The Boston Celtics couldn’t trade their pick before time was up, and selected Jaylen Brown. If he stays in Titletown, how does he fit?
The Player: Jaylen Brown brings more athleticism than anyone else in the draft, all packed into a strong, long frame. He dominates in transition, and can play way above the rim. His potential is to be an elite defender of multiple positions on the wing. As he adds strength he has a future as a small-ball 4 as well. The problem with Brown is that his freshman season was one of the worst of anyone in the draft, and statistical projection models have him outside the top-100 prospects in the draft. He will have to overcome that to make a mark on the league.
The Fit: The first thing to remember with the Celtics is that just because they have selected a player does not mean he will stay here. But if they keep Brown, he brings elite athleticism to a team that wants to run more in transition. On defense he landed in a great situation to learn the speed of the NBA game and grow as a perimeter defender, as Stevens is one of the best there is for developing players. The Celtics could slide Jae Crowder to the 4 and start Brown, or let him come in off the bench as a high-energy sub.
The Spot: 6th man / backup small forward
The Grade: B
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