The Boston Celtics went into the 2020 NBA Draft holding three first-round picks and one second-round pick. Holding picks 14, 26, 30 and 47 with a near-full roster, it was deemed a longshot that General Manager Danny Ainge selected players at all four spots. By the end of the night, the team had addressed massive needs.
Ainge ultimately made three selections and did not make any major moves. He did make one small move, unloading the 30th pick (Desmond Bane) in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies. This frustrated fans, as the Celtics only received two future second-round picks despite being in a boatload of rumors such as moving up in the draft or using these picks to trade for proven pieces. The Celtics used the draft to address crucial needs by taking Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard.
Pick 14 – Aaron Nesmith
The Celtics selected Vanderbilt wing Aaron Nesmith with the 14th pick. Fans were excited as Nesmith slipped out of the top 10. He addresses one of the Celtics’ biggest needs: three-point shooting. The 21-year-old can flat out score it, averaging 23.0 points on 51.2% shooting from the field last season. Nesmith somehow shot an even higher percentage from deep, knocking down 52% of his three-point attempts.
The best shooter in the draft fell right into the Celtics’ lap. He should be an instant contributor on a Celtics team that desperately needs bench scoring.
Pick 26 – Payton Pritchard
At pick 26, the Celtics took Oregon point guard Payton Pritchard. Pritchard was a four-year player and racked up awards like Pac-12 tourney MVP and 2019-2020 Pac-12 Player of the Year. He is a smart player that does not make mistakes and can shoot the ball extremely well. The most appealing part of his game is his staggering 20.5 points (51.2% FG/41.5% 3PT), 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds per-game averages in his senior campaign. His shooting splits made him one of the most efficient players in the Pac-12.
When he was drafted, the Celtics did not have a backup point guard and it was thought Pritchard would fight for minutes. Since then, the Celtics have signed veteran guard Jeff Teague, which fogs up playing time for Pritchard. The 22-year-old could earn playing time, however, if he performs and could be a part of the rotation for years to come.
Pick 47 – Yam Madar
The Celtics used pick 47 on Israeli point guard Yam Madar. The Celtics did not expect to pick a player that will make an immediate impact at the tail-end of the second round. So insert Madar, who will be a draft-and-stash overseas for the Celtics (he is under contract in Israel for at least two more seasons). When he eventually does come over, expect a crafty passer and elite defender. Madar is not great offensively, as he only averaged 10.1 points per game on poor shooting splits. He will need to improve scoring-wise and get bigger to make the NBA.
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