Boston Celtics: 5 potential No. 1 picks in the NBA Draft

On Tuesday, the Boston Celtics received the 1st pick in the 2017 NBA Draft via the NBA Lottery. Now with a plethora of options, who should they choose?

Boston Celtics fans should be rejoicing, after winning an emotional game 7 against the Wizards on Monday night, Boston then won the Draft Lottery on Tuesday, giving them the ability to add a No.1 pick to a 50+ win team. No matter who the Celtics draft, they will be adding a budding young superstar.

There are a few dilemmas Boston faces with the #1 pick. The main reason being the top 2 players in the draft are point guards, granted they are on the taller side. The Celtics are already loaded with point guards and shooting guards. Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, and Avery Bradley are all very talented but NBA rosters have to stay on the small side.

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Outside of the top 2 players (Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball), you can argue the rest of the top 10 prospects have roughly the same ceiling. Some of those other players include guys like Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Jonathan Isaac, Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox, and Dennis Smith.

The Boston Celtics also have three picks in the 2nd round, that could either be packaged in a trade or add depth to our team.

While Boston doesn’t necessarily need guards, it might not be wise to pass on such talented players like Fultz and Ball. In no particular order, here are the top 5 prospects the Boston Celtics should select with the No.1 Pick.

Markelle Fultz has been the consensus No. 1 overall pick for a while, some scouts having Lonzo Ball over him but most have him locked in at No.1. Now I know what you’re thinking, the Boston Celtics don’t need more guards! Well Fultz isn’t just any PG and he is too talented to pass up on.

Ball and Fultz will most likely go 1 and 2, both being point guards who are on the taller side (Fultz 6’4″ – Ball 6’5″), you’d think they were similar, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Ball is an elite passer, while Fultz is a predominant scorer.

This may concern some, we have a PG who specializes in scoring, so why add another PG with the same skill set. Well Fultz could possibly move to SG because of his size, he and Thomas have also both said they don’t mind playing off the ball.

Here is what NBA Columnist Adrian Wojnarowski had to say about Thomas and Fultz together.

Another plus for Fultz is rebounding, he has a 6’10” wingspan, which is amazing for someone who is 6’4″. Some concerns were his speed, not that quick in the half-court and some scouts question if he can lead a team. His team Washington finished 9-22 last season, but that wasn’t Fultz fault.

Fultz averaged 23/6/4 (Pts, Reb, Ast) in 5 games against ranked opponents, Washington went 0-5 in those games. So it is easy enough to see he wasn’t the problem

College Statistics

23.2 PPG 5.7 RPG 5.9 APG 1.2 BPG 1.6 SPG : FG% (.476) 3P% (.413) FT% (.649)

Strengths & Weaknesses

S: Versatile. Smooth. Excels at getting to the basket. Good 3PT range. Tons of steals.

W: Needs to be quicker. Improve shooting and free throw shooting.

Potential Roster Fit

Fultz could play the role that Marcus Smart did this season, coming off the bench as the 6th man. If he performs well enough in the summer league he could potential start at SG, if Brad Stevens want to have Bradley become the 6th man. Fultz may also just play behind and with Thomas, both can bring the ball up the court and both can play off the ball.

Jayson Tatum is a big time scorer. Tatum is a great athlete who is an excellent wing defender due to his lengthy arms. A polished offensive player, Tatum can shoot the ball and blow by you to the rim. He is listed as a SF, but some think he can play or will eventually become a PF.

Tatum is an amazing player, but his agility and athleticism are average, and he can be a ball hog at times. If Tatum can improve his three-point shooting he could be the best player in the draft, his mid-range shooting is already excellent.

Here’s what ESPN Senior Writer Chad Ford had to say about Tatum.

"“Tatum is, perhaps, the most NBA-ready freshman in the draft. He has a pro game and might be the best pure wing scorer.”"

Short and sweet, but it’s all you need to know. Chad Ford is the NBA mock draft guru, so Tatum receiving such high praise from Ford is a great sign.

College Statistics

16.8 PPG 7.3 RPG 2.1 APG 1.1 BPG 1.3 SPG : FG% (.452) 3P% (.342) FT% (.849)

Strengths & Weaknesses

S: Good wing defender. Excellent size and length. Big time scorer. Excellent mid-range shot

W: Ball hog. Not as athletic as most top 10 picks. Needs to improve his 3PT shooting

Potential Roster Fit

If Tatum joined Boston, he would most likely switch or transition to PF. The Celtics already have an exceptional SF in Jae Crowder and used last years No. 3 draft pick on a SF. Tatum moving to PF would help Horford at C, and could help the Boston Celtics horrible rebounding.

Lonzo Ball is one of the more interesting players in this draft. Not due to anything he did, but his outlandish father and 2 younger brothers who also have NBA potential. Ball is an old fashioned floor general, he is not only an elite passer; but could possibly be the NBA’s most elite passer.

Here is what one Western Conference Executive had to say about the distractions facing Ball.

"“If you can take Ball, you don’t worry about the father, that will work itself out. He’ll be fine. The big thing is, you’re going to get his son, who is a player who made his teammates better at UCLA. That started with Steve Alford’s own son. Those guys are hard to find.”"

Ball is not only talented, but makes those around him better. He can create offense out of nothing, and make casual players look great. Here is Mike Schmitz of Draft Express breaking it down.

Ball has amazing court vision and is an elite passer, scouts are comparing him to Jason Kidd so don’t take his ability to pass the ball for granted. Ball could be the NBA’s best pure point guard, even though he doesn’t look like one, being 6’5.

Some scouts are concerned with his unorthodox shooting form, but he is excellent at mid and long range jumpers.

College Statistics

14.6 PPG 6.0 RPG 7.6 APG 0.8 BPG 1.8 SPG : FG% (.551) 3P% (.412) FT% (.673)

Strengths & Weaknesses

S: High IQ. Elite Passer. Excellent ball handler. Deep range jumper. Explosive leaper.

W: Needs to add strength. Family is a concern distraction wise. Unorthodox shooting form

Potential Roster Fit

This seems like a weird fit but Boston’s offense could be deadly, Ball needs to be the floor general to excel, but where does that leave Thomas. Ball could back up Thomas, and with Thomas’ ability to play off the ball it could work. With Thomas as the main scorer and Ball an elite passer, the Celtics could be a high flying offense next year.

Josh Jackson is a great defender and uses his size and quickness to his advantage, but sometimes gets into foul trouble because of his aggressive play. He can easily work on that in the pros. Jackson is also the most athletic wing in the draft, and is NBA starter material already.

One concern is him being inconsistent, needs to improve his jumper and if he’s not feeling it early he tends to struggle the whole game. He also needs to improve his free throwing shooting which was just 57% in his short collegiate career. That comes as a surprise as Jackson shot 38% from 3PT range, which is outstanding for a 3 or 4 player.

Here is Mike Schmitz, director of scouting of scouting at Draft Express breaking down Jackson’s strengths and weaknesses.

The Boston Celtics may want to be hesitant with Jackson, without doing their due diligence. Before the first game of Kansas’ 2016-2017 season, news broke that Jackson was being summoned to court for threatening to beat his girlfriend. Most teams feel he is still a top 5 pick but any off the field issues are a red flag.

College Statistics

16.3 PPG 7.4 RPG 3.0 APG 1.1 BPG 1.7 SPG : FG% (.513) 3P% (.378) FT% (.566)

Strengths & Weaknesses

S: Super athletic. Excellent Passer. Good Basketball IQ. Big body that defends well down low.

W: Struggles with jumpers. Inconsistent if he doesn’t get going early. Too aggressive at times.

Potential Roster Fit

Josh Jackson like Tatum would most likely most to the PF position, Jackson’s aggressive defense down low is exactly what Boston needs. While Jackson is on the smaller side to play PF, he has the frame to bulk up to help him down low. Horford could mentor Jackson, both players are excellent passers, good on offense and defense, and have a high basketball IQ.

Jonathan Isaac is a kind of player you don’t find often.  Isaac started playing basketball in high school as a guard, so he learned to shoot very well. Then he hit a massive growth spurt (now 6’11”), so he’s played the 1 and 2 before and has the size and skill set to play the 3 or 4 in the pros.

Isaac like Tatum and Jackson is listed as a small forward. While all three players could potentially move to power forward, Isaac will have the easier transition to the position and could thrive because of his size.

Here is breaking Mike Schmitz down the strengths of Jonathan Isaac.

Isaac has one of the highest ceilings in the entire draft, but there is a reason he is projected a No. 4-No. 8 pick. He is very unpolished, though the highest ceiling, Isaac has the most work to due to get NBA ready. Weighing the same as Tatum and Jackson (205), but being three inches taller tells you he clearly needs to add weight.

College Statistics

12.0 PPG 7.8 RPG 1.2 APG 1.5 BPG 1.2 SPG : FG% (.508) 3P% (.348) FT% (.780)

Strengths & Weaknesses

S: Can protect the rim well. Can play SF or PF. Excellent jumper.

W: Needs to add a lot of size and strength. Needs to be tougher down low.

Potential Roster Fit

With Boston most likely losing PF Amir Johnson, Isaac could be a good replacement.

Next: Should the New England Patriots trade Nate Solder this summer?

Although some believe he still needs a year or two to develop, he would still be the best PF on Boston’s roster. (Assuming a PF is not acquired in the off-season)