2015 NBA Draft Prospects the Boston Celtics Should Already Be Considering
While Boston Celtics fans have been caught up in the team’s recent resurgence and the terrific play of newcomer Isaiah Thomas, it has been easy to lose sight of how crucial the C’s first-round draft pick will be to the franchise's development when the season ends.
Boston is still in the midst of rebuilding, and nailing this selection would be a tremendous step forward.
Boston has two glaring needs: at center and at small forward. Luckily, the 2015 draft class will have plenty of capable players at those two positions.
As impressive as the Celtics have looked in recent weeks, they are still several pieces from true contention, and given that the franchise has never had much luck in free agency, drafting well is absolutely key.
To keep yourself up to date on draft options, take a break from watching Thomas' fourth-quarter highlights and check out five prospects the C’s should already be scouting hard.
Statistics accurate as of March 9, 2015.
Willie Cauley-Stein, C
1 of 5
2014-15 stats: 8.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 0.9 APG, 1.6 BPG, 1.4 SPG, 58.8 FG%
Rim protection has long been a concern for Boston and, while Willie Cauley-Stein is a project in many other regards, he is fully formed as a shot-blocker.
Cauley-Stein has had a terrific junior campaign for Kentucky, finally coming into his own and anchoring the defense of one of the best teams in the nation.
He’s a freak athlete who would give Boston the perfect center to accompany Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas in pushing the ball up the floor. He runs the court extremely well, finishes in transition and would have space to roam down low with Jared Sullinger and Kelly Olynyk shooting from distance.
Obviously, his offensive game is still rough, and as CelticsBlog’s Justin Danziger notes, “Cauley-Stein is strictly an inside scorer who salvages most of his points off transition buckets, putbacks and alley oops. He doesn't run the pick-and-roll often but has the potential to be a threat in that aspect.”
Still, Cauley-Stein could be brought along slowly behind Olynyk, Sully and Tyler Zeller, getting consistent minutes without too much pressure to thrive right away.
The Celts lack a player who can consistently protect the hoop, ranking just 29th in the league in blocks per game (3.8). They have solid perimeter D with Smart and Avery Bradley, but if either of them get beat on the pick-and-roll, the C’s defense is horrendous.
According to NBADraft.net, Cauley-Stein is slated to go at No. 10 to the Indiana Pacers, while Boston is projected to nab the No. 9 pick.
He wouldn’t provide immediate, all-around help, but Cauley-Stein would be a solid pickup aimed at fixing a serious hole in the roster.
Stanley Johnson, SF
2 of 5
2014-15 stats: 13.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.5 SPG, 44.9 FG%, 35.3 3P%
The C’s would likely have to go full-on tank to nab Arizona’s Stanley Johnson, but it may ultimately be worth it for such a stellar talent.
Boston needs more than just Jae Crowder and Jonas Jerebko at the 3, and Johnson would immediately become the Celtics’ small forward of the future.
Johnson’s play has cooled off a bit since a head-turning start, but he still has the explosiveness to be the featured scorer Boston’s offense has lacked recently. As a competent shooter and capable passer, Johnson has the tools to be a featured piece of the offense even in his rookie season, as well as the crucial ability to play off the ball.
ESPN Insider Fran Faschilla noted comparisons to Ron Artest, Kawhi Leonard and even LeBron James; those first two sound like pretty reasonable targets. Boston needs a player capable of taking on the opponent’s best defensive wing, and Johnson could be that player on a nightly basis.
He works extremely hard off the ball and has the strength to muscle bigger wings down on the block. There will be an adjustment period as he gets used to the size of the league, but the 6’8” swingman has the tools to be an excellent defender in the NBA.
Essentially, Johnson could turn into the player the Celts hoped they were getting when they traded for Jeff Green.
Unfortunately, other teams also value Johnson’s two-way skills, as he is currently projected to go No. 5 to the Orlando Magic on NBADraft.net.
The C’s could attempt to package some of their assets with their own pick to grab Johnson, which would likely be worth it if he can capitalize on his tremendous potential.
Kelly Oubre, SF
3 of 5
2014-15 stats: 9.0 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 45.1 FG%, 37.3 3P%
Another option to fill the hole at small forward, Kelly Oubre has had a typical problem: He hasn't particularly featured in his freshman season at Kansas.
He’s logging just 20.4 minutes per game but shooting the ball extremely well. He could be a serious boost to Boston’s floor spacing, which has been quite weak in 2014-15.
The Celtics are just 22nd in the league at 33.3 percent from three-point range, and they desperately need more shooting from the perimeter for Stevens’ system to succeed. Thomas has added a boost, but he’s primarily launching off the dribble, and Boston requires more catch-and-shoot options like Oubre to create driving lanes.
As CelticsHub’s Tom Westerholm comments, there are some problems with his mental focus. “The qualifier ‘when he’s engaged’ sometimes looks like a problem. Oubre doesn’t always seem to have his full attention focused on the defensive end,” he writes.
That isn’t an insurmountable problem for a young player and is certainly something that could be fixed in his first few seasons in the league.
It is important to remember that Bill Self’s offensive system doesn’t feature rookies much, and even Andrew Wiggins had a lot of mortal moments while playing with the Jayhawks.
Oubre probably wouldn’t be ready to start in 2015-16 but would be a good option off the bench behind Crowder.
His long frame and wingspan make him a solid defensive option, and he has the ability to force turnovers with his quick hands. Covering bulkier 3s will be a problem early on, but once he begins putting on weight he should be a legitimate three-position defender.
NBADraft.net has Oubre going No. 11 to the Detroit Pistons, putting him squarely in the Celtics’ wheelhouse, but it is certainly a risky pick given how little he has played as a freshman.
Ultimately, Oubre shouldn’t be Boston’s top choice, but he’s certainly a solid Plan B should Johnson be off the board when the Celtics are choosing.
Myles Turner, PF/C
4 of 5
2014-15 stats: 10.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 0.6 APG, 2.8 BPG, 45.9 FG%, 27.6 3P%
Another freshman big who could help protect the basket, Myles Turner has flown a little under the radar as Texas has struggled but is still an elite talent.
The ability to both space the floor on offense and protect the basket on defense sets Turner apart from the other frontcourt players in his class.
Serge Ibaka comes to mind in comparison, and though Turner’s jumper is still improving it certainly makes sense. He’s going to take time to turn into a good NBA shooter but should be able to at least knock down open mid-range shots immediately.
The more important skill Turner would provide is rim protection. He’s one of the nation’s best shot-blockers and is also capable of guarding the post, too.
Additionally, Turner has flashed decent passing instincts and a solid basketball IQ that would allow him to fit well with Boston’s system. The C’s already have two solid passing bigs in Sully and Olynyk, and adding a third off the pine would really keep the offense moving.
Turner would likely begin the year coming off the bench but could find himself in the starting lineup if he shows poise and maturity.
There are concerns over his play against high-level competition, a troubling sign for his leap to the pros, but Turner also receives more defensive focus now than he will as a pro. He struggles to score in the post against quality defenders, but is athletic enough to thrive as a floor-running, jump-shooting big man as a rookie.
NBADraft.net has Turner going No. 7 to the Sacramento Kings, but it's likely the Kings would not take another center with DeMarcus Cousins thriving at the position right now.
Boston won’t be in the running for Jahlil Okafor or Karl-Anthony Towns, but Turner would be a nice consolation prize and could contribute more immediately than a player like Cauley-Stein.
Kevon Looney, SF/PF
5 of 5
2014-15 stats: 12.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 BPG, 1.3 SPG, 47.4 FG%, 44.4 3P%
Like Turner, Kevon Looney has seen his star fade playing with a mediocre team but has put up terrific individual numbers all season long.
He isn’t an elite scorer, though he makes for it by rebounding phenomenally well for his position and is a versatile defender.
Looney plays the 4 primarily in college but could wind up logging more time as a 3 once he joins the league. Although not a volume outside shooter, Looney makes open threes consistently and could provide some floor spacing.
Looney is also sensational on the offensive glass, a skill that should translate well to the league, and has good instincts when he gets his hands on the basketball. He isn’t a particularly skilled post scorer but works hard down low and does a decent job of drawing fouls.
As CBSSports’ Sam Vecenie notes, Looney’s slashing game hasn’t quite taken off at the college level.
Despite that issue, he has clearly found other ways to be effective offensively. His mid-range jumper is pretty polished already, which will be helpful since he isn’t ready to be a volume three-point shooter in the league yet.
Looney is currently projected as Boston’s pick at No. 9 by NBADraft.net, so experts clearly see a potential marriage between the two parties.
He may never be a superstar, but Looney could emerge as a very solid starter and a nice piece to grow alongside the C’s young core.
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