Why the Celtics might draft: Vernon Carey

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Among the many things impacted by the NBA’s ongoing hiatus is the 2020 draft. And there are layers to this issue, one being draft order.
Based on where the standings were when play first came to a halt, the Celtics would have three 2020 first-round picks: 17 (via Memphis), 26 and 30. Here’s a look at one of the players they could select in the first round:

VERNON CAREY, DUKE

STATS: 17.8 PPG | 8.8 RPG | 1.6 BPG

At No. 26 or 30, there are worse players to invest in than the 19-year-old, 6-foot-10, 250-pound center. Carey is projected to go in that late-first round range, so the Celtics could take a flier on him.

One of the problems with Carey: he doesn’t have an outside game. Even though he shot 38.1% from 3-point territory last season, he only pulled up from deep 21 times.

And while there are similarities between Carey and Isaiah Stewart from Washington, the latter has a higher motor. Stewart’s transition to the NBA is expected to be smoother.

Carey is active on the glass and protects the paint — he nearly averaged 10 rebounds and two blocks per game while only playing 24.9 minutes a night as a freshman at Duke. But, like Stewart, pick-and-roll defense is a question mark.

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