Four Players Celtics Should Consider Selecting In 2023 NBA Draft

The Boston Celtics will have to exercise some patience Thursday night when the 2023 NBA Draft commences, but they won’t have to wait as long as the past couple of years to make a pick.

The Celtics don’t have a first-round pick for the third straight season, but own the No. 35 overall selection, which is by far their highest position in the draft since 2020.

With an already deep and talented roster, the Celtics can go in a number of different directions early in the second round. Drafting a backup big man as insurance for the aging Al Horford and the oft-injured Robert Williams surely wouldn’t be a bad plan of attack. And in today’s NBA, teams can never have enough shooting.

Here are four players the Celtics should consider drafting at No. 35:

Colby Jones, Xavier
Jones offers the long-range shooting ability the Celtics covet. In his junior season with Xavier, Jones knocked down 37.8% of his attempts from beyond the arc while averaging a well-balanced 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. His 6-foot-4, 199-pound frame also gives him solid defensive versatility to aid him on that end of the floor.

Jones is seen as an NBA-ready prospect — The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor compared him to Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon — whose game won’t need much time to get going at the next level. And with the Celtics in win-now mode, he could be a good fit for Boston’s second unit.

Tristan Vukcevic, KK Partizan (Serbia)
Vukcevic is one of the more intriguing prospects in the draft. The Serbia native turned some heads at the NBA Scouting Combine with his size and scoring ability. The 6-foot-11, 223-pound big man, who has a 7-foot-3 wingspan, can stretch the floor with his outside shot-making. He connected on 37.3% of his attempts from 3-point range and it isn’t too often that players his size can shoot that well. He is a work in progress on the defensive end, but his offensive potential overshadows that for the time being.

Vukcevic has a connection to the Celtics through one of his KK Partizan teammates as he plays alongside Yam Madar, Boston’s 2020 second-round pick.

Emoni Bates, Eastern Michigan
This would be a high-risk pick by the Celtics but could also net a big reward, especially given that it comes in the second round. Bates was a much-hyped prospect out of high school, but injuries and off-the-court incidents have seen his NBA draft stock plummet. Prior to his sophomore season this winter at Eastern Michigan, Bates was arrested on gun charges in September. The charges were later dropped.

Bates’ behavior brings red flags but his talent is undeniable, especially as a high-volume scorer. At Eastern Michigan this past season, the lean 6-foot-8, 179-pound wing tallied 19.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Given the questions about his maturity, Bates, who is only 19 years old, needs to land with a stable franchise that has a veteran presence. The Celtics certainly check those boxes.

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Jackson-Davis packs plenty of athleticism inside his 6-foot-8, 240-pound frame. He plays much like Williams, serving primarily as a lob threat with a high-flying ability. In his senior season with the Hoosiers, Jackson-Davis averaged a double-double with 20.9 points and 10.8 rebounds to go along with an eye-popping 2.9 blocks per game. He also registered four assists per contest.

Jackson-Davis is strictly an inside-the-paint player — he attempts only three 3-pointers in his college career — but despite that, he has shown that he can make an impact at both ends of the court.