Sam Vecenie of The Athletic recently released his latest mock draft, projecting what prospects may go where this June. Fans of the Boston Celtics should be hoping the individual he envisions joining the league's original monarchy does so on draft night.
That player is Henri Veesaar. North Carolina's star center is a seven-foot-tall, 22-year-old prospect. As Vecenie explains, he'd fit in well as a complement to Neemias Queta.
"For a Celtics organization that really values shooting from the center position — especially as a counter to Queta — Veesaar would tick a lot of boxes as a strong developmental big."
He needs to bulk up and play with more of an edge. However, he's mobile, skilled, a savvy passer, and knocked down 42.6 percent of the threes he hoisted.
Henri Veesar would be an outstanding pick for the Celtics
Of course, that's without the benefit of hindsight. However, adding a young, skilled center who meshes with how Boston wants to play seems like a sound investment with the 27th overall pick in this year's draft.
It would also allow the franchise to alleviate a major need entering free agency. The organization could still add a veteran center. Perhaps that entails re-signing Nikola Vucevic. Maybe it's an option that projects as less costly. The bottom line is, with Queta, Veesar, and Luka Garza in green, there would be more wiggle room in how to allocate its available cap space.
There is a strong incentive for the Celtics to be under the luxury again at the end of the next league year. Doing so would allow them to reset the harsh repeater tax.
In the process of dipping below the luxury tax threshold this season, they gained the ability to absorb more salary than they ship out in a trade and rid themselves of certain spending constraints. Resetting the luxury tax would make it that much easier to make their next significant swing.
Of course, if a worthwhile opportunity presents itself between this summer and next February's trade deadline, Boston is plenty willing to act on it.
"Next year, if there's something that we look at and we say, we gotta take advantage of it right now, then we're going to try to take advantage of it; Bill's been really clear with that," said Brad Stevens at his media availability after this year's trade deadline.
Still, if the path forward includes remaining under the luxury tax, bringing a promising young center -- one who can space the floor -- on board, gives the Celtics even more flexibility as they navigate this offseason.