BOSTON — The Celtics seemed towards the longer term by deciding on former Alabama guard JD Davison within the second spherical of the NBA draft on Thursday night time.
Davison was an SEC All-Freshman Workforce choice this previous season for the Crimson Tide, averaging 8.5 factors, 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists regardless of solely beginning six video games.
However the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder confirmed a propensity for large video games, with two of 10-plus assists and 10-plus rebounds.
“He’s a man that we’ve seen all yr lengthy,” Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens mentioned. “Very younger. Very explosive — that’s fairly apparent. Has the flexibility to get contained in the paint and make performs and has some issues that he’ll have to enhance on. However he’s a very good competitor.”
It was the Celtics’ lone choice Thursday after they traded their first-round choose to San Antonio as a part of the deal that netted them Derrick White on the commerce deadline.
It’s the second straight yr Boston didn’t make a first-round choice.
Davison didn’t work out for the Celtics through the pre-draft course of, however he’s somebody that they stored tabs on all through this previous season.
He additionally suits the archetype of participant that they don’t must contribute instantly.
“He’ll be capable of compete for minutes like everybody else, however on the similar time he can develop, develop and focus his consideration on enhancing. I feel that’s an necessary place to be for a younger participant,” Stevens mentioned. “We’ve obtained a extremely good group. However he’ll be capable of put some warmth on us together with his pace on each ends of the ground. I’m trying ahead to it.”
It’s a part of an offseason wherein the Celtics must be frugal as they give the impression of being so as to add depth to a group that made a run to the NBA Finals.
Boston is teetering close to the posh tax threshold, however has three commerce exceptions totaling slightly below $30 million to play with, together with about $17 million left from the one created from its sign-and-trade of Evan Fournier final August.
Stevens reiterated that heading into free company the analysis course of can be fluid when deciding how — or if — they’ll use them.
“It actually comes downs to prices,” Stevens mentioned. “If the prices are applicable, you then proceed discussions and in the event that they’re not you desk it for now and possibly you come back to these later. However on the finish of the day the commerce exception is a device, nevertheless it’s not our solely avenue. … That was one factor about tonight, we needed to ensure we had been good about all of our future belongings.
“We’re good about not shifting our group with out very apparent strikes that may assist us.”
Story by Kyle Hightower.
