Night one of the 2025 NBA Draft is now less than three weeks away. The two-night event ushers 60 new faces into the league, and can be make-or-break for some front offices. Is that the case for the Boston Celtics? No, it's not that deep for them, but it's still important.
The Cs hold the 28th and 32nd picks in this year's draft. These two selections could go a long way for them, should they land a pair of players who can impact winning in the near future. More importantly, whichever prospects they go with could help keep costs down.
Right now, Boston's biggest goal is to avoid being a second-apron team again, while keeping their roster competitive in anticipation of Jayson Tatum's eventual return from an Achilles tear. They'll have to shed roughly $20 million in salary to dive below the $207.8 million threshold.
Finding the right rotation pieces in the draft would allow the Celtics to have depth without necessarily paying the standard price since rookie-scale deals are far cheaper.
One player who would make for an interesting fit is Kentucky guard Koby Brea. Brea is set to enter the draft after his senior season with the Wildcats, where he appeared in 36 games. The 22-year-old averaged 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 47% from the field and 43.5% from deep.
Does Koby Brea make sense for the Celtics?
Yes, especially if they want to trade back in the second round. Many draft experts project Brea to be selected somewhere in the mid-30s to early-40s range. He may be a bit of a reach for Boston with the 32nd pick. But, we've all seen how much President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens loves to trade back on draft night.
In 2023, Stevens did so several times before finally selecting Jordan Walsh out of Arkansas.
Nonetheless, Brea is a prospect with solid NBA potential. His shooting numbers speak volumes. At 43.5% from and 91.4% from the free-throw line, he truly is one of the, if not the single, best shooters in this draft.
He can do it all in terms of shooting. Catch-and-shoot, off the dribble, off of screens, in the pick-and-roll, and in transition; the metrics are off the charts for the six-foot-seven guard. Brea's elite jumper makes him a great potential fit in Boston's three-point-heavy offense.
His value could become even greater to the Celtics, should they decide to trade Sam Hauser this offseason. NBA insider Michael Scotto labeled the Wisconsin native a "trade candidate to keep an eye on" in his latest newsletter for HoopsHype. Having a potential replacement on the roster would certainly make it easier to move Hauser in a cost-cutting deal.
Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor even directly compared Brea to Hauser in his latest mock draft.
"Lethal shooter who made 43.4% of his 3s on a high volume of 4.9 per game over five college seasons," O'Connor wrote. "He has NBA range with a quick release, plus the footwork to shoot off movement actions."
However, it's not a perfect one-to-one situation. Brea still has some developing to do if he's ever going to be a rotation staple in the league. Defense has been a huge part of Sam Hauser's growth during his time in Boston. He's been able to hold his own on that end of the floor, even when he's targeted by opposing offenses.
Draft experts consistently point to Brea's defense as a weak point for him. His lateral quickness and strength both have room to grow, as does his athleticism. His size, however, does help his case. If he can put on some muscle and become quicker laterally, then there's potential for Brea to become a serviceable defender, at the very least.
There's also room for the New York native to grow as a finisher. His at-the-rim numbers aren't impressive enough to feel that Brea would have success driving closeouts as a pro. He can mix in pull-up jumpers to ease that skill, but there's work to be done.
Overall, Brea is an exciting prospect, especially for the Celtics, because of his shooting alone. Anytime a player has an elite skill like this, there's potential for them to be a rotation piece on a winning team.
For a more in-depth look at potential Celtics prospects, check out the "How 'Bout Them Celtics" draft preview, where Jack Simone and I run through plenty of names with No Ceilings' Tyler Rucker.