The Boston Celtics are a team on the rise once again, and the addition of Al Horford only pushes them further up the NBA's elite teams.
The way Danny Ainge has constructed this team is nothing short of brilliant, bringing two current All-Stars to Boston through Free Agency and one hell of a steal (Isaiah Thomas for Marcus Thornton and a late 1st rounder is highway robbery). As the roster currently stands, the Celtics still need help in the form of athleticism and playmaking, and the addition of Jaylen Brown may have solved the athleticism issue. However, Danny Ainge is known for always going for talent over team need, and it looks like the Nets are once again gearing up for another terrible season. SO with that in mind, if the Celtics do somehow manage to get the top pick, courtesy of the Nets, who should they pick?
1. Josh Jackson
You could debate this kid should go number one overall, and this is due to his all-around game. If you haven't seen some of this his highlights, you might be surprised to hear he is often times compared to Tracy McGrady. He has a unique blend of athleticism and offensive awareness that make him a mismatch with almost anyone he's guarded with. Many think he could end up anywhere from a poor man's Paul George all the way to hall of fame worthy. It's also worth noting that he is pretty good on the defensive side of the ball as well.
2. Dennis Smith Jr
This kid is truly special, and the fact that he's a guard simply won't matter to Ainge should he like Dennis enough. Yes, Boston is stocked with a more than abundant surplus of guards, especially point guards, but the fact of the matter is that Dennis Smith has shown flashes that have experts comparing him to a Russel Westbrook and Derrick Rose. Although those are high expectations for a kid who is coming off a torn ACL injury, should Dennis demonstrate he still has his hops and can lead a team from a play-maker perspective, it will be tough to pass him up as the #1 overall prospect.
3. Harry Giles
Harry Giles is a special talent, and NBA scouts know that. Coming out of high-school, he was the #1 prospect in his class and has enormous superstar potential. Projecting to be a Power Forward in the NBA, Giles possesses a grown man's body. Standing 6'10 and with a standing reach of 9'1, he figures to be the kind of physical specimen most teams crave. However, Giles tore his ACL not once but 2 times in recent memory, and should he lose some of the athleticism that made him such an interesting and impressive basketball specimen, he could be dropping down the draft boards. The interesting thing is that with the recent drafting of Jaylen Brown, Ainge may want an athletic 4 that he can pair with Horford in order to make a complete team. However, expect Ainge to probably pass on Giles in favor of a younger and more talented Josh Jackson if he does get the #1 overall pick.
4. Markelle Fultz
Markelle Fultz jumped onto the scene because of his impressive play in the FIBA America's Under 18 championship. His leadership and amazing play has some draft boards giving him the nod at #1 overall to the suspected owners of the pick, the Philadelphia 76ers. However, should the Celtics get this pick, it is unlikely they will find a better floor general than Fultz. Averaging 13 points 5 assists and 3 steals in the FIBA U18 championship, Fultz remains a very intriguing prospect to think about for the #1 overall pick. But clearly there is a problem here for the Celtics: They have Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart, who is supposed to turn into their next franchise point guard. Due to this, expect Fultz to remain on the board for the 2nd pick should the Celtics have the first pick in the draft, barring a blockbuster trade.
5. Jayson Tatum
It seems like there are a lot of forwards in this list, and there's a reason for that. It just so happens that the class of 2017 should be pretty deep in this position. Jayson Tatum is, like Ben Simmons, the definition of a Point Forward. Although Simmons is clearly the better player, Tatum possesses similar traits that make him an interesting prospect. Although I can't really see him being drafted before players like Giles and Jackson, you never really know with Danny Ainge. He looks for a special kind of player in the draft, and we recently saw him make a questionable draft decision when he took Jaylen Brown 3rd overall in this past draft. Perhaps Ainge prefers the completeness of Tatum over the potential of the others, but it seems unlikely.
