Ranking the Celtics’ draft options at No. 3
The Celtics are considering three or four players with the No. 3 pick
COMMENTARY
The NBA Draft is only hours away and pundits around the league still seem to have conflicting opinions about whom the Celtics are honing in with the No. 3 pick. With no true consensus out there, we decided to take a closer look at the potential candidates and rank which players would be the best fit for Boston at No. 3.
6. Marquise Chriss – The athleticism is tantalizing from the freshman out of Washington, but his defensive holes would make it challenging for Brad Stevens to keep him on the floor for extended stretches. At age 19, Chriss is a project and doesn’t have the tools at both ends of the floor to be worth the gamble at No. 3. The Tyrus Thomas comparisons are scary and there are plenty of other athletic big men that flamed out in the lottery over recent years who should serve as cautionary tales.
5. Buddy Hield – The Celtics are in search of shooters, and that’s one area where the four-year senior can help immediately. He was one of the best scorers in the country this past season, particularly from downtown, but his upside is a bit limited at age 22. He’s a questionable defender, his driving ability is limited and there are concerns about how well his shot creation abilities will translate at the next level. Drafting Hield wouldn’t be a bad thing for Boston, but doing it at No. 3 would be unwise. If Ainge wants him, he should trade down for him and pick up some assets along the way.
4. Jaylen Brown – Brown was in town for a second visit with Boston this week, but like Chriss, he is far from a finished product. The Cal product fits a need for the Celtics on the wing and his versatility on defense would give Boston some flexibility. The problem is that he is a 29 percent career 3-point shooter in college, and that doesn’t help the Celtics in an area they are desperately lacking. Factor that in with a questionable handle and you’ve got another guy that won’t push the needle much for the Celtics in the halfcourt. He has time to develop at age 19, but the Celtics have better options to pick from at other spots on their depth chart.
3. Dragan Bender – The European seven-footer worked out for the Celtics in a private session on Tuesday, but there’s been limited buzz in the aftermath of the performance. He’s still a strong fit for a team that needs a big man who can do a little bit of everything, but like Chriss, Bender’s not expected to be a major contributor for at least a year or two. Unless Ainge is sold on him developing into a star, he has a little too much bust potential at No. 3 with his lack of a track record against top competition.
2. Jamal Murray/Kris Dunn (tie) – The two safest options for Boston are a couple of backcourt pieces, but only if they are accompanied by a trade this summer of another guard (Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, etc.). Dunn has the vision and the handle to run an NBA offense, something that would free up Isaiah Thomas to play off the ball, a situation he excelled at in the postseason against the Hawks. Murray was one of the best collegiate shooters in the country at just 19-years-old and his offensive upside should outweigh the valid concerns teams have about his defense and athleticism. At worst, he’d provide a scoring spark off the bench for Boston right away and could develop into a promising core piece down the road.
1. Trade the pick. The difference between the third-best and eighth-best player in this draft class is not substantial and the Celtics should try to take advantage of it. Whether it’s trading back in the lottery or trading No. 3 as part of a larger package, Ainge should be aggressive in trying to acquire a young veteran piece that can help the team’s rebuild move forward.
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