3 Boston Celtics NBA draft targets with pick No. 30, 2 with pick No. 54
By Kyle Collis
F Tyler Smith - G-League Ignite
Tyler Smith is a 6'9, 224-pound forward with a 7’1 wingspan who played for the G League ignite last season. During that time, he averaged 13.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, and a block per game while shooting 36.4% from deep.
Many don’t see him as a very impactful defender, but his height and wingspan are slightly bigger than Jayson Tatum's, so if anything, that gives him a shot at being a good defender who can guard multiple positions. He’s a solid post scorer who can catch lobs, but his biggest strength would be spacing the floor with his capable three-point shooting.
You can never have too many lengthy wings that can shoot the ball, so if Tyler Smith is available at 30, the Celtics could look to add another.
G/F Terrance Shannon Jr. - Illinois
Illinois's Terrance Shannon Jr. is a six-foot-six guard/wing with great athleticism. He is older in terms of draft prospects at age 23, but for a team that is competitive now, like the Celtics, adding an older, more mature player can sometimes mean contributing sooner than a 19 or 20-year-old.
Unlike Smith, Shannon is viewed positively on the defensive side of the ball. However, he doesn’t space the floor, as his shooting numbers haven't been very consistent throughout his five seasons in college. He shot as high as 38.4% on just 3.3 attempts per game in 2021-22 but in 2022-23, when he started taking five three point attempts per game, that percentage dropped to 32.1%. But in his most recent season at Illinois, on 6.7 attempts per game, his percentage jumped back to a more respectable 36.2%.
His amazing athleticism lets him attack the rim with ease and even get to the free throw line, where he’s an 80% shooter. He could turn into a very balanced scorer with great defence, something the Celtics value greatly.
Shannon had been going through off-court legal issues but was recently found not guilty, removing a cloud over him for this draft process.
C Kyle Filipowski - Duke
Kyle Filipowski is a six-foot-10 center who can do a little bit of everything. He played two seasons at Duke, and that probably benefited him greatly. In his second year there, his three-point percentage went from 28.2% to 34.8% on basically the same attempts per game. He also went from getting 0.7 blocks a game to 1.5.
Since Filipowski is able to pass, shoot, dribble, and defend the paint, it makes him a great replacement option for post Al Horford times or a good potential backup to keep in case of a Kristaps Porzingis injury that requires him to need rest.