In just over two weeks, the Boston Celtics will have two chances to land young talent with the 28th and 32nd picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. This year's draft class is a deep one, and several quality players should be available within that late-first-round, early-second-round range.
However, if the Celtics decide they'd like to take a bigger swing and trade up, bundling their two picks may get the job done in the right deal.
Sophomore South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles would be a great player for them to target if they decided to do so.
The problem is, it's pretty tough to gauge where exactly the versatile forward will be drafted. Mock drafts project him anywhere from the top seven to the late teens. If he falls closer to the latter, then he could be an option for Boston.
The 20-year-old (it's his birthday as I'm writing this, so happy birthday) appeared in 32 games for the Gamecocks last season and was named to the All-SEC Second Team. He averaged 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 586% from the field and 26.5% from beyond the arc.
How does Collin Murray-Boyles fit with the Celtics?
Extra forward depth would be nice for Boston, considering that the Celtics are going to be without Jayson Tatum next season while he recovers from a ruptured Achilles. Now, Murray-Boyles isn't going to be a Tatum replacement -- no one is. But, he could be a nice plug-and-play guy in the short term who can turn into a high-level role player in the future.
Murray-Boyles' strongest area is defense, without a doubt. His six-foot-seven-inch, 240-pound frame makes him well-equipped to defend a wide range of players in the NBA. In college, he rarely completely switched onto smaller guards in pick-and-roll scenarios, but he did play a higher drop coverage than most. He moves well laterally, as shown in his 2.86 shuttle time at last month's NBA Draft Combine.
Though he's a bit undersized at just 6-foot-7, Murray-Boyles held his own when he was asked to guard bigger players in the paint too.
He's got a great feel for the game on the defensive side of the floor, which enables him to be a great team defender. Whether he's flying across the lane for a contest at the rim or jumping a passing lane, Murray-Boyle's high basketball IQ is easy to notice, as he always seems to know where to be.
Collin Murray-Boyles defensive tape.
Opposing scorers shot 38.3% (!) when guarded by Murray-Boyles — the most disruptive defender in this draft class by far. pic.twitter.com/ktQDxaKdOy
— Mohamed (@mcfNBA) May 24, 2025
All of those high-motor characteristics were on full display, despite South Carolina finishing dead last in the SEC with a record of just 2-16. Even in the NBA, players will dial it back or check out when things aren't going well. So seeing Murray-Boyles remain engaged and play menacing defense is a good sign of character.
His feel for the game spans past just defense, too. The South Carolina native impressed as a connective passer in his sophomore season. He displayed a willingness and ability to find open teammates on drives and especially thrived in finding the open man on the weak side of the floor. These are the types of passes that help get opposing defenses scrambling in rotation.
Collin Murray-Boyles - feel on the short roll
CMB dribble handoff, flows into the short roll -- plays through the bump vs. Thomas Haugh + sees Walter Clayton Jr. come to double. Instantly whips a skip pass for an open weak-side corner 3 pic.twitter.com/makM2KpCeM
— Brian Geisinger (@bgeis_bird) June 2, 2025
He's also good for hitting a cutting teammate with a crisp bounce pass for an easy look at the rim.
Murray-Boyle's IQ-driven strengths have earned him pre-draft comparisons to Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green. Green, of course, has been integral to Golden State's decade-long sustained success, so hearing those comparisons will get any fan excited.
As a scorer, the big lefty thrives in the paint. He's one of the stronger players in this draft and is excellent at playing through contact. His 64.5% field-goal percentage in the restricted area puts him in the 85th percentile of at-the-rim finishers. There's room for Murray-Boyles to grow more comfortable finishing with his right hand, but for the most part, the paint is his bread and butter.
With that being said, there's plenty to be desired when it comes to his jump-shooting ability. Last season, he sank just 26.5% of his attempts from three on a low volume. When you combine that with his roughly 70% collegiate average from the free-throw line, there's reason to be skeptical of his potential as a shooter. His form, however, looks quite smooth and bodes well for potential development.
It's likely that Murray-Boyles will be wearing a different team's uniform at the start of the 2025-26 season, but if the Celtics found a way to land him in a trad-up scenario, fans should be excited. His IQ alone makes him an asset who can impact winning on a championship-level team. If his offensive game develops further, then he could potentially turn into an All-Star-level player.
He could wind up being able to replace what Boston has in Al Horford, whenever the big man inevitably moves on or retires.
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.