NBA Draft 2012: 5 Players the Boston Celtics Could Select

The Boston Celtics were just 12 minutes away from an NBA Finals berth. Unfortunately, during that last quarter, the collective age of the team got the best of them and they simply couldn't match the youth and athleticism of the Miami Heat.

With that in mind, the Celtics obviously need to some younger talent if they want to contend next year and with two picks in the first round, the C's look poised to do just that.

Here are five impact players who the Celtics might draft in the first round. 

Royce White

Few non-lottery prospect have been talked about as much as Royce White. Many claim he is a top-10 talent an that is hard to argue with. 

He is perhaps the most versatile player in the draft. At 6'8" with a large wingspan and big hands, he is big for small forward. So with his size and solid rebounding he could really play either forward position.

What sets him apart from most forwards though is his ball-handling ability. At Iowa State, he often played point forward and thrived in that position. Essentially, he is a point guard in a forward's body with his great court vision and passing. 

On the offensive end, besides passing the ball, he is an excellent finisher with a strong upper-body.

However, like with any player, there are some negatives to his game including a poor jump shot, subpar defense and even some anxiety issues that include a fear of flying.

Still though, he would be a steal at either of the Celtics picks and they should definitely try to pick him. 

Terrence Jones

In terms of versatile forwards, Terrence Jones is right up there with Royce White. What Jones lacks in court vision and passing ability he makes up for with solid outside shooting and better defense. 

Like White, he can play either forward position well and that is a big plus. He also has experience on a great team where he is not the first option so he wouldn't necessarily need to leave his ego at the door if he came to the Celtics.

The Celtics want to get younger, more talented and more athletic. Terrence Jones would help in all three of those categories. 

Andrew Nicholson

The Celtics desperately need more talented big men, and Nicholson at 6'10" would definitely fit the bill. Not only is he just a big body though. He can shoot the lights out when given the opportunity.

With his exceptional range and touch he would be perfect to run in the pick and pop with Rajon Rondo to shoot the long range jumper. That play has worked so well with Celtics bigs in the past and could be a great reason to pick Nicholson. 

Jared Sullinger

As I mentioned in the last slide, Celtics bigs generally like to shoot the long-range jumper. For the most part, the Celtics have been lacking a real post-presence for a while now. They could fix that by drafting Jared Sullinger who is an excellent player in the post.

However, there are a lot of red flags surrounding Sullinger whose stock is falling by the minute. He is a bit undersized for his position and does not make up for his lack of size with great athleticism either. Also, he has a bad back.

All of these factors will scare a lot of teams away possibly including the Celtics. But there is no denying that Sullinger is great talent and he may be worth the risk for the Celtics who have two picks in the first round. 

Fab Melo

The Celtics have been lacking a defensive-minded and imposing center since the Kendrick Perkins trade. Yet, they have still managed to be one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

Now, add an elite defensive center to the C's and they could be, without a doubt, the best defensive team in the league. 

Another big positive to drafting Melo is that if the Celtics do draft him and he can come in to play center, then that may convince Kevin Garnett to stick around and play power forward again. 

All of this adds up to another good prospect for the Celtics.