Need a pick-me-up after another heartbreaking Boston Celtics loss? There's always the future.
At 18-21, the Celtics own the NBA's 11th-worst record, meaning they'd have the 11th position in the 2022 NBA Draft lottery if the season ended today.
Under the current lottery system, that position would give Boston a 77.6% chance of picking 11th overall in this year's draft and a 9.4% chance of picking in the top four, per Tankathon. (For what it's worth, the Celtics are only four losses away from earning a top-five lottery slot.)
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We'd forgive you if you haven't done much scouting on the 2022 draft class, but unless the C's can turn their fortunes around soon, it might be worth at least looking into this year's potential lottery picks to get a sense of who could be available when Boston is on the clock.
With that in mind, we rounded up several recent NBA mock drafts that include selections for the Celtics. Since these mocks were published when Boston was higher in the standings, we'll include both the author's pick for the Celtics and their selection for No. 11, the team's current slot.
Happy mock draft season!
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Sam Vecenie, The Athletic: Ochai Agbaji, Wing, Kansas (No. 14 overall)
No. 11 overall: TyTy Washington, Guard, Kentucky
Vecenie on Agbaji: "He’s a high-level shooter who also defends multiple positions. The worst-case scenario here is that he’s a rotational wing. The best case is that he can be a legit starter on a good team in a 3-and-D role because of how strong he is."
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report: Jean Montero, Point Guard, Overtime Elite (No. 14 overall)
No. 11 overall: TyTy Washington, Guard, Kentucky
Wasserman on Montero: "Montero is 6'3", a high-level creator, flashy passer and versatile shot-maker, but he's wilder and not as pesky on defense (compared to Tennessee point guard Kennedy Chandler)."
Bryan Kalbrosky, For The Win: Keegan Murray, Big, Iowa (No. 14 overall)
No. 11 overall: Jeremy Sochan, Big, Baylor
Kalbrosky on Murray: "Murray is currently the nation’s leading scorer, averaging 24.5 points per game. ... Some scouts may feel he isn’t assertive enough to become a primary option playing in the NBA. But that isn’t something he would have to worry about on a team like the Celtics as he could easily slide in as a role player alongside the star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown."
Jeff Goodman, Stadium: Nikola Jovic, Big, Serbia (No. 13 overall)
No. 11 overall: Kendall Brown, Wing, Baylor
Goodman on Jovic: "The skilled Serbian is a terrific passer and handles the ball extremely well for someone his size. He’ll need to get stronger, and he’s not a high-end athlete, but he has a high IQ and also a high ceiling."