Kentucky guard Devin Booker isn't expected to fall to the 16th overall pick in this month's draft, but if he does, would the Boston Celtics take him?
The 18-year-old proved to be a knockdown shooter for John Calipari's Wildcats last year, making 41.1 percent of his threes and 82.8 percent of his free throws. But what about other parts of his game?
MassLive's Tom Westerholm takes a closer look:
"Booker's high basketball IQ is also a significant plus. He does a nice job finding spots on the perimeter where point guards can kick him the ball, floating into open spaces within the flow of the offense. That will be a useful skill at the NBA level, where point guards are more talented and the rest of the team can more effectively draw the focus away from Booker. He's also a smart passer, and the combination of his frequent field-goal attempts and intelligent passing lead to a low turnover percentage. As a defender, Booker doesn't have much potential waiting to be realized, but he works hard. His wingspan is extremely poor for a shooting guard — 6'6, the same as his height — but his height and strength are both positives. He won't ever be Jimmy Butler putting the clamps on Giannis Antetokounmpo, but he gives more than enough effort to be effective."
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has publicly stated his desire to add versatile wings who can shoot to next year's team, and Booker checks off both those boxes. Unfortunately, it's unlikely he drops to the middle of the first round.
But if Boston strikes a trade to move up in the draft, Booker would be a suitable target.
(h/t: MassLive)
Photo Credit: Mark Zerof/USA TODAY Sports
