Boston Celtics: 2017 NBA Draft Grades
Meeting the four newest members of the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics/Jayson Tatum (#3 Overall Pick)/Forward/Duke University
Grade: B+
Jayson Tatum: 16.8 points, 2.1 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, 1.1 blocks, 45.2 field goal percentage, 34.2 three-point percentage
Analysis: Jayson Tatum is the most NBA-ready scorer in the draft. His defense is a big question mark, although Brad Stevens raved about his potential defensive versatility after his workout in Boston.
“I talked about that with Coach Brad Stevens, and he just said, ‘Guys that are my size and are versatile offensively and defensively, it’s hard not to play those guys,’” Tatum said. “And that’s what we talked about: If you can defend the 1 through the 4, you can knock down open shots and if you can score, that’s a bonus.”
Tatum, who stands at 6’8 and boasts a 7’0 wingspan, has recently been compared to Celtics legend Paul Pierce by talent evaluators. If he’s even half the player Pierce was, this pick will pay off.
The Celtics will try out four rookies, including Tatum, this summer. Three of them are second rounders whom Boston realistically doesn’t have the roster space for. Ojeleye, Allen, and Bird will likely spend most of their rookie seasons, if not the entirety of next year, in the G-League.
Notes:
· Going into the draft, the Celtics needed either a.) a rim-protecting, bruising center or b.) more scoring options on the wing
· Tatum certainly can provide the scoring Boston needs, hopefully immediately. He will take some of the offensive pressure off Isaiah Thomas in the half court, especially when teams key their defenses on The Little Guy.
· The Celtics went to the Eastern Conference Finals last year. They won over 50 games and had the best record in the East. Even the third overall pick won’t start for them. Tatum will likely come off the bench and relieve Jae Crowder of some of his minutes and possibly take some of Jonas Jerebko’s playing time at small-ball four.
· Selecting Tatum is a win-now move. They could’ve invested in the future by taking a player with a higher ceiling, like Josh Jackson or Jonathan Isaac, but they are committed to the present iteration of the team. They believe Tatum will help them compete against the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are suddenly in a state of dysfunction.
Semi Ojeleye (#37 Overall Pick)/Forward/SMU
Grade: A
Semi Ojeleye: 18.9 points, 1.5 assists, 6.8 rebounds, 0.4 steals, 0.4 blocks, 48.8 field goal percentage, 42.4 three-point percentage
Ojeleye also gives the Celtics more depth, but he’ll most likely spend most of his time in the G-League, as with Kadeem Allen and Jabari Bird.
· Ojeleye is a physically and offensively gifted player. There’s not much he can’t do offensively. He can stretch the floor, finish athletically, crash the glass, and create for himself in isolation.
· After he transferred from Duke to SMU, Ojeleye thrived. The 6’8, 230-pound forward shot upwards of 40% from deep. He’s primed to play small-ball four at the next level.
· According to many analysts, the Celtics got great value in the SMU product. They selected him with the 37th pick and he was 20th on Kevin O’Connor’s big board. If he reaches his ceiling, Ojeleye can be a power forward who can stretch the floor and get buckets while crashing the glass on both ends.
Kadeem Allen (#53 Overall Pick)/Guard/Arizona
Grade: C+
Allen: 9.8 points, 3.0 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 45.3 field goal percentage, 42.7 three-point percentage
· Kadeem Allen is a defensive specialist and an underrated prospect. Although he averaged under 10 points per game as a sophomore, his toughness cannot be overlooked. Plus, he shot over 40% from the college arc. He also rebounds well for a guard.
Jabari Bird (#56 Overall Pick)/Guard/California
Grade: C-
Bird: 14.3 points, 1.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 43.9 field goal percentage, 36.3 three-point percentage
· Jabari Bird, another guard, played with Jaylen Brown at Cal. He’s 6’6 guard with a capable jump shot, but lacks as a playmaker and defender.
· He has high upside, which is what the Celtics were looking for in the late second round.
