Boston Celtics mock draft 3.0: Team to target forwards in 2nd round

The Boston Celtics have two weeks left to determine how they want to use the first overall pick in the NBA Draft.

With the NBA Finals likely winding down this week, the basketball world will turn its eyes to the Boston Celtics and the NBA Draft.

The team has not been shy about their interest in Markelle Fultz with the number one pick, but the Celtics hold three later picks in the second round that could prove valuable in a talented draft class.

The Celtics have not held many workouts beyond Fultz and a planned one for Dennis Smith, Jr., but more prospects could start rolling through Waltham and the Garden soon.

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Danny Ainge has indicated that teams have started making offers for the number one overall pick, as teams do every year, but every indication is that the Celtics are more likely to hold onto it. Things could certainly change with an offer the team simply cannot refuse, but they still have plenty of time to work things out.

Despite showing interest in Fultz, the Boston Celtics have been playing their cards close to their chest. They have not made a decision on a player or even shown that they are close to one and fans should not expected to know what the Celtics will do until Adam Silver reveals it on June 22nd.

Until then, the Celtics will work behind closed doors while we will speculate what they will do with the first overall pick and picks 37, 53, and 56 in the second round.

Round 1, Pick 1: Markelle Fultz, PG from Washington

As mentioned in our first mock draft, Markelle Fultz has more than enough skill to be the top pick in the draft. Earlier this week, Fultz visited Boston to meet with Danny Ainge and show his talent in a workout. The two took a trip to b.good before Ainge showed Fultz around the TD Garden. Brad Stevens brought Fultz into a film session after his workout which, by all accounts, went very well.

According to Keith Pompey, Fultz will likely not work out for any team besides the Celtics.

Fultz later clarified has not ruled out other workouts, but visiting the Celtics was his highest priority.

During his courtship with the Boston Celtics, Fultz has said and done all the right things. He told ESPN in an interview that he would like to wear number 20:

"“I would want to wear No. 20, just because a lot of history behind that number, through high school and college,” Fultz said. “[But] it doesn’t really matter about the number; it matters about what I do.”"

He praised the city of Boston and the team’s coaches to CSNNE:

"“Just the way the program is; they expect the best,” he said. “I just learned some stuff . . . working harder. I already work hard, but [the Celtics coaching staff] . . . pushing me to the next level and making me the best player I can be.” “I’m a humble young man,” Fultz said. “And just want the best for the city and the team.”"

He continuously expresses positive thoughts about playing with Isaiah Thomas:

And he even said what fans want to hear from any potential pick:

"“It almost feels like I belong here,” Fultz told ESPN’s Jeff Goodman during a tour of the arena that included a stop outside the Celtics’ locker room, where the former Washington star studied the pictures of Boston legends that line the hallways."

Fans should be excited that Fultz wants to play in Boston almost as much as they want him to. Like any college player entering the Draft, Fultz will be happy to play anywhere, but his genuine excitement at the possibility of joining the Celtics is an excellent sign.

Round 2, Pick 37: OG Anunoby, SF/PF from Indiana

Mock drafts are, strangely, very scattered in terms of OG Anunoby’s placement. Draft Express has him going fifteenth overall to the Portland Trailblazers, while NBADraft.net has him falling to the Celtics at pick 37. It be a bit surprising to see Anunoby fall out of the lottery, just because he is very talented, but it would be extremely shocking to see him fall all the way out of the first round. For the purposes of this mock, we will roll with Anunoby at pick 37 simply because he is a fun prospect to look at.

The source of the uncertainty regarding Anunoby is that he only played sixteen games this season before he had to have knee surgery to repair his ACL. In his short season, Anunoby scored 11.1 points per game on 70.1% shooting from two-point range. He also averaged 5.4 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks. Anunoby became a player who Indiana trusted to finish inside the paint and who showed an ability to defend every position.

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Anunoby’s defensive prowess heightens his value, but he does have a weak jump shot. He appears to be a better defender than Jae Crowder, but a worse scorer. Given the ball inside, Anunoby could prove more valuable than Crowder and pair well with Jaylen Brown’s developing outside shot.

If he does fall all the way to 37, the Celtics will need to snatch up Anunoby with no questions asked. His skills on defense and potential for development on offensive make him more likely to be a mid-first rounder, but some teams will take his injury into consideration more than others.

A steep fall is unlikely, but Anunoby is a name to keep an eye on as the first round moves on. If he is not picked, expect the Celtics to pounce when they get their shot.

Round 2, Pick 53: Cameron Oliver, PF from Nevada

Cameron Oliver continues to feel like a perfect fit for the Celtics, but his name is starting to spread more and more. Oliver was projected to go to Boston with their final pick in our previous two mock drafts, but the aggressive rim protector from Nevada is now creeping up more and more draft boards.

Potentially the best sleeper in the draft, Oliver’s skillset fits perfectly with what the Celtics are missing. A strong man inside was clearly needed in some of the Celtics playoff games as Al Horford and Kelly Olynyk were both expected to rebound as well as shoot from distance. Oliver is a great scorer inside and averaged 9.4 and 8.7 rebounds over his two college seasons.

Part of Oliver’s growing recognition is the improvements he made in shooting from deep, which is a nice skill that will let him compete to make whichever team takes him, but not something the Celtics necessarily need him to do. His strength on the boards will set him apart from the other Boston big men, but the ability to make an open shot if he has one can only help his case.

Round 2, Pick 56: Nigel Williams-Goss, PG from Gonzaga

Both the top and the bottom of this year’s draft class are point guard-heavy, a position the Celtics do not necessarily need to fill. Markelle Fultz can play off the ball and back up the point when needed, to go along with Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier all already on the roster. With few talented big men within the last few picks, the Celtics may take a flier on Gonzaga point guard Nigel Williams-Goss.

Williams-Goss led his team to the NCAA Final Four this season after transferring from Washington and took a bigger role in the Zags’ offense. He led his team in scoring with 16.8 points per game, the highest of his three college seasons, and improved his three-point percentage from 25.6% to 36.8%. Williams-Goss also took over 1.5 more free throw attempts on average at Gonzaga than he did at Washington and improved his free throw percentage from 76.3% to 86.7%.

Williams-Goss also proved to be a skilled rebounder, something the Boston Celtics like to have out of their guards. He averaged 6.0 rebounds per game, the second most on Gonzaga. Boston has three excellent rebounding guards in Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier, so Williams-Goss would fit right in.

Of course, with so many point guards still on the roster, Williams-Goss would need to show something special to have any chance to make the team.

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Regardless, he would be a good pick to hold onto with the Maine Red Claws in case of emergency. He is a talented scorer who can get boards, both of which the Celtics encourage.