On Thursday we took a look at seven players the Celtics could target with the first of their three first-round picks, No. 14 overall. Today we look at seven players they could target later in the first round with picks 26 and 30.
It’s worth noting that there’s a decent chance the Celtics wind up moving one or both of these picks. They could be part of a package to move up from 14 into the top 10. Or the Celtics could trade out of one or both of these spots, potentially for a future pick, as Danny Ainge himself acknowledged it wouldn’t be ideal to bring in four rookies (the Celtics also have a second-round pick) given the team’s roster squeeze.
Another option is drafting a player who could play overseas for a year or two so they wouldn’t have to find a roster spot for him right away, which is something we’ve factored into our list of targets below.
Here are seven players the Celtics could target at 26 and/or 30:
Desmond Bane, SG, TCU
If the Celtics don’t add a shooter at 14, Bane could be good value if he’s still on the board at 26. He was a four-year player at TCU who has never really been viewed as an elite prospect, but he can knock down threes (43% career), move the ball and play defense, and he could have the maturity and smarts to contribute fairly quickly.
Tyler Bey, SF, Colorado
No relation to Villanova wing Saddiq Bey, whom we mentioned as a possibility for the Celtics at 14. This Bey could develop into a similar kind of player if he continues to improve his offense, especially his three-point shot, though. After not hitting a single three as a freshman and only shooting 22.7% from three as a sophomore, Bey improved to 41.9% this past season, though he still averaged just one three-point attempt per game. He’s very athletic and a good defender, so there are worse gambles you could take late in the first round.
Malachi Flynn, PG, San Diego State
Flynn is 6-foot-1 and isn’t considered an elite athlete, hence why he probably won’t go much higher than this. But he was also one of the best players in college basketball last season -- leading the country in win shares, ranking sixth in box score plus-minus and making the All-America Second Team -- on a San Diego State squad that went 30-2. He can shoot, he can defend and he makes good decisions, so again, you could do worse at this point in the draft.
Aleksej Pokusevski, PF/C, Olympiacos (Greece)
There have been a couple reports that have suggested Pokusevski could even be in play at 14 for the Celtics, but that might be a little too much of a reach. Later in the first round, it’s a gamble worth taking if he’s still on the board, especially given that the Celtics might be inclined to take a foreign player they can stash overseas and not have to find a roster spot for right away. Pokusevski is a 7-footer whom analysts praise for his three-point shooting, passing and ball-handling, but he also has work to do defensively and a lot of bulking up to do (he’s thin at just 200 pounds) if he’s going to be able to match up against NBA big men.
Leandro Bolmaro, G, Barcelona (Spain)
Another stash option. Bolmaro is 6-foot-7 and could seemingly play as anything from a point guard to a small forward given his passing, ball-handling and defending. He needs to improve as a shooter, though, as he has shot 30% on threes and 68% from the line while playing in Spain. How much he improves there could determine whether he’ll ever make it in the NBA.
Theo Maledon, G, Lyon (France)
Maledon is similar to Bolmaro in that he’s a bigger (6-foot-5) point guard type who’s well regarded for his playmaking and who could be stashed overseas for a year or two. He’s a better shooter than Bolmaro (36% threes, 78% free throws), but scouting reports indicate there are questions about his defense and his aggressiveness offensively.
Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington
Stewart is a little short for a center at 6-foot-9, but he has a 7-foot-4 wingspan and plenty of muscle at 250 pounds. The Athletic’s John Hollinger and The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor both praise his ability to score in the paint and his work ethic, and both think there’s the potential for him to develop into an effective jump shooter. He’s also considered a good defender, especially when it comes to blocking shots.