Dennis Schroeder is said to be a Rajon Rondo clone, if one of those exists. (Getty Images)
With all the hoopla surrounding Doc Rivers and the Clippers, and the futures of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, it’s easy to forget that the Celtics will actually be adding to their team Thursday night.
The Celtics have the No. 16 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft (7:30 p.m., ESPN) and if there was ever a draft in which nobody knew for sure which way the C’s would go, it’s this one.
The makeup of next year’s team is still a big question, so drafting for need becomes a bit more complicated. On top of that, there’s no coach with a “vision” for his team.
Rivers always had a big say in player personnel, but with him off to the West Coast, Ainge will play an even bigger role in the drafting of this year’s player.
Trey Burke, PG Michigan – You want excitement? Look no further than Burke. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Burke is considered the draft’s best point guard, and if you watched any college basketball this season, you already know why. Burke can score from all over, but he’s also an underrated ball-handler and passer. And if the C’s need a clutch end-of-game player, he could be the one. Burke is also a great friend of Celtics power forward Jared Sullinger, as the two grew up together in Ohio. Boston would need to trade up for Burke, but plenty of teams near the top are rumored to be shopping picks.
Steven Adams, C Pittsburgh – The 7-foot, 255-pound center has raised his stock over the last month, and it appears Boston would need to move up a few spots to grab him. The C’s drafted Fab Melo last season, but the jury is still very much out on what he can do at an NBA level – and we’re being nice. They’ve worked Adams out, and he has former C’s forward Brian Scalabrine’s support who has also worked with him. The C’s need a big man, and this would be a more than ideal option.
Dennis Schroeder, PG Germany – Schroeder stands at 6-foot-2, 168 pounds and could be the next Rajon Rondo. The question is, will he be the next Rondo in Boston? Boston is rumored to be interested. Schroeder is fast – really fast. He’s said to have one of the quickest first steps in the draft. He’s a solid defender at this stage in his career, but having only played on a lower-level team in Germany, questions remain on how he’d fare in the NBA.
