We're just under three weeks away from learning which two (could be more or less if they make trades) NBA hopefuls will be joining the Boston Celtics at this year's draft. Boston holds picks 28 and 32, leaving them with a prime opportunity to add young talent at a bargain price.
Financials are going to dominate any Celtics-related talk this summer. Boston is currently above the league's second-apron line by roughly $20 million. They'll likely look to trade some key rotation players in order to dive beneath the $207.8 million threshold and avoid the repeater penalties that would accompany that status next season.
The goal should be the same down the line, while also trying to field a contending roster. Draft picks are key to that process because there's potential for these younger guys to contribute while still on smaller-scale contracts.
With that being said, hitting on both of their picks this month could be key for the Celtics down the line.
One prospect, who draft experts project to be available in Boston's range, is Australian wing Alex Toohey. The 21-year-old spent last season playing for the Sydney Kings in the NBL. Toohey suited up in 32 contests for the Kings, playing about 36 minutes each time. He averaged 11.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per outing while shooting 46.5% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc.
Does Alex Toohey make sense for the Celtics?
Yes and no. First and foremost, there are bigger positional needs for the Celtics. They'd be sharp to add center depth with the futures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet all up in the air. There are a few different big-man prospects who should be available within their range. Opting for Toohey over players like Ryan Kalkbrenner, Danny Wolf, Joan Beringer, Thomas Sorber, or Maxime Raynaud would feel like a mistake.
If Boston landed one of those guys at 28 and then decided to add wing depth in the second round, then Toohey could be a good choice. The great thing about him is that he's versatile defensively. At six-foot-eight inches tall, Toohey is the perfect height wide range to guard a wide-range of players. He isn't the quickest, but he has the motor to make things difficult for smaller guards while being strong enough to battle with bigs.
He's also active on that end of the floor. His 6-foot-11 wingspan enables him to make deflections and disrupt the opposing offense. The Aussie's combined 2.2 stocks per game is an intriguing stat.
Scouting reports consistently point out how great of a cutter Toohey is. Considering what a role for him could look like in Boston, being able to move without the ball will be key. It's tough to imagine he'll have many on-ball opportunities with there being so many creators on the Celtics' roster. Toohey is known to be a strong finisher at the rim who has fantastic touch.
His finishing ability isn't strengthened by athleticism, though. His NBA Combine vertical numbers weren't impressive at just 31.5" on the max vert and 26.5" on the standing.
Toohey has room to grow as a shooter, too. He shot just 34% from deep on just under three attempts per game. His free-throw numbers don't scream "natural shooter" either, at just 73.4% from the stripe. That's not horrible by any means, but typically, scouts like to see a higher clip to feel great about a player's promise as a shooter. Toohey's jumper does look pretty smooth mechanically, though, which is a good sign for sure.
By all accounts, Toohey is an intelligent player.
"Toohey is a selfless passer who always looks for his teammates," wrote Kevin O'Connor in his Yahoo Sports mock draft. "He executes plays at a high level and has a great basketball IQ. If his jumper develops, he could have even more value as a connective piece on the perimeter. This is because he already has skill as a slasher and cutter, so a jumper threat would make defenders need to respect him more and open more drives."
Toohey's feel for the game could make him a great fit on a Celtics team built on ball movement. He might be a project but could grow into a nice rotation piece by the team Boston is firing on all cylinders again with a healthy Jayson Tatum.
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.