As the Boston Celtics gear up for the summer, they hold onto their own draft pick, positioned towards the end of the first round thanks to a strong season. Brad Stevens has a knack for picking players with solid foundations, often those with a few years of college or international experience.
In a recent mock draft by Sean Deveney, the Celtics are projected to snag small forward Amari Allen from Alabama. An anonymous NBA scout shared some insights with Deveney, highlighting Allen's potential impact as he enters the league.
“If someone does not give him a first-round promise, he could go back (to school),” the scout noted. “But he is a smart player who has some areas of development still in front of him-I think a playoff team would give him a good look and maybe promise him.”
Boston’s forward lineup is already deep, featuring stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, along with rookie Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, and Jordan Walsh. This means that carving out playing time for a newcomer like Allen will be a challenge under Joe Mazzulla’s leadership. However, if Allen is ready to compete for his minutes and prove himself in practice-and likely with the Maine Celtics-there’s potential for him to grow into a valuable role player.
Allen is putting together an impressive season at Alabama. Over 31 games, he’s averaging 11.6 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists, shooting 55.7% from two-point range and 35.1% from beyond the arc. Yet, to truly become a force in the NBA, improving his free-throw shooting from 73.3% will be key to enhancing his downhill game.
Boston’s scouting team is undoubtedly keeping tabs on numerous prospects, especially during March. Brad Stevens probably has a clear vision of the type of player he wants to bring to Boston.
If Allen fits that mold, we might just see him donning the Celtics green soon enough. All eyes will be on draft night to see how it unfolds.