The Celtics are heading into an offseason filled with uncertainty. Since Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles in the second-round loss versus the Knicks, trade rumors have constantly swirled around the team, as their upcoming tax bill for next season is estimated at $238 million.
Brad Stevens and the front office must make some difficult decisions regarding the roster that just captured banner 18 last year. They could either make their entire roster available, besides Tatum, and try and get as much value as they can in return while getting under the second apron, or retool the team around Jaylen Brown and still be a competitive team.
Although the Celtics' future is unknown, what’s certain is they have the 28th and 32nd overall picks in the draft and urgently need a young influx of talent to help contribute now. Luckily for them, this class has depth, giving them a chance to find a future role player.
1st Round - Pick 28: Maxime Raynaud, PF/C, Stanford
Maxime Raynaud, 22, played all four years at Stanford, improving every year. The French native had his best season last year, averaging 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks.
The Cardinals saw an increase in Raynaud’s three-point shooting, averaging 34.7% on 5.5 attempts last season compared to 1.4 in his first three seasons. Raynaud was Stanford's leader in points, rebounds, and blocks last season, leading them to their first 20-win season since 2019-2020.
"Raynaud is incredibly skilled for his size, showcasing the ability to post up, face up, shoot and attack poor closeouts. He can finish with both hands and uses his footwork to navigate traffic in the paint."Maxime Raynaud's 2025 NBA Draft Profile
Raynaud would be a great addition to the Celtics, who must find a replacement for Al Horford, who turned 39 just a few weeks ago. Raynaud’s ability to stretch the floor at his size would fit well with the Celtics, as the team led the league in three-point makes (17.8) and attempts (48.2) last season.
Compared to Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta, Raynaud is a far better option offensively than the two, but isn’t as good defensively. Something the Celtics need to improve upon is scoring off the bench, and Raynaud can provide points off the bench.
Some of the concerns I have for Raynaud are whether he can still be effective with fewer touches, as he’ll get the majority of his touches in pick-and-pop and spot-up situations. He’ll also need to take better care of the ball, as he averaged 2.7 turnovers last year.
Drafting Raynaud would give the Celtics another big to rely on if Al Horford or Kristaps Porzingis needs rest. He’d get the edge over Queta for minutes but would have to battle Kornet for minutes off the bench.