The Boston Celtics have the 40th pick in this year's NBA draft, and there is one specific name fans may want to keep an eye on: Syracuse forward William Kyle III.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Boston is one of several contending teams eyeing Kyle, who is having a successful pre-draft circuit, in the second round of this year's draft.
"Our final second-round note: Syracuse's William Kyle III has had enough positive feedback after visiting with 11 teams that he's shutting down his pre-draft circuit and declining five additional workout invitations. Among the clubs said to have interest in Kyle: Both Finals teams — New York and San Antonio — as well as Oklahoma City, Boston and the Lakers," Fischer wrote.
Drafting William Kyle III could help the Celtics' center depth
The Nebraska native just wrapped up a four-year collegiate career, split between South Dakota St., UCLA, and Syracuse. In his final season (and only one at Syracuse), Kyle started all 32 of his games, averaging 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 1 steal while shooting 66.1% from the field.
Kyle is a strong rim protector with elite athleticism and defensive versatility. He is also a solid scorer in the paint and is a legitimate lob threat. Think a Robert Williams III type of guy (and not just because of the "William(s)" and "III" connection).
Listed at 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, Kyle would most likely a power forward in the NBA, though his 7-foot-3 wingspan allows him to play a bit bigger than he is.
The Celtics have a big weakness at center (Neemias Queta isn't good enough to start on a championship-caliber team, and they don't have a lot of depth, especially with Nikola Vucevic's inevitable departure), but adding someone like Kyle to the squad could help them fix some of their problems.
Celtics would still need another center even if they draft William Kyle III
Even if Boston wins what seems to be a sweepstakes for Kyle in next week's draft, it's not going to be good enough to address all of its big man problems.
The 22-year-old would be a nice addition, and he would especially help Boston's interior defense, but the team still needs to find a reliable upgrade over Queta in the starting lineup. They may not have a ton of blockbuster options, but there are still some possibilities they could explore (i.e., a trade for Wendell Carter Jr. or Myles Turner, reuniting with Kristaps Porzingis or "Time Lord," moving up in the draft and selecting a center, which could be a real option).
With the draft less than a week away, the Celtics should give fans at least a little bit of clarity on what the roster will look like next season as they look to re-enter the title picture.
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