Assessing the Boston Celtics' Needs at the 2026 NBA Draft

Boston is a perennial title contender, but the team has leaned into youth for a surprising benefit. The Celtics will get to build on that in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Mar 6, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) and forward Jayson Tatum (0) watch the Jumbotron during the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics were supposed to be a team hovering around the late-lottery entering this season. That script was completely flipped on its head, as they once again proved to be a top team in the Eastern Conference. In November, many predicted the Celtics to be a Play-In Tournament or first-round exit. Instead, they're a title contender as a No. 2 seed.

Boston built this team through youth and unexpected contributors. While Jayson Tatum rehabbed from his Achilles tear, Jaylen Brown led a group of players with very limited postseason experience.

But as good as the Celtics are right now, they still own a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. They select at No. 27, and although this class has the least number of early entrants in years, there could certainly be hidden gems in the backend of the top 30. Here are Boston's biggest needs entering the draft:

Facilitation

The Celtics have relied on pure shot-making and three-point shooting to generate offense, but ball movement isn't as much of an emphasis (or strength) as some of the other top teams. This past regular season, they ranked dead last in assist percentage (58.5%). That could come back to bite them in the playoffs.

As great as Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are, they are better scorers than they are facilitators. Boston lacks a true floor general, which is what Jrue Holiday was in his time with the organization.

At No. 27, the Celtics could target an elite passing prospect to develop within their system. Christian Anderson (Texas Tech) and Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt) are names to watch at the point guard position, but Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State) and Jaden Bradley (Arizona) are more experienced passers and elite defenders.

Inside Scoring

Neemias Queta has been a nice surprise for Boston, emerging as a legitimate center, but depth is so important in today's NBA. Nikola Vučević was a nice trade deadline acquisition, but with his contract up this summer, the organization could let him walk for a more flexible option.

The Celtics were 28th in points in the paint per game (43.3) this regular season, reinforcing that game plan of pure shot-making and extended range. To balance out the offense, targeting frontcourt talent and/or inside scoring would be ideal.

A few prospects to note include Aday Mara (Michigan), Motiejus Krivas (Arizona) and Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan). They would provide impact in areas outside of shooting while also being able to finish inside off the ball.