The Celtics probably aren't going to use all of three of their first-round picks later this month, but they are taking advantage of the unique situation they find themselves amid a fairly competitive draft class for 2019. While most scouts have pointed to the fact there is plenty of separation from the top tier of the draft (Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, RJ Barrett) to the next level, there is also kinds of evenness in the teens and 20s in the minds of evaluators, including C's director of player personnel Austin Ainge.
"I mean, it really is evaluating a lot of the same group for all three picks, right?" Ainge explained. "Not any of us can distinguish between 14 and 22 at this point, for the most part. It's a lot of the same guys for all of those picks and workouts. It's helped us get guys in this year...A lot of those players we’re trying to break ties, positionally, on our board. So that can be useful, getting them together."
The Celtics will be draft at No. 14, 20 and 22 on draft night if they keep those selections so they had the luxury of hosting several players that are draft candidates for any of those slots in a head-to-head battle on Tuesday. The lineup was heavy on wings including Kevin Porter Jr. (USC), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Virginia Tech), Tyler Herro (Kentucky), and Luguentz Dort (Arizona State). One Celtics evaluator raved about the level of competition in the workout to BostonSportsJournal.com.
It can be tough for teams to convince potential lottery picks to share the floor with one another during a workout, but the C's numerous picks have made them an appealing destination as a potential landing spot for the second tier talent across draft boards. That should give the C's an advantage in trying to determine who stands out among a crowded pack.
"The agents obviously have to agree to it all in advance and sometimes people are excited about it, sometimes they aren’t," Ainge said of the head-to-head workouts. "The players are always in for it. The agents who are tied to them sometimes want to do it, sometimes not. But it was a selling point. A lot of these guys wanted to be in here and show that they’re better than other guys at their position."
Ainge later added: "Sometimes we try to get a mix of positions so that the 3-on-3 looks a little more game-like, and today we went with a lot of wing players. And I thought it was a really good group. Guys played really hard and we’re able to see lots of matchups that we’re interested in because a lot of these guys are projected in our range."
The highest rated player on mock drafts across the country
involved in the workout was Porter Jr. He's young at age 19 but has the highest potential upside of the group with his scoring ability and footwork. However, after a season at USC that was disrupted by a suspension for violating team rules, the freshman enters the fray with his own set of question marks that the C's will need to do their due diligence on.
"We do a lot of discussions with their staff and people around the program throughout the year, and you learn about their experience in college," Ainge said of character questions. "You ask the managers and coaches and stuff about them and then, when we bring them into our place, we have a chance to sit down and ask them their version, right? So some people have told us -- you tell us what happened, right? Because everyone deserves to have both side of every story, good and bad. So we can get the kid’s perspective on their season, both on and off the court."
Ainge's thoughts on Porter Jr.?
"He’s really talented, still young, has some growing up to do, but the upside is legit," he said.
That type of player wouldn't necessarily be a good fit on a Celtic team that's trying to contend next year. However, if Boston does elect to go younger this offseason after losing top players to free agency, Porter Jr. has the kind of upside that's appealing.
Otherwise, a more help-now piece like Alexander-Walker could stand out from the pack. He tied the team record for court lengths run (29) during the final three-minute run to close out the workout. After two strong years at Virginia Tech as a scorer and a passer, he may have the tools to help now as a potential bench piece for a good NBA squad.
Other Draft Workout Notes
- Former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden was with the C's over the last two days as he tries to break into the coaching world following his retirement. He spend the last couple of years helping out at Ohio State and was one of several college coaches in attendance. "We have a bunch of coaches that visit throughout the year," Ainge said. "We had some guys from a bunch of different colleges today. We invite these guys to come in, we meet them and we talk to them about potential coaching vacancies, for now, or in the future. We have xs and os sessions, we talk about some ideas about what they do. It's just kind of -- get to know a lot of people. Greg Oden just happens to be a little more recognizable than some of the other coaches hanging around. It's a thing we are doing almost all year, but in the summer it's a little easier to have more visitors."
- Porter Jr. on questions about his motor in college: “I was a late bloomer in high school. So, like, I didn’t really get that national kind of known rep. It was kind of like after my senior year. But locally I always was questioned about my motor and stuff like that. Just because it was – I wouldn’t say it was too easy or anything like that, but I tended to sometimes take plays off, which I grew out of. So questions have always been asked about me. The people that really don’t know me, I just want to show that I’m a good guy. Off the court, my character’s high. My mom really spent a lot of time raising me. So how I look at it is just I want to represent my mom and myself good, just be myself.”