Category: NBA Draft

FSU’s Patrick Williams would ‘contribute any way I can” if drafted by Celtics

Rising prospect Patrick Williams would “do his role, and contribute any way” he can if drafted by the Boston Celtics.

If the Boston Celtics were to draft Florida State forward Patrick Williams, the former Seminole thinks he’d fit right in — and not just because the frontcourt would read like a family reunion with Grant and Rob Williams (all no relation) already on the roster.

The 6-foot-8 forward declined to share with which teams he has been meeting ahead of the 2020 NBA draft in an effort to retain as much control over his final destination as possible, as a number of his peers have elected.

But, he did speak with the Celtics Wire on Wednesday about how he envisioned his role should Boston work a deal to trade into his range and select him.

Projected to Boston at No. 14 by popular outlets earlier this fall, Williams has seen his stock rise considerably since, as high as in the top six by some mock drafts.

Asked how he would envision his fit if he did end up in Boston, Williams was optimistic.

“I think I could fit with a number of coaches and players,” he began.

“The way I play … I can play any position and so coming into whatever team it is, and trying to contribute, whether that’s defensively or offensively. Anywhere I can honestly just come in and do my role, contribute in any way I can; I think that’ll be the biggest focal point.”

Williams is indeed seen as one of the drafts most versatile prospects, and while he’s incredibly raw, it’s hard not to see how he could be one of the handful of prospects with real star upside.

While his footwork, defense and handle all need attention, he is already a very skilled player at a position of need with the kind of frame he’ll need to be an elite player at the NBA.

It would be a bit of a challenge to give him the reps he needs against high-end talent to develop the many holes in his game with the Celtics.

But, given the upside and solid physical and mental tools he brings to the table, it may be in the cards that Boston will make a move for him just the same.

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Maryland’s Jalen Smith believes he can be Boston’s “defensive anchor”

While Maryland big Jalen Smith won’t say who he’s met with ahead of the draft, the KG-influenced power forward thinks the Celtics would thrive with his two-way play.

If you want to get the attention of Boston Celtics fans as a potential draft prospect, tell them you model your game on Kevin Garnett.

That’s exactly who Maryland big man Jalen Smith sees himself taking after as a wiry big man with mobility and shooting, and while those are truly monumental shoes to fill, it’s certainly not bad to aim high.

Standing 6-foot-10 and possessing a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Smith is one of the draft’s better rim protectors, having logged 2.4 blocks per game in his sophomore season with the Terps.

He’s got a solid jumper that he uses fairly often for a big, connecting on 36.8% of his 2.8 3-point attempts per game last season.

And though he doesn’t have much in the way of lateral quickness to seal off lanes with ease, he’s still fairly mobile for his size and able to close out on shooters.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday ahead of the 2020 NBA draft, Smith declined to share who he’d met with in the draft process.

But, the Baltimore native thinks he’d fit well with Boston when the Celtics Wire asked about a potential career playing for Danny Ainge and company.

“I feel like I’d be able to fit in well [on the Celtics]; being a versatile big, being able to affect a team on the defensive end as well as the offensive end,” he began.

“Being able to help not clog the paint up of the guards, being able to open up space for driving lanes, and being able to hit an open shot. Being that defensive anchor for the team and making sure that I’m always holding down on that end.”

Smith has work to do on his body and game to elevate it to the level a championship-caliber squad like Boston’s can play him regular minutes as part of its heavy rotation.

But with his high motor and basketball IQ, it seems the Maryland product has an excellent chance at achieving that goal, so long as he keeps up a Big Ticket work ethic.

And while he is projected anywhere from the middle of the first round to its end, the Celtics are as well-positioned as any team to draft him with picks No. 14, 26 and 30 under their control.

That is, if they see a little of the KG in Smith he strives to mirror in his own game.

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Celtics have met with FSU wing Devin Vassell ahead of 2020 NBA draft

Florida State wing prospect Devin Vassell revealed he has met with the Boston Celtics both virtually and in-person for one of their 10 approved workouts.

Florida State wing Devin Vassell has met with the Boston Celtics remotely, and has worked out with the team in person as well for one of the team’s 10 in-person meetings allowed as part of the league’s pandemic precautions.

The 6-foot-7 shooting guard and small forward is known primarily for his defense, but has a solid offensive game — apart from the former Seminole showing off a very unconventional shot in a recent viral clip.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday ahead of the 2020 NBA draft, Vassell emphasized that he hasn’t changed his shot, and given he was connecting from deep at the rate of 41.5%, it seems he has little reason to do so.

Boston fans ought to be pleased the Georgia native is on their team’s radar.

Widely regarded as one of this draft’s safest players for a team that intends to contend now, with his defense (and hopefully shooting) coming off the bench, he is projected to be serviceable for a rotation player with starter upside later on.

“I think it went really well; the workout went really well,” replied Vassell when asked by the Celtics Wire how his workout went with Boston.

“They showed some interest and for me it was … just a blessing and a great opportunity for me. I think that anywhere that I go I’ll be able to fit in, help a team right away so me being able to talk to them to show them what I’ve been working on over this six or seven months of quarantine I think really helped.”

If Boston plans on retaining their best pick or perhaps even combining two to move up a little closer to Vassell’s projected range a few slots higher than the Celtics’ No. 14 pick, the FSU wing would make a world of sense.

He may lack in true star upside if most evaluators are to be believed, but the established skills he brings to the table would be an excellent option for the Celtics bench, with potential to grow into a larger role.

However, with the Celtics tied to seemingly every trade proposal eyed to take place on or before the draft on November 18th, there’s a dizzying array of potential directions the team might take instead.

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Boston Celtics have met with French floor general Théo Maledon

The Boston Celtics have worked out French point guard Théo Maledon, according to the man himself.

The Boston Celtics have worked out ASVEL point guard prospect Théo Maledon according to the 6-foot-5 floor general himself.

A native of Rouen, France, Maledon has seen his stock improve considerably in most mock drafts in recent weeks, and is especially deadly in the pick and roll.

Speaking with the media at his pre-draft remote media session Wednesday, the Frenchman answered questions about who he has been meeting and working out with, as well as how he’s improved during the pandemic among several other topics.

“It was good; I did one workout. The coach [Brad Stevens]was there; [team president] Danny Ainge was there too. It went well — I think it was a very good workout,” shared Maledon with Celtics Wire.

Projected to go in the latter third of the first round, Maledon could be in play for the Celtics if he slips a bit to 26, though it is assumed he would prefer to play in the NBA next season despite his background as a European player.

That probably rules him out as a draft-and-stash candidate for the Celtics (who have a bit of a roster crunch with three first round picks in this draft).

But, Maledon could be an intriguing option as a long-term back up floor general if taken by Boston.

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Report: Boston Celtics interested in trading for Pels’ Jrue Holiday

The Boston Celtics are interested in dealing for New Orleans Pelicans star Jrue Holiday, according to The RInger’s Kevin O’Connor.

The Boston Celtics are reportedly in on trying to trade for New Orleans Pelicans veteran guard Jrue Holiday, according to the Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.

The 30-year-old point and shooting guard is among the NBA’s best defenders and a solid source of offense Boston could use in a variety of ways, particularly in the postseason and to help keep All-Star point guard Kemba Walker as fresh as possible for the postseason.

“The Celtics have emerged as a potential destination for Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday,” tweeted O’Connor. “Boston could package its three firsts (14, 26, and 30) to move into the lottery and flip the pick to New Orleans.”

In the mock draft update he mentioned later in the tweet, the Ringer analyst goes further into the Holiday rumbles.

“The Celtics have offered up their three first-round picks (nos. 14, 26, and 30) in trades to try and move into the lottery, but multiple league sources say they intend to reroute that pick to the Pelicans in exchange for Jrue Holiday. If Boston is able to acquire the necessary assets, it’d still need to add salaries to make a deal work. Could that mean Gordon Hayward or Kemba Walker could be on the move?”

“No matter the case, the Celtics are up to something big to try and bolster their title odds,” he continued.

It’s also possible to cobble a deal together involving Marcus Smart and Enes Kanter plus salary ballast to get in range.

But, such a deal seems unlikely given it’d require one of the Williams bigs (Rob or Grant) or Romeo Langford — or more draft assets to move players teams will likely view at best as projects.

This would ultimately be a negligible improvement in our estimation, and dealing Walker would mostly be a lateral move at best as well save anything health-related.

So, we’re guessing this move is contingent on Hayward opting in, and getting moved — either to New Orleans, where it wouldn’t be the worst fit, or a third team.

There’s a whole container ship’s worth of “ifs” involved here, so don’t go making plans to buy a Holiday Celtics jersey.

Just in case however, we will be monitoring these rumbles closely in the coming week or so.

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Nova’s Saddiq Bey mum on meeting with Boston, but fits like a glove

Vilanova’s Saddiq Bey won’t share what teams he’s meeting with, but if he did land with the Boston Celtics, it seems they’d like his idea about his fit.

Potential Boston Celtics draft target Saddiq Bey won’t say whether he’s worked out with the team, but Boston fans shouldn’t take it personally.

Speaking with the media ahead of the 2020 NBA draft on November 18th, the Villanova 3-and-D wing prospect let it be known it was a strategy being used by his agent, and that he would not share that sort of information about any team.

When it comes to strategy, knowledge is power, so limiting the flow of information to the press perhaps allows Bey’s camp a little more control over his destiny as a player than might be had without it.

The Celtics Wire asked about his hypothetical fit with the Celtics instead given the limits Bey put on that line of questioning, to which the former Wildcat replied with a team-first answer that would be music to most coach’s ears.

“I think for any team, whatever role that they see me [in] or need me to do to help the team win, I’ll be comfortable with. I don’t expect anything specific. For anybody … I’ll try and use my skillset and mentality in I hope the best way possible.”

“Whatever role the organization sees me in, I’ve got my best foot forward and 100% effort to help the team win,” he added.

Bey, a 6-foot-8 small forward who can shoot the rock and defend well with his 6-foot-10 wingspan, moves well off-ball and can even pass a little.

While he isn’t especially athletic, he’s hit from deep on 45% of his attempts in his sophomore season with Villanova and shot 76.9% from the stripe at 5.6 and 2.9 attempts per game, respectively.

And though his ceiling likely isn’t much higher than a solid starter, his floor is probably around high-end rotation player. If drafted in the last spot of the lottery onwards, he’d be exactly the sort of win-now prospect Boston needs.

To learn more about Bey and his background, check out this interview by HoopsHype’s Bryan Kalbrosky.

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Celtics to meet with sharpshooting forward Aaron Nesmith later this week

Vanderbilt sharpshooting forward Aaron Nesmith plans to meet with the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2020 NBA draft.

The Boston Celtics will meet with Vanderbilt forward Aaron Nesmith later this week, according to the sharpshooting prospect himself in Wednesday’s NBA draft combine media availability session.

Nesmith, a 6-foot-6 wing who is an absolute flamethrower of a shooter beyond the arc, is one of the best marksmen in the draft, having shot an absurd 52.2% from 3-point range to the tune of 8.2 attempts per game in his sophomore season at Vanderbilt.

“The Boston Celtics, I have not worked out with them yet, but it is scheduled for this week, so that’d be another good one to get in, another I’m going to put my all into and give 110%,” he related, sounding excited to work out with the team.

The South Carolina native knows the starters on the team need help from the bench, and sees himself sliding right into a complimentary role if drafted by them.

“I think [my fit would] be very well; they have a good core of guys, really talented and all really young. Going forward, that team has a really bright future, and I think I can step right in and make life easier for those guys — Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown — just giving those guys more space and more room to operate.”

“I think it’s going to really help elevate their game and make life easier,” he added.

There’s a not-small chance the Celtics will use some or all of their picks to move up or out of the draft entirely given the exigencies of contention with a roster overstocked with young players.

But if they did take Nesmith, it’d be an excellent choice given his elite shooting and Boston’s desperate need for it off of the bench.

To hear at length from the Vanderbilt prospect, be sure to check out Bryan Kalbrosky’s longform interview with Nesmith on HoopsHype.

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Report: Celtics have interest in trading up for Atlanta’s No. 6 pick

The Boston Celtics are reportedly one of several teams trying to pry the pick away from the Hawks.

The Boston Celtics have interest in trading for the No. 6 pick of the 2020 draft controlled by the Atlanta Hawks, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.

It isn’t exactly news that the Celtics are trying to trade up given their current crunch of rookies already on their roster in a season of intended contention for an NBA title with three first round picks in need of roster space.

But until now, most intel leaking from around the NBA media sphere have been more in the abstract; whereas this links Boston to a specific team on draft night next week, which falls on November 18th.

According to O’Connor, the Minnesota Timberwolves are competing for it in their hunt for another first round pick, presumably to move back for wing Patrick Williams or guard Tyrese Halliburton.

A proposed package might include wing Jarrett Culver and the 17th pick to get to the 6th held by the Hawks, an offer Boston might be able to best depending on what Atlanta was after — as well as the New Orleans Pelicans, who are also reportedly interested in the pick.

For now it seems merely a thought exercise with prohibitions on any deals ahead of the draft unable to be completed until the lifting of the moratorium on November 16th.

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Report: Celtics have interest in trading up for Atlanta’s No. 6 pick

The Boston Celtics are reportedly one of several teams trying to pry the pick away from the Hawks.

The Boston Celtics have interest in trading for the No. 6 pick of the 2020 draft controlled by the Atlanta Hawks, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.

It isn’t exactly news that the Celtics are trying to trade up given their current crunch of rookies already on their roster in a season of intended contention for an NBA title with three first round picks in need of roster space.

But until now, most intel leaking from around the NBA media sphere have been more in the abstract; whereas this links Boston to a specific team on draft night next week, which falls on November 18th.

According to O’Connor, the Minnesota Timberwolves are competing for it in their hunt for another first round pick, presumably to move back for wing Patrick Williams or guard Tyrese Halliburton.

A proposed package might include wing Jarrett Culver and the 17th pick to get to the 6th held by the Hawks, an offer Boston might be able to best depending on what Atlanta was after — as well as the New Orleans Pelicans, who are also reportedly interested in the pick.

For now it seems merely a thought exercise with prohibitions on any deals ahead of the draft unable to be completed until the lifting of the moratorium, projected to be on November 16th.

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Could Utah State sharpshooter Sam Merrill be a Celtic draft target?

At least one Utah-area reporter thinks there might be a connection that could see the deadeye wing end up in green and white.

Could the Boston Celtics be planning a late first-round selection of Utah State guard Sam Merrill? At least one Utah-area journalist thinks it might be in the cards.

Merrill — a 6-foot-5 guard currently mocked in the latter half of the second round — is probably more in line with being taken by the Celtics at No. 47 overall than with picks 26 or 30, but he’s certainly worthy of consideration given the size and shooting he possesses.

He isn’t an especially good defender despite his size, and at 24 is one of the oldest players in the draft, which may be pushing down his draft stock.

But, his 41% 3-point shooting and free throw percentage (89.3%) suggest he may be a real value if still available that late in the second round — particularly given Boston’s need for shooters off the bench.

“When I was a kid, I was an above-average shooter but didn’t really take a ton of 3s. During my senior year in high school, I think I made 27 3s, one a game,” Merrill told Rookie Wire’s Bryan Kalbrosky. “I knew that I was going to have to be a great shooter and just put in a ton of work.”

“During my freshman year, I was more of just a catch-and-shoot guy and then I just continued to work and work. “That’s how I’ve been able to develop into the shooter that I am right now.”

The Utah native also reportedly has ties to the Ainge family.

“It doesn’t hurt that Merrill is a friend of Crew Ainge, a former Utah State guard, and the son of Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge,” observed KSL Sports’ Ben Anderson in an article on the former Aggie. “Like Merrill, Ainge was a star at a smaller basketball school in Utah (BYU) who carved out a long career in the NBA.”

That friendship likely means Merrill is on the team’s radar, and it isn’t inconceivable that his game might have him in their plans.

The Ainge comparison is unfair given how highly regarded Danny was in multiple sports before he joined the NBA, though their backgrounds do have parallels as multisport athletes in high school.

With a number of quality players likely available later in the draft than in most seasons, it seems plausible Merrill could still be on the board for Boston at No. 47.

And while the Utah State product may lack much upside at 24, he’d certainly be a solid option for the Celtics to consider there.

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