The Field of 68 released its mock draft on Friday, with the Celtics taking a name we haven't heard them connected to yet.
With just 18 days until the start of the NBA Draft, it's time for the Boston Celtics to start zeroing in what the plans are for the No. 27 and No. 40 picks in the event.
The Celtics could trade the picks as part of a deal for a more established player, or they could keep the picks and take players who will help supplement their chances to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in six years.
We've heard the Celtics connected to multiple names throughout the pre-draft process, including Zuby Ejiofor of St. John's and Alex Karaban of UConn but the Field of 68 introduced a new name on Friday: Henri Veesaar.
The well-respected college outlet had the Celtics taking Veesaar at the No. 27 pick.
Who is Henri Veesaar?
Veesaar just wrapped up his junior season at North Carolina, where he helped lead the Tar Heels back to the NCAA Tournament. A 7-footer from Estonia, Veesaar averaged 32 minutes a game for the Heels, scoring 17.0 ppg and averaging 8.7 rebounds.
He shot 60.8 percent from the floor and 42.6 percent from three-point range. He took three 3-pointers a game. He played his first two seasons at Arizona, where he averaged 9.4 ppg as a sophomore.
What would be the benefit of selecting Veesaar?
Well, Brad Stevens has said he wants the Celtics to be better around the rim, also implying that he wants the team to be less dependent on the three-point shot.
Veesaar provides a bit of everything, which could allow the Celtics to mesh the two thought processes. At 7-feet, he's certainly adept at playing down low, where he'd help on the glass, defensively and on the low block. However, as he attempted three 3-pointers a game, he has the ability to step out and be part of the pick-and-pop game that Al Horford used to utilize for the Celtics.
North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) misses a free throw against the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Bob Donnan-Imagn ImagesWhat would be the downside?
Listed at 7-foot, but only 225 pounds, Veesaar is thin right now. The Celtics would clearly have to beef him up a little bit, but if they do, does he lose some athleticism or some quickness? These are things that the team will have to weigh.
Also in the news for the Celtics
With the San Antonio Spurs currently in the NBA Finals, we revisited the Spurs and Celtics trade from 2022 that brought Derrick White to Boston. Do you remember all the pieces involved?
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Remember to join our CELTICS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Celtics fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!
