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The middle of the 2015 draft is a total quagmire. In my book, entitled Matt's Draft Book (check your local bookstores) and written largely on scraps of notebook paper littering my desk, once you get outside the lottery, there's very little separating the next 20 or so guys. That's not to say they're all flotsam -- far from it. There's a lot of solid role players to be found here.
That's why it's a little tough to pick just one for the Boston Celtics, a playoff team comprised almost entirely of solid role players.
The Celtics are in such a weird place. They're not good, and they're not bad. They're not really mired in mediocrity though. Everybody on their roster is a movable part, they're hardly locked into anyone long term, and it's not like their dizzying success of a first round sweep at the hands of Lebron James and four season ticket holder contest winners have placed a burden of expectations on them that they have to meet or raise.
Danny Ainge has high-level job security with the backing of ownership, so he is free to tinker with the operation, and I expect they will. Their crossroads reminds me a little bit of the 2012 Sixers, in that while playoffs are great, most people know that it's really fool's gold unless you're on the right trajectory.
So, where does that leave their draft pick this year? In my mind, the Celtics are on the Rockets plan, just collect assets to spin them off for a star, so for them, I chose a player who I believe will be a contributor right out of the box in Georgia State wing RJ Hunter. Hunter led his team to an NCAA tournament berth this year by winning the Sun Belt Conference title. He projects as a quality shooter in the NBA, and while his numbers are unimpressive (only shooting 29.8% from distance this year on over 7 attempts per game), imagine being the only good player on Georgia State for a second. Not being able to beat one political science major is one thing, but three of them? He's not Roman Reigns, for crying out loud.
Hunter has good size for a 2-guard (6-6 with a 6-10/5 wingspan), good court vision, and was an excellent free throw shooter, which gives me a lot more faith in his shooting numbers rebounding at the pro level where he won't be circled on every team's whiteboard before the game.
For the record, though, if Roy hadn't blown it, this absolutely would have been Sam Dekker, who is pretty much born to be a Celtic that America despises. THANKS A LOT ROY.