Desmond Bane’s emergence highlights C’s poor scouting of shooters

The Boston Celtics have done well in the NBA draft in recent seasons with selections that include All-Star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but they have had poor misses, with one of them being trading away Desmond Bane.

The Celtics selected Bane with the 30th pick in the 2020 NBA draft but immediately traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies for a future pick. This has turned out to be a big mistake because of Bane’s elite scoring from his role this season.

Bane has been a surprise in the NBA this year as he has improved tremendously. In 2021-22, Bane is averaging 17.2 points per game, and he is shooting 47% from the field, 42% from the 3-point line, and 93.5% from the free-throw line.

These are impressive numbers for Bane as he is only 23 years old. Bane has stepped his game up recently as in his last seven games. He’s been averaging 21.9 points and he’s rocking a 51/52/100 shooting split.

Bane is currently +4000 to win the Most Improved Player Award, and he is helping a Memphis Grizzlies team that is currently sitting fourth in the Western Conference. Think we could call that a draft night miss at this point.

The Celtics deserve blame for letting Bane go as they are currently sitting ninth in the Eastern Conference, and they lack shooting. The C’s are 23rd in the NBA in team shooting percentage, and they lack young shooting talent.

Although Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith have shown flashes, they don’t have the consistency that Bane has. Not only would Bane give the Celtics the shooting they need, but he would also give them a foundational piece to pair with their young core. Look at how unbelievable Bane has been this season:

Unfortunately for the Celtics, Bane is not the only shooter they have let go recently as they had Max Strus and Garrison Matthews. Both players have produced quality shooting numbers since leaving the Cs. This season, Strus is averaging 11 points per game, and he is shooting 40% from downtown. Matthews is also having a solid shooting season as he is averaging 11 points per game, and he is shooting 37% from three.

Moving forward, the Cs have to put shooting as their number one priority at the deadline and in the offseason. The offense will be better off if they add more shooting because it will open up the floor for Tatum and Brown.

Ultimately, the Boston Celtics need to address their lack of shooting as they look to make a playoff push.