2026 draft class. Best fit for celtics

[slightly biased bias fan]

Someone who has not really been talked about yet (due to injury) is UConn Huskies Braylon Mullins.

The guy has some Reggie Miller/Chris Mullin to his game.

[Darth_Yoda]

I was surprised by how small Darryn Peterson looked after hearing about how he was a big two guard. He was more like a Larry Hughes sized SG than a Kobe Bryant.

Yeah, even Peterson himself is not a fan of the Kobe talk.

For me, a more polished (mentally stable) Gilbert Arenas is a better comparison.

PEterson is an elite defender, I dont see the Arenas comp.


If Anything he is a bigger, excellently defensive Damian Lillard.

Lillard with his scoring creation, Pull up ability, Shooting touch and the ability to attack a defense
Got some SGA level midrange game and Burst
Got some Kobe in regards to competitiveness, Footwork and 2way ability

6-5 200-205lbb as a 18 year old who still could grow another inch or 2 and easily fill out to another 15-20 lbs

[Birdman]

Anyone who is over 6-10, can rebound & protect the rim

[Moranis]

Peterson is another kid from NE Ohio.  Quite an Olympic squad could be put together just from Ohio born players.

Steph, McCollum, LeVert, LeBron, Nance
Peterson, Kennard, Trent, Tate, McBride, Branham, Livingston, Hayes-Davis, Bronny
Rozier dishonorable mention.

Need some big guys, but pretty solid talent overall led by the 2 all timers at the top of the roster. 

[SHAQATTACK]

Looking for 5ft 7 max ,  save money

[Celtics4ever]

I do think a lot of what the best fit is will depend on where we draft.    I would prefer a PF who can play C, or a SF.  I am assuming we miss out of the lottery as of our record today. This is a realistic best fit.  This assumes Brown moves back to SG.  I don't think Haugh could play C but he is my pick for fit where we are drafting as of today's record.

Thomas Haugh Florida would be the best fit where we are picking.

6'9" 215lbs     19 PPG and 8.5 RPG  and he can shoot the three at 36%

Strengths

    Versatility & Athleticism: Mobile and coordinated 6?9? forward with length, agility, and bounce.

    Finishing & Efficiency: Elite rim runner and transition finisher who plays above the rim and thrives off cuts.

    Defensive Versatility: Switchable defender with good timing, discipline, and lateral quickness.

    Motor & Energy: Relentless competitor who sprints the floor, crashes the glass, and sets the tone with hustle.

    Basketball IQ: Understands spacing, rotations, and makes smart, simple reads.

    Rebounding & Activity: Uses length and anticipation to generate extra possessions and contest shots.

Concerns

    Perimeter Shooting Consistency: Has shown flashes but is still developing as an outside shooter.

    Offensive Creation: Relies more on movement and transition play; limited self-creation off the dribble.

    Foul Discipline: Aggressive instincts can lead to unnecessary fouls when contesting or switching.

    Offensive Confidence: Can be too deferential at times, passing up open looks.

    Ball Security: Ball handling and decision-making can tighten up under pressure.

    Consistency & Assertiveness: Impacts the game more through effort than usage; becoming a consistent offensive presence would elevate his value.

https://youtu.be/ZrSz1cDdyX8

I think this could help us at either spot depending on Tatum's return.   If he can play SF you move him there.    If he is a big slower you play him at PF.   Haugh could play either.  My prediction is based on where we are in the draft today which would be 15th.

Neoklis Avdalas would be nice if he dropped too.  I don't think we will be high enough to get the top guys as we are tanking by roster, and certainly not tanking via effort.  Nate Ament would be a dream pick for me.  I like Caleb Wilson as well.  But these guys won't be where we are picking.

[hwangjini_1]

I do think a lot of what the best fit is will depend on where we draft.    I would prefer a PF who can play C, or a SF.  I am assuming we miss out of the lottery as of our record today. This is a realistic best fit.  This assumes Brown moves back to SG.  I don't think Haugh could play C but he is my pick for fit where we are drafting as of today's record.

Thomas Haugh Florida would be the best fit where we are picking.

6'9" 215lbs     19 PPG and 8.5 RPG  and he can shoot the three at 36%

Strengths

    Versatility & Athleticism: Mobile and coordinated 6?9? forward with length, agility, and bounce.

    Finishing & Efficiency: Elite rim runner and transition finisher who plays above the rim and thrives off cuts.

    Defensive Versatility: Switchable defender with good timing, discipline, and lateral quickness.

    Motor & Energy: Relentless competitor who sprints the floor, crashes the glass, and sets the tone with hustle.

    Basketball IQ: Understands spacing, rotations, and makes smart, simple reads.

    Rebounding & Activity: Uses length and anticipation to generate extra possessions and contest shots.

Concerns

    Perimeter Shooting Consistency: Has shown flashes but is still developing as an outside shooter.

    Offensive Creation: Relies more on movement and transition play; limited self-creation off the dribble.

    Foul Discipline: Aggressive instincts can lead to unnecessary fouls when contesting or switching.

    Offensive Confidence: Can be too deferential at times, passing up open looks.

    Ball Security: Ball handling and decision-making can tighten up under pressure.

    Consistency & Assertiveness: Impacts the game more through effort than usage; becoming a consistent offensive presence would elevate his value.

https://youtu.be/ZrSz1cDdyX8

I think this could help us at either spot depending on Tatum's return.   If he can play SF you move him there.    If he is a big slower you play him at PF.   Haugh could play either.  My prediction is based on where we are in the draft today which would be 15th.

Neoklis Avdalas would be nice if he dropped too.  I don't think we will be high enough to get the top guys as we are tanking by roster, and certainly not tanking via effort.  Nate Ament would be a dream pick for me.  I like Caleb Wilson as well.  But these guys won't be where we are picking.

i agree he would be a great pick by the celtics, avdalas looks good on videos. tankathon has him at number 20. other projections range from 10 to 20, so it is possible.

[vjcsmoke]

Honestly I've always thought PF was a weakness for the Celtics for several years now.

However with the rise of Jordan Walsh and Minott I think surprisingly enough we have that position covered.

I think getting a true #5 to share minutes with Queta would actually be a good idea and thankfully those big men tend to go a bit later as the NBA has headed in the direction of small ball for a while now.

I'm looking at Henri Veesar out of North Carolina.

He's 7' 225 lbs originally from Estonia. He developed at the Real Madrid youth team before deciding to attend college at Arizona. Then transferred to UNC.

So far he's been a big part of that squad averaging 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds per game along with efficient 64.9% from the field and 40% from three point range.

I know the college three is shorter than the NBA but that still sounds promising.

Here are some highlights of him versus Kansas this season:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D9hjgZnFT4

Looks like a good prospect for a 3 and D big. He would complement Queta by offering a different skillset where he could come in and help spread the floor. Maybe a Horford lite?

Veesar is projected to be a late 1st/early 2nd round pick.

His teammate Wilson is projected around #4 overall but considering the run we've been on, I expect the Celtics to be picking more in the early 20's rather than the lottery so Veesar should be there for us if Stevens likes any of the bigs in this year's draft.

[Celtics2021]

Aday Mara out of Michigan could fit very nicely as a center.  He is huge, knows how to play drop coverage and defend without fouling (mostly - wings who dare to challenge him on a drive sometimes frustrate him the 1 in 3 times he doesn?t block their shot), and is an elite passer.  ESPN currently has him at 24, which may be closer to the range we pick at than many would have believed at the start of the season.

Also, they have been teaching him the Kornet contest.

If you've watched Michigan this year, you've probably seen Aday Mara "contesting" 3-pointers by jumping vertically while standing in the paint.

Dusty May explained it's something they picked up from the Boston Celtics and tried to implement last year.

"Luke Kornet was doing it. The Celtics had some tricky schemes where they put their best, Robert Williams and then Kornet, they put him on whoever's in the corner, and so he could roam and make plays, and so he was naturally going to be behind the play. And you jump, like these guys are doing, just to distort vision and cause a reaction."

[Celtics4ever]

However with the rise of Jordan Walsh and Minott I think surprisingly enough we have that position covered.

I am thinking the same thing now.    Take the Best Player available.   If we can turn Simmons into something and get Tatum back this year, we have had some guys step up and develop.