As the 2022-23 season advances in the NCAA ranks, a number of prospects at that level have seen some significant change in where they are projected to be drafted (if anywhere) in the 2023 NBA draft this summer. At the NBA level, a clearer picture of what individual teams like the Boston Celtics around the league will be doing at the season’s end also has an effect on draft projections.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report’s NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman assembled a new 2023 mock draft that has seen him adjust his projections about which teams will take what players this coming offseason on the big day.
And with three second-round picks in this year’s draft, Wasserman has found three prospects he could see the Celtics drafting — let’s take a look at the trio of prospects.
This Thursday afternoon, the league released the results from the first round of 2023 NBA All-Star Game fan voting returns. https://t.co/tGG9n15XDx
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) January 6, 2023
No. 33 (via Rockets): Leonard Miller (G League Ignite, forward)
“Miller’s unpolished offense was evident … but he’s been productive at 18-19 years old all season, giving teams enticing glimpses of scoring versatility with grab-and-go transition scoring, finishing on the move and spot-up 3s,” writes Wasserman.
A small forward with size (6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan) and the youth to grow into a potentially better version of himself if his shot can be fixed at just 19, the Canadian wing would be a project for the Celtics — but one with a fair amount of upside.
No. 48. (via Blazers): Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona, forward)
“Tubelis is producing his way into the draft discussion, averaging 20.1 points and 8.7 boards off a combination of rim-running effort, good hands, touch in the paint, and the occasional open jump shot,” suggests the B/R analyst.
With the size and frame of a big man at 6-foot-11 and the skills of a swingman — if raw — we could see Boston pulling the trigger on a selection of the Lithuanian forward.
No. 60. (Own) Trayce Jackson-Davis (Indiana, forward/center)
“With a recent 10-assist triple-double against Nebraska and a 9-block game against Kansas, Jackson-Davis could be showing NBA teams just enough bonus improvement to complement his signature post game and finishing,” opines Wasserman.
And while his smaller size at 6-foot-9 and lack of shooting might limit his NBA future, his stout frame and propensity to pull down boards while protecting the rim would be a solid option for the Celtics this late in the draft.
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