The Boston Celtics have a lot of work to do after getting beaten in the first round by the Philadelphia 76ers. After winning three of the first four games, the once-mighty Celtics could not close out the Sixers by winning any of the last three games against a team that had obvious flaws.
The Sixers went on to be swept in the second round by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks. Even if the Celtics had survived against the Sixers, they almost certainly would have been tormented by Jalen Brunson and the Knicks.
That led to a tumultuous period of self-evaluation and drove the Celtics to the brink of a trade that would have sent Jaylen Brown to Milwaukee and Giannis Antetokounmpo to Boston. That did not happen because the Miami Heat made the Bucks a better offer.
It led the Celtics to the NBA Draft with the idea of adding a couple of key pieces to the mix, but not necessarily a player who could give them the inside scoring that they need. Perhaps team president Brad Stevens has additional plans to give the Celtics more offensive versatility. If that happens, the Celtics will not have to be as dependent on the three-point shot as they have been in the last four seasons. However, it does not appear that particular need was met during the draft.
The Celtics have added a pair of hard-working players in Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell in this year’s draft. The Celtics selected Cenac with the 27th pick in the first round and Mitchell with the 40th pick overall in the second round.
1st round, Chris Cenac Jr., Houston, Grade B
Cenac is not the kind of player who is going to come into the NBA and dominate. He is much more of a project at the age of 19, as he averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in his only season with the Cougars. He is a big man at 6-11, but the Celtics are hoping he can fill out his 240-pound frame and become a factor around the rim — something the team clearly needs.
One of the factors that led to his selection in the first round was his improvement as the season progressed. He demonstrated he could get the job done around the rim and he played with much more confidence towards the end of Houston’s season.
Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson told NBA.com that he was impressed with the attitude and work ethic that Cenac brought to the court on an every-day basis. “He’s never had one ounce of bad body language,” Sampson said. “He’s never, ever been late. Chris is always one of the first ones there, last ones to leave. He’s like a huge sponge. Wherever he’s playing in the NBA down the road, that team is going to be lucky to get him.”
Gaining significant playing time will be a challenge
The Celtics have Neemias Queta along with Luke Garza and Nikola Vucevic in the front court at this point, although that’s the trio that struggled in competition with Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid in the postseason. Perhaps Stevens would like to see Cenac get a chance to find some playing time, but it will take quite a bit of work and improvement to earn significant game minutes and then find success against the league’s other big men.
That is most likely something that will happen in the future, but it’s a long shot to think the youngster will come in and play effectively in 2026-27.
2nd round, Dillon Mitchell, St. John’s, Grade B
Mitchell is a 6-7 wing player who comes into the program having played excellent defense for Rick Pitino and the Red Storm. His defensive intensity is likely to be his calling card early in his career with the Celtics.
In addition to his ability to slow down or stop top offensive talent, he is going to rebound effectively and get out on the break quickly. He has excellent speed and can beat others down the court.
However, the big problem for Mitchell is his ability to create on offense. He is not a good shooter at this point and some key insiders believe that is unlikely to ever become an area that is a strength for him. Mitchell averaged 8.3 points and 7.0 rebounds and shot 55.9 percent from the field, but he made just 49.4 percent of his free throws. He was the fifth-leading scorer for the Red Storm and that may speak more about his offensive capabilities than any other factor.
However, his defensive strength and athleticism could pave the way for him to get some significant minutes as a rookie, even if his offensive game needs quite a bit of work.
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