3. Boston Celtics: Dragan Bender
No, the Boston Celtics will not be using their 3rd overall pick to rectify the injustice that occurred when Isaiah Thomas fell to 60th overall (the very last possible pick) in 2011. Instead they’ll probably be taking a big man to help him advance passed the first round of next year’s playoffs.
That big man is Dragan Bender. He’s a versatile 7-footer from Bosnia, who will be able to help the Boston Celtics immediately. He is a fundamentally sound big, which is something we’ve come to expect from European products in recent decades. He is a more than capable distributor from his position, a nimble defender capable of switching on to forwards and guards with some success, and he has an above average feel for the three point shot.
The fact that he is just 18 years old is certainly a positive. It means he’s most likely not done growing, so his 7-foot-1 frame could stretch even more in addition to filling out with the muscle necessary to contend with the NBA’s more physical specimen.
He’ll be tasked with battling for major minutes in a fairly deep big-man rotation in Boston, but a smart Head Coach like Brad Stevens will take notice of the fact that a player with this type of potential needs in game minutes in order to mature and improve.
On a brief side note, if my Brooklyn Nets still had this pick, we’d see Jamal Murray coming off the board here. The Nets need everything except a center, so the third guy on the board for them would most likely be the better offensive player of the two solid point guards available in the lottery.
Next: Phoenix Suns