Boston Celtics draft: Draft or pass on 3 prospects linked to Cs by B/R
It’s a much different draft season this year for the Boston Celtics than usual. As opposed to picking (sometimes twice) in the first round of the NBA Draft, the Cs will have to wait until the #45 pick in the second round.
The trade that sent Kemba Walker to Oklahoma City in exchange for Al Horford and Moses Brown cost them their first-round pick this year. It will be the Thunder that will be selecting in the C’s #16 slot, earned by making the postseason as the #7 seed in the Eastern Conference.
In a first-year challenge for new President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens, the second round of the draft will be where the team gets cost-controlled talent this offseason. Free agency and the trade market will be where the true fireworks happen, barring a draft-night deal.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman took to the task of finding which potential steals the Cs can bring on in the 2021 NBA Draft’s second round.
Prompting us to play a little draft or pass:
Boston Celtics second round draft target #1: Jason Preston, PG, Ohio
Jason Preston engineered a miracle Ohio run almost single-handedly, but it’s natural to get R.J. Hunter vibes from the mid-major March hero.
There are key differences to their game, though. Preston is more of a pure play-maker, whereas Hunter was a volume scorer. But Preston could also fill it up himself, and has a higher ceiling in the league given his size for the point guard position. Hunter was small for a wing.
Ultimately, if the Cs could land Preston, Tremont Waters and Carsen Edwards’ days would be numbered in green.