This offseason is arguably the most important the Boston Celtics have had in recent memory. The Celtics will be one of the busiest teams due to their financial situation, as they have an estimated tax bill of $238 million for the upcoming season.
Because the consequences of being a second-apron team make it impossible to keep an expensive roster, the Celtics must trade away some pieces of their championship roster to shed salary. Both Jrue Holiday and Sam Hauser have been heavily linked to trade rumors since the teams’ exit from the playoffs.
In addition to their cap problems, the Celtics will go into next season without Jayson Tatum, who’s expected to miss most, if not all, of next season due to a ruptured Achilles. Because the Celtics will not be a championship-level team without him, they must use next season to find new players who can help contribute to the team once Tatum returns.
With the draft just days away, this latest mock draft has the Celtics drafting a player who can potentially make an impact once Tatum is back and healthy.
Celtics Draft Drake Powell in Mock Draft
In Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo’s latest mock draft, they have the Celtics selecting wing Drake Powell from the University of North Carolina. Powell, in his lone season, initially came off the bench before earning a starting role, averaging 7.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists, shooting 48.3% from the field on 5.7 attempts.
Powell isn’t a pure scorer or someone who’s going to take 10 or 15 shots a game, but he’s going to make an impact on the defensive side or in the rebounding game. Only 19 years old, Powell’s ability to guard multiple positions and contribute to other areas makes him an intriguing option for the Celtics.
"“NBA teams like Powell’s feel for the game and long-term upside, especially his ability to guard everyone from point guards to power forwards while flying around to protect the rim, crash the glass and close out with purpose on the perimeter.”"Jonathan Givony, ESPN
The Celtics don’t need another scorer on the team; they need someone who’s going to dive for loose balls, be a pesk on defense, and rebound. They haven’t been able to find that kind of player since moving on from Marcus Smart and Aaron Nesmith.