Salk: The Celtics Have Options at Number One

5/22/2017

Tyler Salk

The Boston Celtics are your Eastern Conference regular season champions!

But... they are facing the LeBron led Cleveland Cavaliers with Isaiah Thomas out. Somehow they were able to win game three, but let’s be honest. Every Celtics fan, every basketball fan.

Everyone who has ever watched ESPN knows the C’s don’t stand a chance. It’s time to start looking towards next year. The Celtics have money to spend, but they can’t buy every free agent. What they could do is draft a player and sign a top free agent. After all, it isn’t often that a team wins their (regular season) conference and has the first overall pick. Here are some players that the Celtics could consider:

*The Celtics could choose to trade the pick

Markelle Fultz- The number one prospect on most draft boards, Fultz draws comparisons to Russell Westbrook. Shooting over 40% from beyond the arch, Fultz is seen as a player who will score efficiently at the next level. Seen as a can’t miss talent, the Washington product should pair well in the Celtic’s backcourt with either Thomas, Bradley or Smart. He is already seen as being NBA ready, which could make it so the Celtics decide to take Fultz first overall.

Lonzo Ball- Another guard, Ball has drawn negative attention. Not for his play, but because of his father. A national champion in high school (http://www.990wbob.com/wbob-reads/salk-the-balls-can-ball), the UCLA Bruin led the NCAA in assists in 2016-17. Possibly the best full court passer in the world, Ball has an unconventional shooting form that works but concerns some scouts. Defensively he is a playmaker who is not afraid to go for rebounds. Especially in his dad’s eyes, Lonzo has the potential to be a superstar.
De’Aaron Fox- Fox is one of the fastest players in this class. A Kentucky Wildcat, Fox can pass with the best of them. His ball handling skills allow him to move well in transition. Fox (not to be confused with 990’s Ryan Fox) can defend almost any guard that he is matched up against. He is not an elite shooter, however is a strong enough shooter to be an NBA regular. Do not expect him to go first overall, but if another team trades up he could be a legitimate candidate.

Josh Jackson- Drawing comparisons to Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard, Josh Jackson can play both sides of the ball at a top level. The 6’8” small forward has great court awareness which lets him get more assists than the average player at his position. A Kansas Jayhawk, Jackson’s explosiveness and basketball talent makes him the top forward in this draft.

Jayson Tatum- Jayson Tatum is quick and demonstrates phenomenal footwork. He has an ability to pivot and step back that defenders cannot seem to solve. A Duke Blue Devil, Tatum is excellent at playing forcefully in the paint, drawing fouls and grabbing rebounds regularly. A small forward, Tatum has room for improvement. If he can reach his potential, he could be a steal in this draft.