16 – Denzel Valentine, SG/SF, Michigan State

Teams have started to find out that Denzel Valentine is dealing with some knee problems, which in turn could cause him to drop. It’s not too serious as he’s not expected to fall outside the top-20. I don’t think he’ll fall past the Boston Celtics at number 16 because his fit with the team makes too much sense.

The notion of Evan Turner re-signing with the Celtics is becoming foggier as the New York Knicks are now reportedly interested in him. Turner was a big part of Boston’s game plan last season but he’s not worth overpaying, especially if Valentine falls into the Celtics’ lap.

Valentine is one of the most versatile player in the draft. He’s listed as a shooting guard but he can play the two or three and is a good enough ball-handler to act as a point forward. The Celtics need a player who can bring the ball up besides Isaiah Thomas, and Valentine can act as that player.

Other than giving the Celtics flexibility about re-signing Turner, he’s a hard-working player Brad Stevens would love to coach. Even though some people have concerns about his athleticism, Valentine creates shots for himself as well as anyone in the draft.

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He can pull-up and take a mid-range jumper, drive to the basket, or hit from behind the arc consistently. Valentine shot an amazing 44.4 percent from three and a ridiculous 49.6 percent from behind the arc during Big 10 play. His three-point game is the most underrated part of his game, as he can pull-up or be a catch-and-shoot target.

Valentine didn’t show the range that Jamal Murray and Buddy Hield did last season, so that could be why he doesn’t get as much praise, although, there’s no denying he’d be a huge help in that category for Boston.

He’s played four seasons under Tom Izzo and hasn’t had any off-the-court problems. He’s hard-working, a great outside shooter, can guard multiple positions, and is able to create shots for himself. His ceiling isn’t as high as some rookies but he can come in right away and give the Celtics the versatility Turner did last year.

Next: No. 23 Cheick Diallo