Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com

Boston Celtics Draft Big Board 5.0

The Boston Celtics likely went into the 2017 NCAA tournament with a big board that was more or less solidified, and they aren't a particularly reactionary franchise — it's unlikely that the tournament alone made an enormous difference for Danny Ainge.

But over the last few hectic weeks, we learned some things that might influence the Celtics on certain prospects. So now — after the tournament came to a close last night — let's work our way through one final big board before the lottery.

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1. Markelle Fultz, Washington

STRENGTHS

Fultz has gone coast-to-coast on our Big Board as the No. 1 overall pick, despite his position (point guard) and the Celtics' depth at that position (the team is still, obviously, extremely high on Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart).

But Fultz remains the prospect with the highest potential in the first round, and he still has the best chance of reaching that high potential. He can shoot off the dribble and off the catch, and he can run an offense with his handle and passing (as noted by DraftExpress in the video above, Fultz actually had a better assist percentage and turnover percentage than Lonzo Ball). With his size and his ability to speed up and slow down quickly, he will remind some observers of a right-handed James Harden. That kind of potential will make him a difficult player to pass on.

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WEAKNESSES

While the Celtics are very high on Fultz, it's interesting to note that his attention can wax and wane on defense. When he's locked in, his size and athleticism can make him a lock-down defender but he will need to be engaged to be effective.

There are also some questions as to whether Fultz's 3-point shooting will be quite as good at the professional level as it was in college, given the shorter 3-point line and his green light, which probably won't be quite as green in his first few years. But the shooting concerns feel like nitpicking. If Fultz locks in defensively, he could be a two-way terror.

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FIT WITH THE CELTICS

If the Celtics get the first pick (and they are almost certainly only getting Fultz with the first pick), Ainge won't be too concerned with fit. Fultz's star potential is clear, and the Celtics are focused on acquiring stars. It would require some finagling, but having a young star to work into the rotation earns the "good problem to have" designation.

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2. Josh Jackson, Kansas

STRENGTHS

Positional versatility has become Boston's new buzzword, and perhaps no prospect embodies that like Jackson — whose athleticism and frame help make him pretty inarguably the best defender in the top half of the lottery. Jackson can lock up wings, guards and smaller power forwards, and he's an excellent rebounder, especially for his position.

Meanwhile on the offensive end, Jackson's passing is excellent, and he found ways to score within Kansas' system this year. If his 3-point shooting translates, he'll be very difficult to stop.

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WEAKNESSES

However, Jackson's shooting is a real question mark. He made a good percentage of his triples this year, but that was a bit of a surprise, and the NBA 3-point line is (of course) longer. How long will it take Jackson to adjust? Consistency could be the key.

At Kansas, Jackson was the secondary scoring option behind Frank Mason. That's not necessarily a bad thing — Jackson also probably won't be the primary option on whichever NBA team drafts him, at least at first — but he doesn't have Fultz's chops as a go-to primary option.

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FIT WITH THE CELTICS

Again, Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens would love what Jackson brings to the table, which is why he jumped back up our list here. Bench lineups with Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Jackson would have shooting issues, but they would also be switchable defensive monstrosities ready to rip your head off and yap at you about it.

If the Celtics don't get the No. 1 pick and Fultz, don't be surprised if they shrug their shoulders and take Jackson without a second thought.

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3. Lonzo Ball, UCLA

STRENGTHS

At this point, the draft media market has been so oversaturated with Lonzo Ball that it can be easy to forget his impact on the Bruins this season.

That would be a mistake. Ball helped turn the team around from a below-.500 squad last season to this year's 31-5 No. 3 seed. He is a very unique prospect, with deep 3-point range and elite passing, and he positively impacts his teammates with his stye of play. Meanwhile, at 6-foot-6 with long arms, Ball has excellent size for his position at the next level.

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WEAKNESSES

Again, the oversaturation: De'Aaron Fox lit up Ball twice this season, including once very publicly in the tournament. That did not shine a positive light on Ball, who will regularly be facing point guards with Fox's athleticism at the next level.

Ball's jumper isn't pretty, although there's plenty of reason to believe he will still be able to get it off in the NBA. The biggest question will be whether Ball can defend professional guards, and how long it will take him to adjust to their speed.

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FIT WITH THE CELTICS

Unlike Fultz, Ball might be an awkward fit next to Isaiah Thomas. Both are at their best when they are ball dominant, and having both on the court at the same time might offer diminishing returns.

Of course, if Thomas can become the two-guard (an even smaller Allen Iverson?), all bets are off. But drafting Ball might raise some uncomfortable questions and situations that the team would rather punt to a different season.

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4. Jayson Tatum, Duke

STRENGTHS

Here's why it matters that the Nets finish with the worst record: If they do, they guarantee the Celtics a top-four pick in a draft that seems to have four no-brainers at the top of the lottery. We have Tatum ranked last here among the no-brainers, but plenty of other teams would look at his physical profile and the high likelihood that he averages 20 points per game and would take him higher.

Tatum is a deadly isolation scorer whose 3-point shooting looks like it might be better than originally advertised. He can toggle back and forth between the three and four, and if his defensive ability catches up to his excellent physical profile, he will be a two-way killer for years.

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WEAKNESSES

At this point, Tatum is largely just a scorer — his defense isn't elite by any means, and his passing is even less so. He seems like a hard worker with a great attitude, so teams could certainly take a shot on him and hope he develops those skills, but he was primarily a scorer in high school as well. A team that drafts him based on anything besides his scoring will be banking on as-of-yet undiscovered skills surfacing.

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FIT WITH THE CELTICS

While Tatum has versatility, it isn't the type of versatility the Celtics usually covet (although he could develop that down the road). With his scoring, he would be a nice player to slot next to Brown and Smart, especially if his defense develops.

Given the premium the Celtics place on defense, Tatum slides a bit here. But if Boston gets the fourth pick and Tatum is the last player available, the Celtics could do a whole lot worse than a player who draws offensive comparisons to Paul Pierce.

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5. De'Aaron Fox, Kentucky

STRENGTHS

Here's the tough question we run into: Does De'Aaron Fox or Malik Monk seem more like a Celtics draft pick?

Fox is long, crazy athletic and very competitive. Once he adds some weight, he projects to be an excellent defender. If he adds a more consistent 3-pointer to his game, his potential is tantalizing.

Monk will likely be an excellent scorer at the next level, but he doesn't have elite length or defensive potential.

Of course, this is likely just a thought exercise, unless the tanking Suns and Lakers manage to catch the not-tanking Nets down the stretch.

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WEAKNESSES

Fox hit 3-pointers late in the season, but that probably won't be enough to convince NBA teams that he will be consistent off the dribble or off the catch. His frame is still skinny, although he showed that he can compete at the collegiate level, which bodes well as he prepares to face bigger NBA guards.

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FIT WITH THE CELTICS

Not great! Fox is certainly the type of prospect the Celtics like (tough, defensive-minded, not particularly great at shooting), as evidenced by the fact that they already have Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier.

The Celtics need one of the first four picks.

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6. Malik Monk, Kentucky

We covered some of Monk's attributes above, but to reiterate: He is a shot maker with excellent athleticism capable of heating up in a hurry. He doesn't seem like a player the Celtics would ordinarily pursue, but someone is going to get an excellent offensive player in Monk with a mid-lottery selection.

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7. Dennis Smith, North Carolina State

Whereas some prospects hurt themselves by making it to the tournament and having lackluster performances (we'll get to them in a second), Smith did no damage to himself by missing the tournament, since the next time GMs will see him is when he is impressing at the combine with his athleticism. Don't bet on Smith working his way onto Boston's radar given the talent at the top of the lottery, but he could be a player that impresses teams with his pre-draft workouts.

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8. Jonathan Isaac, Florida State

How you feel about Isaac really depends on which games you saw this year. At times, he looked like a sleeper superstar — long and athletic with 3-point range and high defensive potential. At other times, he looked much too content to float and let others do the heavy lifting.

Isaac could be one of the best players in this draft, but taking that bet would be too risky for the Celtics, especially given the seemingly sure things in the first four picks.

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Players Who Fell

Lauri Markkanen, Arizona — The final impression Markkanen left with NBA scouts: A disappearing act in Arizona's Sweet 16 loss to Xavier. He's still an excellent shooter and also a 7-footer, but any question of picking Markkanen in the top five is probably out the window.

Ivan Rabb, California — The power forward didn't play in the NCAA tournament, as Cal's Pac-12 semifinal loss to Oregon bounced them into the NIT. Rabb was considered a top-10 prospect before the season, but now he is expected to go in the mid-to-late first round. Tough year for the Golden Bears.

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The Second-Round Pick

Bam Adebayo, Kentucky — Draft Express currently has Adebayo going No. 30 overall, which seems crazy — he's an excellent athlete with obvious NBA skills. If he somehow slips to Boston at No. 38 (the Celtics have Minnesota's second-round pick), however, he would be a massive heist and a great fit with his rebounding and rim rolling.

Thomas Bryant, Indiana — Bryant was previously a top high school player and a first-round prospect last season who played for an underwhelming Indiana team for a coach who was fired after the season. He's the type of gamble that often pays off for teams in the second round.

Dillon Brooks, Oregon — Brooks isn't athletic, and he has short arms. But sometimes taking a flier on a guy who can simply play basketball isn't a bad idea. Brooks got buckets and helped lead his team to the Final Four. You sure you're comfortable betting against a player like that?

AP Photo/David J. Phillip