It’s been a distracting past couple of weeks for the Celtics, as the Doc Rivers ordeal carried the organization into draft week and they had to deal with the distraction of a potential coaching search to evaluate draft prospects.
Rivers’s departure and the Celtics’ rebuilding plan has made Thursday’s NBA draft even more significant than in past years. If the Celtics plan on getting younger, they have to attract talented younger players. In a draft that could be considered underrated or laughable in coming years, the Celtics own the 16th pick, their highest since the beginning of the Big Three era.
And the Celtics certainly could use a score with this pick, and there is potential. Players such as Indiana’s Tyler Zeller, Gonzaga’s Kelly Olynyk, UCLA’s Shabazz Muhammad, or Miami’s Shane Larkin could be available at 16, meaning the Celtics could attract an impact player, one who could foster the rebuilding movement. Full story for BostonGlobe.com subscribers.
Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @gwashNBAGlobe
