Per a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Boston Celtics conducted an interview with potential lottery pick, Scottie Barnes, out of Florida State. It was an easy glance by at first, thinking Celtics are just doing their due diligence, and then you remember… the Cs no longer hold a lottery pick.
So what does this mean?
Is President-Brad going to move right back into the lottery, just after trading the 16th pick in the Walker-Horford swap?
It doesn’t make all too much sense, speaking that after the deal, Stevens stated:
"We had to look at the idea of moving that first round pick this year, it gave us the opportunity to look at a road ahead, with a few more options from a financial flexibility standpoint, as well as the best deal, we thought, with returning players."
From that quote alone, I would have said that Stevens did not want to draft at all in his first year and get some more established players on the team, as opposed to more projects. However, the report from multiple sources, including Barnes himself, directly contradicts that statement.
Maybe the OKC deal wasn’t getting done without that 16th pick?
Maybe Stevens does want to draft in the lottery to show everyone he can draft. Whatever the reason may be, Barnes sure is an interesting and exciting player to think about taking.
The 19-year-old athletic prospect is truly breathtaking to watch, I mean just check out these raw numbers:
Scottie Barnes physical profile in the combine looks pretty good.
— Poliseli (@BBall_Poliseli) June 24, 2021
6’7 w/o shoes
7’2.75 wingspan
225 lbs
2.99 Shuttle run (2nd best)
36’’ Standing vertical leap (3rd best)
39.5’’ Max vertical leap (9th best)
10.88 Lane agility time (8th best)
The 6-9 talent can do pretty much everything, with the exception of consistently knock down a jumper. He can distribute the ball very well, having a very high IQ, with an ability to handle the ball through tough situations.
He is a pest on the defensive end, and Kevin O’Connor said:
"At worst, he’ll be a good defender; at best, he will win defensive accolades throughout his career."
Now, if that doesn’t sound like the type of project Brad Stevens would want to take on, especially with a defensive-minded coach like Udoka, then what does?
Playing point guard in high school, then transitioning based on height is one thing, but Barnes played point all the way through college — he’s that good of a playmaker.
This means that even with his long frame and crazy height, he still has all the capabilities of being a high-volume playmaker, which is extremely valuable in today’s game.
Even if Barnes isn’t the only guy the Boston Celtics are going after, it is definitely a storyline to watch out for within the next couple of weeks.