Boston Celtics: Complex Sports predicts a big 2020 draft for Cs

Complex Sports’ latest mock sees the Boston Celtics come away big from the 2020 NBA Draft.

While the NBA draft is still about four months away (October 15th), we here at the Houdini are super excited about the potential successes the Boston Celtics could find on the night what with the fact that they hold the rights to three selections in the first round alone.

Owning their own pick, along with the rights to the Memphis Grizzlies’ and Milwaukee Bucks’ pick, according to current projections the Cs will be on the clock at 17 (MEM), 26 (BOS), and 30 (MIL).

Through our own iterations of mock drafts, we’ve concocted many ways in which the Celtics could come away from this illustrious night as huge winners, and have become big fans of a few specific incoming talents along the way.

Apparently, we’re not alone in this mindset.

According to a recently released mock draft, Complex Sports also believes Boston has a serious chance of coming away from this year’s draft victorious, and are very much aligned with our thought process in regard to who the team should target with their selections.

With their picks, writer Danny Cunningham envisions the Cs selecting Alabama point guard Kira Lewis Jr. at 17, Maryland big-man Jalen Smith at 26, and Washington power forward Isaiah Stewart at 30.

Here are Cunningham’s main reasons as to why he chose each of these three players:

Kira Lewis Jr., PG

"Lewis Jr. is one of the faster players in this draft and possesses a nice stroke on his jumper on the offensive end. He has the skillset to create instant offense in the NBA and that’s something that very much should be welcomed for a team that’s currently 29th in bench scoring for the season at just 27.2 points per game."

Jalen Smith, PF/ C

"This feels like a spot where the Celtics can gamble on a raw talent like Smith. He’s got raw skills and pretty strong measurables, but his game isn’t all the way there yet. He has a solid outside shot and rebounding ability along with shot blocking to where the Celtics have something to work with."

Isaiah Stewart, PF

"The Celtics are taking another gamble on a guy that doesn’t necessarily have the most polished game here. But what Stewart does have is a very energetic on-court demeanor that could pay dividends off the bench. If he can become a contributor with the final pick in the first round, that’s a win for Boston."

For those of you familiar with my writing, I have been a massive advocate for the Boston Celtics to select Jalen Smith for quite some time. In fact, I’ve gone as far as to compare the 20-year-old ‘s game to that of former NBA great Chris Bosh during his collegiate days at Georgia Tech — before you judge, look at my reasonings in past writings and look at the tape for both players.

Showcasing a solid shooting stroke, comfortability with putting the ball on the floor and an unbelievable feel for the game on defense, I am under the belief that the forward/ center — averaged 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game on 54 percent shooting from the floor and 37 percent shooting from deep — would be an amazing fit within Brad Stevens’ scheme.

If the team could nab him with the 26th pick, I’d go as far as to say it would be the perfect selection.

As for the other two picks, there’s really no room for argument as to whether Boston should look elsewhere.

Kira Lewis Jr. is a talented point guard — 18.5 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.8 steals on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 37 percent shooting from deep — who has shown an affinity to score off the catch as well as when driving to the rim and showcased some solid court vision during his time at Alabama.

If selected, he’d come in and immediately compete to replace Brad Wanamaker as Kemba Walker‘s primary backup on the depth chart — something that’s been needed for the better part of the past two seasons.

As for the Isaiah Stewart selection, though raw like Cunningham stated, the power forward — 17 points, 8.8 boards and 2.1 blocks per game on 57 percent shooting from the field in 2019-20 — is a defensive-minded presence who, similar to Marcus Smart, is a hard worker willing to lay it all on the line and do the little things (hustling on both ends of the court, diving on the floor for loose balls, etc.) that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.

At such late selections, it’s hard for a general manager to find clear-cut standout prospects that would come in and help their franchise better than any other available options.

Having said that, it appears Complex Sports has mapped out a plan for the Boston Celtics to make the most of their three picks and, in turn, their mock draft gets the Houdini’s stamp of approval.