Boston Celtics hoping to unearth a diamond in the rough with JD Davison
The Boston Celtics were quiet for most of the 2022 NBA Draft. They didn’t have a first round pick after sending it to the San Antonio Spurs as part of the Derrick White trade, and despite rumors suggesting they would trade back into the first rund, they never did.
That left the Celtics with only the 53rd pick overall in last night’s draft to show for. While some were focusing on who Boston could take with that pick, others were focused on what trades the Celtics could have put together on draft night with all their trade exceptions and what not.
Despite all the rumors and outside noise, Boston stood pat and made their lone pick at #53 overall, which ended with JD Davison, a guard from Alabama, becoming the newest member of the C’s. While the Celtics kept a low profile for most of the draft, it seems like they really like the player they selected at with their lone. That’s all that matters I guess, right?
The Boston Celtics got another athlete in JD Davison
The Boston Celtics found identity for the 2021-22 was centered on their tough, tenacious defnese. Everything good about the Celtics starts with their defense. The Celtics were the number one overall defensive team in the NBA last season. Why not add another guy that is athletic, explosive, and can probably play great defense for you?
That’s where JD Davison fits into the Celtics equation. Now, will Davison play right away for the Boston Celtics? Probably not! Keep in mind, his numbers at Alabama weren’t exactly eye-popping. Davison averaged 8.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 4.3 APG in his final season with the Crimson Tide.
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So again, the offensive numbers aren’t explosive. But that’s the beauty of having another young guy in the fold. If Davison is athletic as everyone is saying, the offensive game will come into play eventually, especially if he can play his way onto the court with some great defense.
What does this mean for Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard?
So with Davison now in the fold, this creates a couple of intriguing options for the Celtics and their soon-to-be third-year guard Payton Pritchard. After Josh Richardson and Dennis Schröder were dealt at the trade deadline this past season, Pritchard immediately found a spot for himself in the rotation. Could it be that the Celtics like Davison so much, that it makes Payton Pritchard more expendable? Who knows!
We’ve already heard that Pritchard and Grant Williams could be available in a trade at the right price. So it’s all dependent on what happens in the near future. Do I see Payton Pritchard being traded personally? No. But if Davison can develop into a serviceable role player, this could make Pritchard more expendable in a future deal.
What can the Boston Celtics expect from JD Davison moving forward?
The first obvious part of this is going to be involve Davison getting reps during Summer League. Sure, the Celtics have a lot of their end of the bench players already committed to the Summer League roster. But adding Davison to the Summer League squad will be a good way to get a look at him against NBA level competition, and that’s extremely valuable at this stage of the game.
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I know Davison is a second round pick and most of the time, second round picks don’t make a lot of noise. But with this Celtics team, maybe JD Davison can be a big part of the team moving forward.
A lot of time in Summer League and then in the G-League with the Maine Celtics should help his development as well. The future of the Celtics is very bright and JD Davison is another added piece of excitement!