Celtics just took the ultimate high-upside gamble in NBA Draft with Chris Cenac Jr.

The Celtics had a lot of options with the 27th overall pick in Tuesday night’s NBA Draft and chose to go with frontcourt depth in Chris Cenac Jr. out of Houston. Cenac is just 19 years old, and at 6’10” with a 7’5” wingspan and absurd athleticism, he has all kinds of potential as a big man who can play down low and on the perimeter.

But he has a lot to work on. It’s a worthy shot on upside at the end of the first round, but make no mistake about it: Cenac is a project. He’s an incredible athlete, but for now, most of his upside is hypothetical.

Chris Cenac Jr. is a raw project

He needs to get stronger and tougher, and needs to improve his jump shot if he’s going to be on the perimeter as much as he wants to. He struggled to finish around the rim and to hit threes and was a little too happy to settle in the midrange. For such a large, freakish athlete, he plays a little too passively, and it can be frustrating how much he seems to want to play like a wing despite his size.

Still, he is young, and all of the potential is there. He moves incredibly well for his size and should be able to switch onto all kinds of players. He should be a monster on the glass and a rim protector as well. The jumper looks good, even if the results left a lot to be desired.

Cenac may start his career in Maine, but that may not be such a bad thing. The Celtics have a great track record of developing big men, and Cenac has all the tools. He needs to clean some things up, work on his motor, his focus, and his fundamentals. He has incredible gifts and tools, but needs to channel them before he’s ready to contribute to winning at the NBA level.

Celtics took high upside chance on Cenac Jr.

If the Celtics can tap into that potential, this pick could look like a steal in a couple of years, as Cenac has the dream makeup of a modern big man, and that’s exactly what Boston needs. But it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to help much right away, and with all of the red flags, there’s a real chance this never comes to fruition.

I’m willing to give Brad Stevens and the Celtics’ brain trust the benefit of the doubt, and the same goes for their developmental team. The fact that he played for Kelvin Sampson at Houston is another check in his favor. But there’s a long way to go, and anyone hoping for an instant-impact player may be disappointed.

It’s also notable that the Celtics were reportedly working the phones and trying to make some moves around this pick. Jake Fischer also reported that the Pelicans were high on Cenac, a team that Boston has been frequently connected to recently. But for now, the Celtics have picked up a high-upside youngster to help bolster their frontcourt.

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