The Golden State Warriors have dominated the NBA for multiple seasons with their A-level talent, yet they continue to improve season-after-season. This offseason, Bob Myers and Draymond Green lured another superstar-level player away from their respective team into The Bay. With that level of talent, the Warriors should be the most feared team in the league, correct? Not if the Boston Celtics have anything to say about that.
THE PRESENT:
Before last season began, Celtics fans had reason to be excited about the upcoming season. They acquired Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, two All-Star level players. And, don’t forget they drafted Jayson Tatum, one of the best scorers in college. The seemingly impossible task of taking down LeBron James was now within reach.
However, just like the Philadelphia 76ers, the Celtics were plagued with injuries. Hayward would play only one game, and Irving missed the playoffs due to injury. Yet, the young core in Boston didn’t give up and continued to dazzle.
Jaylen Brown, a second-year wing, improved both his scoring and defense, shooting 39.5% from three. He averaged 7.9 more PPG while taking on tough defensive matchups such as Kevin Durant and LeBron James.
Tatum surprised all with his refined offensive game, able to easily create shots off the dribble. He averaged 13.9 points on 49.2% from the field, 43.4% from three, and 82.6% from the line which would be impressive for seasoned veterans.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of all was “Scary” Terry Rozier. With Irving’s injury, Rozier was given a chance to showcase his talents. Not many had high expectations for Rozier going into the season, however, he continued to show that he belonged in the league. Rozier averaged 15.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4 assists per 36 minutes. He even made his presence felt on the defensive end, taking on tough matchups such as Steph Curry. At a point, he had the fifth highest defensive rating in the entire NBA.
Given the major strides and accomplishments of Boston’s young core, it’s within reason to believe the finals are reachable. Adding Hayward and Irving into the mix of Boston’s starting five will only better the quality of the Celtics. A starting five of Irving, Tatum, Hayward, Brown, and Horford is entirely possible and will surely be a matchup nightmare for most teams.
Yet, the Celtics have the opportunity to become even scarier than this.
THE FUTURE:
Enter the 2019 draft where top-tier talents like RJ Barrett, Nassir Little, Bol Bol, and Zion Williamson will most likely partake in. Once again, this draft is seen as a stacked draft just like last year. And, once again, the Celtics could have multiple first-round picks which will most likely land them at least one top talent.
Here are the picks which Boston possesses:
Sacramento Kings’ top-1 protected
Memphis Grizzlies (If pick falls outside top-8)
Los Angeles Clippers (If pick falls outside top-14)
Boston Celtics’ pick
If the Kings manage to land anything besides the top pick, the pick will go to Boston which guarantees them either RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson, or Nassir Little. The Celtics could select either Barrett or Williamson with the latter being extremely interesting.
POTENTIAL PICKS:
RJ Barrett is a player without many glaring weaknesses, making him a very well-rounded player who stands at 6’6″ with a 6’9″ wingspan which denotes both good size and length for a SG. He’s shown the ability to create his own shots and step up his game when the time calls as shown during his game against Team USA. Barrett can find open teammates and defend multiple positions due to his above-average quickness and IQ likely cementing him as a top-three pick.
Zion Williamson is an absolute freak-of-nature; possibly even more so than LeBron James. Williamson weighs a colossal 280 pounds which would already make him one of the heaviest players in the NBA at 18. Even at that weight, Williamson moves like a guard and broke Duke’s vertical jump record with a frame like an NFL linebacker’s.
Unlike Barrett, Williamson does come with some concerns. He relies on his strength and athleticism – something which will be ineffective to count on in the NBA. Furthermore, Williamson’s jumper needs some work, as it isn’t consistent and lacks a good arc. Even with such weaknesses, Williamson is a great investment for a team like the Celtics. They don’t necessarily have to provide him with heavy minutes. 20 or fewer minutes a night would help to let him improve and possibly reach his potential as a great offensive and defensive player.
With the Grizzlies pick, the Celtics could possibly select Bol Bol or Jontay Porter. Both prospects would surely benefit any team and have high ceilings. Bol Bol, however, is a player the Celtics wouldn’t want to pass on. He’s a 7’2″ center with a 9’6″ standing reach. He also possesses great defensive awareness as a help defender and will make his presence felt amongst opposing players.
As for the Clippers’ pick, it could end up being Daniel Gafford. Per 40 minutes, he averaged 3.8 blocks which will add to Boston’s league-best defense. With their own pick, the Celtics could select Killian Tillie who’s proven himself a versatile big who can shoot the three.
Conclusion:
In the end, it’s not the last two picks which should scare the NBA but the first two. If the already-stacked Celtics land two lottery picks, they might be able to surpass the Warriors in terms of talent. They already have a top-three starting lineup, and adding such players will allow them to play at a “starters” level for 48 minutes. Due to that, the standard of a superteam may take on an entirely new definition – one befitting of the Celtics.