The Celtics enter the 2022 NBA Draft without a first-round pick following the acquisition of Derrick White, but Boston still will be on the clock Thursday night.
The Celtics currently have one selection, No. 53 overall, and while the top players in the class surely will be off the board, Boston will benefit from finding value late in the draft.
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who took part in his first draft last summer, already has indicated how Boston will be looking for more playmakers as well as a bench scorer to help the second unit. The Celtics could also look to add to arguably their biggest strength — their versatility on the defensive end.
But who could the Celtics potentially target? We’ve put together a mock draft roundup with a handful of players that could fit the Celtics, and still be on the board at No. 53.
Jonathan Givony, ESPN:Â Gabriele Procida, SG, Fortitudo Bologna
Jeremy Woo, Sports Illustrated:Â Moussa Diabate, PF, Michigan
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report:Â Diabate
Krysten Peek, Yahoo Sports:Â Collin Gillespie, G, Villanova
NBA teams love players who come from Jay Wright’s program. There’s a great track record with Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Donte DiVincenzo and most recently, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl. Gillespie is a true floor general who consistently shot well from deep, averaging 15.6 points and 3.2 assists per game.
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic:Â Jared Rhoden, SF, Seton Hall
Kyle Irving, Sporting News: Jabari Walker, SF, Colorado
NBADraft.net: Michael Foster, PF, G-League
It’s worth noting the Celtics were not speculated of trading up in any of the mock drafts listed, as each player was selected at No. 53 overall.
We’ll find out what route the Celtics decided to take Thursday as the begins at 8 p.m. ET.
