Jay King Makes Case For Dragan Bender At No. 3 On Adam Jones Show
BOSTON (CBS) -- With the NBA Draft just a week away, there is still no clear-cut pick for the Celtics with the No. 3 pick.
It's nearly set in stone that Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram will go 1-2, though the order could easily flip-flop over the next seven days, but there are a handful of intriguing -- yet somewhat underwhelming -- prospects for that third overall selection.
Danny Ainge and the Celtics' brass are reportedly hard at work trying to move the pick for a proven star, but that isn't always easy to pull off. So it seems like there is a very good chance the Celtics will be calling out someone's name at No. 3 next Thursday night.
Mass Live Celtics reporter Jay King joined The Adam Jones Show on Wednesday night, and made his case for who he thinks the Celtics should take: 18-year-old Croatian prospect Dragan Bender.
"They could go with anyone, but personally I think I would go with Dragan Bender. It seems like he has a really high upside, he's 7-foot-1 and mobile; one day he can play the four or the five," said King. "He can shoot the ball and has a really good feel. I think he has the high upside, but also because of his basketball awareness and the level he's reached already as an 18-year-old. His floor is higher than some of the other guys they might pick at that spot."
While the Celtics' depth chart is pretty stacked heading into the draft, King sees value in Ainge taking the best player available.
"The Celtics will go with whoever they think is the best player available and in this draft there isn't much separation at No. 3, so that could be any one of a number of guys," he said. "If you think one guy has a better chance at reaching higher potential than someone else, they need to do that. The Celtics have lost in the first round two years in a row. They have enough depth and good players, they need the guy who can be a difference-maker. At No. 3, there will be a difference-maker available.
"Even if that's Kris Dunn, he doesn't make perfect sense-- he's a shooter and a point guard, where you already have Isaiah Thomas -- but if you think he's the guy you have to go with him. You'd have him not just for his rookie contract but his next contract, which could be a five-year extension. That could be up to nine years on a team-friendly contract if that player pans out," he noted. "The higher you get in the draft, 'best player available' is probably the best strategy."
King said it's likely the Celtics will find themselves on the clock with that third overall selection, despite Ainge's best efforts to deal the pick and land a bona fide superstar.
"I'm not sure the trade they want is out there. Jimmy Butler, DeMarcus Cousins -- everyone knows the names, but it would take a lot to get those guys. The Celtics have a lot to offer, but I don't know if what they have to offer is worth it to them," said King. "I would bet on them keeping the pick, but they'll be active trying to make something big happen."
As for Ainge's other valuable assets to offer up, King says next year's Brooklyn pick (Boston owns the rights to swap selections with the Nets) could be an even better pick in a draft that is considered loaded.
King discusses Boston's other trade assets and also shares his thoughts on the NBA Finals. Listen to the full interview below: