The Boston Celtics will have to be patient Thursday night when the 2023 NBA Draft begins, but they won’t have to wait as long as they have in recent years.
For the third consecutive season, the Celtics do not have a first-round pick, but they do have the No. 35 overall pick, which is by far their highest position in the draft since 2020.
The Celtics, who already have a deep and skilled team, may go in a variety of routes early in the second round. A backup big man as insurance for the aging Al Horford and the frequently injured Robert Williams wouldn’t be a bad idea. In today’s NBA, a squad can never have too much shooting.
The Celtics should evaluate the following four players at No. 35:
Colby Jones, Xavier
Jones possesses the long-range shooting talent that the Celtics seek. Jones shot 37.8% from beyond the arc in his junior season at Xavier, averaging 15 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. His 6-foot-4, 199-pound physique also provides him with good defensive versatility, which will help him on the defensive end of the floor.
Tristan Vukcevic, KK Partizan (Serbia)
Vukcevic is one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft. The Serbia native turned some heads at the NBA Scouting Combine with his size and scoring ability. The 6-foot-11, 223-pound big man, who has a 7-foot-3 wingspan, can stretch the floor with his outside shot-making. He connected on 37.3% of his attempts from 3-point range and it isn’t too often that players his size can shoot that well. He is a work in progress on the defensive end, but his offensive potential overshadows that for the time being.
Emoni Bates, Eastern Michigan
This would be a high-risk decision for the Celtics, but it may potentially yield a large payout, especially considering it is in the second round. Bates was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school, but injuries and off-the-court issues have caused his NBA draft status to tumble. Bates was arrested in September on firearms charges prior to his sophomore season at Eastern Michigan this winter. The charges were eventually withdrawn.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Jackson-Davis’ 6-foot-8, 240-pound frame houses a lot of agility. He plays similarly to Williams, primarily as a lob threat with high-flying ability. In his senior season with the Hoosiers, Jackson-Davis averaged a double-double with 20.9 points and 10.8 rebounds to go along with an eye-popping 2.9 blocks per game. He also averaged four assists each game.
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