2015 NBA Draft Combine Prospects the Boston Celtics Must Watch Most Closely

The NBA Draft Combine is something the casual fan may not pay much attention to, but for a young team like the Boston Celtics looking to build off of a successful 2014-15 season, the subtle differences players show there could have huge ramifications.

The C’s still have a number of clear needs, one of which is simply more overall athleticism, and are in prime position to address that with their two first-round selections (No. 16 and No. 28 via the Los Angeles Clippers). 

With the list of combine participants now available, Boston is in the position to choose which players they especially want to focus on throughout the week.

While a few top prospects like Jahlil Okafor and Karl-Anthony Towns elected not to attend, those players were never feasible for the C’s. Luckily, practically every mid-first-round prospect out there decided to participate, so Boston has plenty of work to do.

The combine isn’t indicative of everything, but it is a good way to see how an individual player measures up in terms of athleticism, physical skills and adjustment to higher-level competition.

Some of the players listed here may not be names you have typically heard associated with Boston in the 2015 draft, but they all should be on the Celtics’ radar as they scout who could be a good fit with their developing nucleus.

Justin Anderson, SG/SF

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2014-15 stats: 12.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 46.6 FG%, 45.2 3P%

Boston could use an upgrade at small forward, and while Virginia’s Justin Anderson battled injuries, he’s still a terrific athlete and an NBA-ready prospect. 

There’s some overlap between Anderson’s game and Jae Crowder’s, but Anderson can swing more easily to the off-guard spot, and he’s more comfortable shooting the basketball than Crowder likely will ever be.

He isn’t a volume gunner, but Anderson uses the threat of his outside shot as a way to open driving lanes for his dynamic finishes in the paint.

He can consistently make plays on both ends above the rim and is an ideal fit in Boston head coach Brad Stevens’ fast-paced system. 

At 6’6” and with long arms, he is able to switch easily on pick-and-rolls, an asset for a team that struggled to contain ball-handlers once they navigated around screens.

According to DraftExpress’ Derek Bodner, “Anderson's defensive fundamentals are not always perfect, but his outstanding physical tools and high energy level help cancel this out, suggesting Anderson has even more room to grow as a defender than the already plus defender that he currently is.”

Anderson may not do much scoring right away on the offensive end, but his activity and athleticism at least make him a threat running the break and cutting off the ball. 

Anderson isn’t an elite passer, but he can keep the ball moving around the perimeter and occasionally flashes the ability to make high level reads. 

For further evidence, look no further than this highlight reel of Anderson’s most freakish plays as a Cavalier.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, SF

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2014-15 stats: 11.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 50.2 FG%, 20.7 3P%

One player with serious potential to shine at the combine is Arizona sophomore Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who lacks offensive polish but has tremendous athletic upside.

As DraftExpress’ Josh Riddell writes, “He will be able to match up athletically with many wing NBA players, as his combination of strength, quickness and explosiveness will be difficult to match.”

He obviously is not much of a jump-shooter, and it is a skill he may never acquire. But Hollis-Jefferson is a terrific slasher with the size to play at the 3 right away in the league. He is also not great at making plays with the ball, and he really does his best work catching on the move and not having to make tough decisions.

Still, Hollis-Jefferson is tailor-made to defend in today’s NBA. He can slide seamlessly between 2s and 3s, and should even be able to cover some of the league’s bigger point guards if needed. 

Possessing great lateral quickness, Hollis-Jefferson can consistently stay in front of his man off the dribble and also has good hands to force turnovers and create transition opportunities. 

In many ways, he projects to be a similar player to former Celtic favorite Tony Allen: a lockdown defender who never quite gets it on the offensive end.

Hollis-Jefferson is also willing to play through contact and attack the rim, which is important given his limited scoring skill set. 

He averaged a respectable 5.4 free throw attempts as a sophomore and is undeterred by contact.

Hollis-Jefferson doesn’t have star potential in the league, but he’s an intriguing option in the mid-to-late first round, especially if the C’s decide to trade back.

Montrezl Harrell, PF

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2014-15 stats: 15.7 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.4 APG, 56.6 FG%, 24.3 3P%

At 6’8”, Harrell is slightly undersized for the 4, but he makes up for it with his athletic ability and sheer will to make plays around the basket.

Though his game didn’t develop as much as some hoped in three seasons at Louisville, Harrell consistently excelled on the glass and at finishing around the basket. 

He experimented a little more as a junior, stepping outside and taking jumpers, but it never quite caught on and ultimately did more harm than good.

Per Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, “Harrell is a relentless floor-runner, getting out regularly in transition [and] beating opposing big men down the court. He's a constant target for lobs and alley-oop plays in both the half and full court, and is a terrific finisher around the basket in general, converting a terrific 65% of his attempts around the rim on the season.” 

He can’t provide the floor spacing of a Jared Sullinger or Kelly Olynyk, but Harrell’s ability to play at a breakneck pace means he should be able to slot in well alongside Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas.

Obviously, there will be a learning curve as he can no longer overpower opponents in the league as he did in college, but Harrell has the physical tools to be an impact rebounder and finisher in the paint. 

Boston has improved as a rebounding team since Stevens allows them more freedom to chase the offensive boards, but they still lack a player who can hoover up loose balls.

Harrell’s best case scenario is likely that of a scrappy, undersized big like Kenneth Faried, but it would be huge if Boston could come away with someone like that from this draft.

Tristan Thompson exposed Boston’s lack of frontcourt toughness in the playoffs, and no matter how much offensive skill guys like Sully, Olynyk and Tyler Zeller have, they are far from impressive athletes.

Harrell isn’t worth the Celtics' top selection, but he could prove to be a wise gamble if he falls to the Clippers’ pick that Boston owns.

Trey Lyles, PF

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2014-15 stats: 8.7 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.1 APG, 48.8 FG%, 13.8 3P% 

Trey Lyles isn’t your conventional, jump-out-of-the-gym athlete, but he’s an incredibly smooth forward who excels at nearly all facets of the game.

Although DraftExpress’ Givony notes, “He is a fluid and mobile big man, but not overly quick or explosive, lacking a degree of athleticism that may limit his long-term upside to a certain extent,” Lyles’ biggest combine boosts are his measurables.

Lyles measures 6’10” and boasts a wingspan over 7’3”. Those are huge assets when playing the 4, and the fact that he can move well certainly bodes well for his professional future. 

An agile big man, Lyles made the most of his limited opportunities on a loaded Kentucky team and particularly excelled in transition.

He runs the floor hard, and can finish at the rim with authority despite not having an elite vertical.

Offensively, Lyle looks comfortable catching the ball and attacking from the perimeter. He isn’t going to emerge as a Blake Griffin-style point-power forward, but he can dribble into the lane and finish over the top of the defense.

He has a decent-looking jumper, albeit one that he couldn’t successfully expand out to the three-point arc. That isn’t an essential skill though, particularly since he has good touch around the hoop and is a more capable post scorer than he got to show as a Wildcat.

CSNNE’s A. Sherrod Blakely feels that Lyle’s back-to-the-basket abilities makes him an ideal fit in green.

What may give Boston pause is that he hasn’t proven to be much of an impact player defensively. He can’t block shots despite his length and size, and he isn’t always the most aware help defender.

The Celtics already have a few defensively limited big men, but Lyles still has some upside on that end, particularly as a low-post defender once he puts on more weight. 

Lyles has the physical tools and work ethic to succeed in the NBA and could be a smart, if surprising, pick for Boston at No. 16.

Sam Dekker, SF

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2014-15 stats: 13.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.2 APG, 52.5 FG%, 33.1 3P% 

Another smooth, well-rounded wing, Sam Dekker could be a great spark off the bench for the Celtics next season. 

Dekker served as the athletic complement for the more finesse-oriented Frank Kaminsky at Wisconsin, pushing the pace in transition, making smart cuts off the ball and finishing at the rim. 

His athleticism and size at 6’9” gives him a nice versatility out on the court, although he is still honing certain skills like three-point shooting and making more difficult reads.

His outside shot has regressed since his freshman season (39.1 percent), and it is worth wondering if Dekker will ever rediscover his stroke once he has to adjust to a further three-point arc.

He is not always the best improviser on drives, sometimes getting himself into trouble by not making the right decision on the fly.

Still, Dekker would be another good option to play behind Crowder off the bench, and his positional flexibility is especially helpful on the defensive end.

He won’t be able to cover a ton of 4s in the NBA but he can switch easily between 2s and 3s. Dekker does a nice job keeping his man in front of him and rotating out to contest shooters.

Givony of DraftExpress writes, “Although unlikely to emerge as a star, Dekker has everything you look for in an outstanding role-player, and his size, athleticism and versatility combine for a coveted package of skills in the style of play we're seeing in the NBA these days.” 

With his overall awareness, physical tools and effort level, there is no reason Dekker couldn’t be an impact player off the bench for the Celts.