While they just moved on to the Eastern Conference finals, the Boston Celtics also grabbed the number one overall pick. The Celtics have the 1st, 37th, 53rd, and 56th picks in the 2017 NBA Draft. The Celtics have a lot of options in all of their picks. Apparently, everyone has been focusing on their first pick, but they can upgrade their team a lot with their picks later in the draft as well.
1st pick
It seems that the Celtics are a lock to take Washington point guard Markelle Fultz. Fultz stands at 6'4" and completely dominated the college basketball scene.
Fultz comes into the league with NBA scoring ability and can facilitate to find open shooters.
The Celtics could use another guy who can get a bucket for them. He can score, and when Isaiah Thomas is getting older, he can take over the team. The other option for them would probably be Lonzo Ball or Josh Jackson. Both don't make as much sense as Fultz does, but they are both game-changing players too. Ball has amazing vision, and Jackson brings an NBA frame into the league at small forward.
37th pick
At the 37th pick, the Celtics can target a bunch of different players. They can go after a project like Frank Jackson, the Duke freshman, or they could target Johnathan Motley out of Baylor. He likely wouldn't fall to 37, but Hamidou Diallo would be a huge grab for the Celtics if he fell as well.
The high school senior transferred to Kentucky halfway through the season and brought a ton of skill to the league. Diallo is a big project, and you likely wouldn't see any results until a few years in.
53rd pick
Both the 53rd and the 56th picks are picks that the Celtics should try and get a project. Towards the end of the draft, they just need to snag a player that might be something in the future.
At 53, a couple of players come to mind. The dynamic shooting guard out of Oregon, Tyler Dorsey, may be available. Dwayne Bacon out of Florida State may also be around that late in the draft. Both these players can score the ball could be a good NBA pro in a couple of years.
56th pick
At 56 two players should be available that the Celtics should take a chance on.
Nigel Williams-Goss and Kobi Simmons are both worth the risk. Williams-Goss was the point guard for Gonzaga. The former All-American, Goss brings a lot of athleticism and poise to his game. He plays like a veteran and can help lead the second unit right away. Kobi Simmons, the freshman out of Arizona, is one athletic specimen. Simmons is so young still, but he brings all the physical tools that you need for a scoring guard.
The Celtics have a lot of picks, and since they have established themselves in the East, they can draft for the future. They can target guys who may be good for them in a couple of years.
