In recent times, the Celtics have tended to prioritize drafting gamers with long-term potential who’ve loads of room to develop.

This yr, after an agonizing loss within the Japanese Convention Finals, it’s potential they’ll as an alternative look to deal with an instantaneous want. Gamers with excessive ceilings are attractive, however generally gamers with excessive flooring are the way in which to go, significantly so late within the draft.

Listed here are 5 prospects they need to contemplate taking with the thirty fifth total choose in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

Adama Sanogo, UConn ahead/heart

You would possibly keep in mind Sanogo from his dominant NCAA Match run with UConn just a few months in the past.

At 6-foot-8, 260 kilos, he makes up for his “lack” of conventional massive man peak with a robust basis and almost 7-foot-3 wingspan. Sanogo, the tourney’s Most Excellent Participant, averaged 17.2 factors 7.7 rebounds this season and performed his greatest basketball when it mattered most.

He can are available in instantly and make his presence felt. Even when he averages 3 factors and three rebounds in 12 minutes, that’s useful. The Celtics actually wanted one other massive throughout their playoff run (sure, even Cody Zeller would have helped), and Sanogo can fill that function nicely.

He performs extraordinarily onerous, runs the ground decently nicely for his dimension and is a good workforce man. Plus, he has a steadily bettering outdoors shot and is a sneaky good passer. He gained’t be a bust and is definitely worth the choose.

Dariq Whitehead, Duke guard/ahead

Whitehead is eighteen years previous however is an NBA-ready participant from a expertise standpoint.

The 6-foot-7 guard/ahead has a singular mix of dimension, size and athleticism. He’s a man who can present on the spot vitality off the bench subsequent yr.

At Duke, whereas he had a good season with 8.3 factors and a pair of.4 rebounds in 20.7 minutes per recreation, he didn’t actually get to showcase his potential whereas coping with damage on a loaded roster. He was as soon as thought of a potential top-five choose however had foot surgical procedure final August and by no means fairly hit his stride afterward.

Whitehead would slot in nicely as Jaylen Brown’s backup and would study from him (assuming Brown stays). He performs downhill, has an ideal first step and has an opportunity to develop into an elite NBA finisher.

He has a excessive ceiling but additionally has a excessive ground.

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana ahead

Whereas it’s probably Jackson-Davis will go late within the first spherical, there’s an opportunity he’ll fall to early within the second. If he does, the Celtics shouldn’t hesitate to take him.

He’s an Indiana man, so Brad Stevens will like that. He additionally improved significantly with the Hoosiers, upping his scoring common from 13.5 as a freshman to twenty.9 as a senior.

The phrase that involves thoughts with Jackson-Davis is versatility. He averaged 10.8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2.9 blocks, 0.8 steals and shot 58.1 % from the sector final yr. He does a little bit little bit of all the things, finishes nicely on the rim and has particular leaping potential.

He’s not an ideal shooter proper now, however he has the potential to develop into a decent one. Even when he doesn’t sharpen his shot, he nonetheless ought to final. If he does, he might blossom into an ideal NBA participant.

Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky ahead/heart

The knock on Tshiebwe, very like Sanogo, is that he’s “solely” 6-foot-9 or so.

Having mentioned that, he’s an excellent – really excellent – rebounder. Tshiebwe carves out place like few others and relentlessly pursues the ball like his life depends upon it. He averaged a whopping 15.1 boards in 2021-22, when he was the Nationwide Participant Of The Yr, and 13.7 final season.

The Celtics want one other man who will dive on the ground, maintain performs alive and play with coronary heart. Tshiebwe may be that man. His put up strikes labored in school, however the subsequent step is creating quite a lot of strikes that may work within the NBA. He can get there.

Once more, this checklist isn’t essentially stuffed with guys who will common 20 factors per recreation sometime. It’s designed to spotlight gamers who can contribute instantly and make profitable performs on a championship workforce – suppose Christian Braun.

Emoni Bates, Japanese Michigan guard/ahead

OK, only for enjoyable, right here’s one long-term mission.

Bates, a 6-foot-9 wing who was ranked No. 1 within the nation from sixth grade to his senior yr of highschool, was purported to be the subsequent massive factor.

He had an up-and-down freshman yr at Memphis and was later sentenced to 18 months of probation after pleading responsible to a misdemeanor gun cost.

Bates, nonetheless 19, averaged 19.2 factors and 5.8 rebounds final yr with Japanese Michigan. The expertise remains to be there, and he simply wants the fitting workforce to unlock it. The Celtics have a robust sufficient tradition, and sufficient hardworking veterans, that Bates will not be a distraction off the courtroom.

His on-court prowess is intriguing, as his size, athleticism and skill to glide from level A to level B make him a first-round expertise who will probably go within the second.