What The Celtics Got At The Draft

The Celtics went into the 2013 NBA Draft with just the #16 pick.  They traded up to #13 and also bough a 2nd rounder (#53).  What did they get?

1st Round (13): KELLY OLYNYK (Gonzaga, junior, center)

Olynyk averaged 18 points, 7 rebounds a game last year as a redshirt junior and was the West Coast Conference Player of the Year.  He scores well down low, and is a better offensive player than defensive player right now.  That's the positive.  As I pointed out on twitter last night...

Do not like Kelly Olynyk. Poor athlete, T-Rex arms, 22 years old, no D, gets blocked all the time, played in WCC, red shirted as jr.

— Rich Keefe (@Keefe21) June 28, 2013

So, yeah.  Not a fan.  Hopefully he proves me wrong.

2nd Round (53): COLTON IVERSON (Colorado State, senior, center)

Iverson, like Olynyk, is a legit 7 footer.  He's even bigger, weighing in at over 260.  Iverson went to Minnesota for 3 years before transferring to Colorado State where he led the Rams in points and rebounding and was named the Mountain West New Comer of the Year and 1st Team All-MWC.  Solid rebounder, but to me, would have been a better pick if the team was still contending, and needed size to complement Garnett, Sullinger, Wilcox, etc.

If you are rebuilding, why not take a shot at some 19 and 20 year olds with big upside?  Celtics decided to go with two 7 footers, one 22 the other 23.  Weak sauce.


UNDRAFTED ROOKIE FREE AGENTS

According to reports the Celtics have already agreed to deals with a couple of undrafted guys...

PHIL PRESSEY (Missouri, junior, point guard)

Thought Pressey would go in the 2nd round (dumb either way with a year left of school) but he went unpicked last night.
Pressey has tied to Boston and New England as he played for the BABC AAU team and his freshmen and sophomore years of high school at Cushing.
Kid can't shoot.  At all.  I guess the Celtics like their point guards not being able to shoot.  He also turns the ball over a lot, and is under 6 foot.  However he put up solid numbers for Missouri and was one of the better players in the Big 12 and SEC.  He has good vision/passing ability and is real quick.  Curious if he can make the team.

LAMONT "MOMO" JONES (Iona, senior, point guard)

MoMo was a standout high school player at Oak Hill before going to Arizona for two years.  He had a great performance against Duke in the tournament, but then transferred to Iona (closer to home, his grandmother was sick), where he played his final two seasons of college basketball.  He led Iona to the NCAA tourny and was the MAAC Player of the Year.  He can score, he put up 22.6 a game last year (3rd in the country).

If nothing else, the additions of Pressey and Jones sort of open the door to life after Rondo.  Not ideal and they are no where near the skill level, but we were curious if they drafted a Larkin or a Schroeder last night what would happen.  They didn't, but soon after grabbed up two of the best undrafted point guards.  We shall see...

5 Players The Celtics Could Draft At 16

There aren’t many certainties in the NBA Draft this year, however I feel the Top 6 will in some order be: Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, Alex Len, Otto Porter, Anthony Bennett, and Victor Oladipo. 

It also appears that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, C.J. McCollum, Trey Burke, Michael Carter-Williams, and Steven Adams will be gone.  So who is left?  And who should the Celtics take in a year that will likely begin the re-build.  I feel any position is possible and they are in a spot to pick the “best player available.”  Here are 5 options.

Cody Zeller, PF, Indiana (7-0, 230, Sophomore)

Zeller is an athletic big man who can run the floor.  A 7 footer who has upside, he might have been a Top 10 pick last year if he left after his freshmen year.  He may still be a Top 10 pick this year, but there is no guarantee of that.  He is a much better offensive player than a defensive player right.  Better than his brother Tyler.

Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA (6-6, 222, Freshmen)

There are a lot of knocks on Muhammad (lied about age, poor shooting, dominates only against weak competition), but I still see a lot of potential from the suddenly 20 year old.  I think he will be a legit 2^nd scoring option on a team someday. 

Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas (6-9, 236, Sophomore)

If it was up to me, this is the player I would take.  Crazy athletic, 6-9 and an NBA body, unlike many rookie who need to add weight/muscle.  Averaged a double-double his freshmen season and admittedly had a subpar sophomore year playing for a new coaching staff at North Texas.  He compares himself to Kenneth Faried, we’ll see.  But lots of upside with Mitchell, and a guy who could be part of the Celtics rebuild or an intriguing trade option down the road when trying to add a superstar.

Mason Plumlee, C, Duke (7-0, 238, Senior)

This is a possibility, but one I would not be excited about.  College seniors (specifically from major schools) typically aren’t great pros.  (Yes, Tim Duncan is great, that was 16 years ago.)  Plumlee may be more “NBA ready” than others in the draft, however even best case scenario is below All-Star caliber.  I’d pass, but he’ll be in the mix and likely drafted between 15-25. 

Shane Larkin, PG, Miami (5-11, 171, Sophomore)

Unfortunately for teams this year, the best point guard in college last year, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart decided to return to school.  Therefore guys like Trey Burke, Michael Carter Williams, Dennis Schroeder, and Shane Larkin all slot up.  The C’s could take Larkin here (just under 6 feet tall but the most athletic PG in the draft) and then begin the Rajon Rondo trade rumors!

And of course since I mentioned these five players, it won’t be any of them.  If they decided to go international it could be Giannis Adetokunbo of Greece or Sergei Karasev of Russia.  Enjoy the draft!

Keefe's NBA Draft Big Board: Top 50

1. Ben McLemore, SG, Kansas
2. Otto Porter, SF, Georgetown
3. Victor Oladipo, SG, Indiana
4. C.J. McCollum, G, Lehigh
5. Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky
6. Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV
7. Trey Burke, PG, Michigan
8. Cody Zeller, PF, Indiana
9. Shabazz Muhammad, SF, UCLA
10. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, Georgia
11. Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas
12. Michael Carter-Williams, PG, Syracuse
13. Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga
14. Dennis Schroeder, PG, Germany
15. Alex Len, C, Maryland
16. Tim Hardaway Jr., SG, Michigan
17. Dario Saric, SF, Croatia
18. Glen Rice, Jr., SG, NBDL (Georgia Tech)
19. Stevan Adams, C, Pittsburgh
20. Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville
21. DeShaun Thomas, F, Ohio State
22. Mason Plumlee, PF, Duke
23. Rudy Gobert, C, France
24. Shane Larkin, PG, Miami
25. Giannis Adetokoubo, F, Greece
26. Richard Howell, PF, NC State
27. C.J. Leslie, F, NC State
28. Tony Snell, G/F, New Mexico
29. Isaiah Caanan, PG, Murray State
30. Reggie Bullock, SG, North Carolina
31. Pierre Jackson, PG, Baylor
32. Allen Crabbe, SG, California
33. Lorenzo Brown, PG, NC State
34. Jeff Withey, C, Kansas
35. Erick Green, G, Virginia Tech
36. Jamaal Franklin, G/F, San Diego State
37. Solomon Hill, SF, Arizona
38. Ray McCallum, PG, Detroit
39. Brandon Paul, SG, Illinois
40. Jackie Carmichael, PF, Illinois State
41. Nate Wolters, PG, South Dakota State
42. Andre Roberson, F, Colorado
43. Grant Jerrett, PF, Arizona
44. Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas
45. James Southerland, F, Syracuse
46. Robert Covington, F, Tennessee State
47. Adonis Thomas, SF, Memphis
48. Colton Iverson, C, Colorado State
49. Erik Murphy, PF, Florida
50. Archie Goodwin, SG, Kentucky

My can't miss formula: watching lots of college basketball, reading lots of scouting reports and grades, watching way to much of the combine.  Based on all of that this is my list of 50 best players in the 2013 NBA Draft.  Once we get the draft order I will crank out a Mock.  No Insider Account necessary!