With the 23rd pick in the 2016 NBA draft the Boston Celtics select….

 I’m going Stephen Zimmerman..He just looks like a Celtic..

 I’m going Stephen Zimmerman..He just looks like a Celtic..

 Damian Jones

 Damian Jones

 Ante Zizic. They have 8 picks total so they can’t keep everyone of them, so a draft and stash player makes sense here.

 Ante Zizic. They have 8 picks total so they can’t keep everyone of them, so a draft and stash player makes sense here.

I’d take a flier on Zhou Qi…but this is coming from the same guy who thought both James Harden and Michael Beasley would be superstars…I’m kind of hit and miss. 7’2, doesn’t look slow, and has a very nice jumper is just too intriguing.

I’d take a flier on Zhou Qi…but this is coming from the same guy who thought both James Harden and Michael Beasley would be superstars…I’m kind of hit and miss. 7’2, doesn’t look slow, and has a very nice jumper is just too intriguing.

 Ivica Zubac.

Great size, good shot blocker and rebounder. Would fit nicely in the middle for the Celtics. Theyll likely go with someone that can stay overseas with one of their 1sts (and probably multiple 2nds). Zizic and Hernangomez are also options here.

 Ivica Zubac.

Great size, good shot blocker and rebounder. Would fit nicely in the middle for the Celtics. Theyll likely go with someone that can stay overseas with one of their 1sts (and probably multiple 2nds). Zizic and Hernangomez are also options here.

Ante zizic

Ante zizic

 Ivica Zuvac. I prefer his physical tools over Ante Zizic. Also Celtics will look for a player to develop overseas.

 Ivica Zuvac. I prefer his physical tools over Ante Zizic. Also Celtics will look for a player to develop overseas.

 I kind of like Damian Jones for them as well here. They have a logjam of frontcourt players on their roster right now but no one who really protects the rim or deters opponents from attacking the paint. Jones has the physical tools to develop into that kind of player. Of course, as with all their picks, not sure if they will be keeping or trading this pick.

 I kind of like Damian Jones for them as well here. They have a logjam of frontcourt players on their roster right now but no one who really protects the rim or deters opponents from attacking the paint. Jones has the physical tools to develop into that kind of player. Of course, as with all their picks, not sure if they will be keeping or trading this pick.

 Zhou Qi. Swing for the fences type pick.

 Zhou Qi. Swing for the fences type pick.

 Ante Zizic is my pick here. Draft and stash this pick.

 Ante Zizic is my pick here. Draft and stash this pick.

Celts take Zizic over Zubac, who while offensively skilled, has rebounded very poorly in Europe. 

Celts take Zizic over Zubac, who while offensively skilled, has rebounded very poorly in Europe. 

Celtics draft Zizic and stash him. 

Celtics draft Zizic and stash him. 

Zizic for me, but damn I really want to combine these picks and trade up.

Zizic for me, but damn I really want to combine these picks and trade up.

 I’m going with diamond stone, he just a competitive and natural basketball player with big size, cold be productive and valuable…

 I’m going with diamond stone, he just a competitive and natural basketball player with big size, cold be productive and valuable…

 I’m higher on Zizic than Zubac, for defense, rebounding purposes at the nba level.

Depending on their 3rd pick, if it’s Murray case closed, Zizic at 23.

If they take bender, eurostash or not, i could gamble on Jones, they badly need legit size, length and athleticism up front…

Suns liked Jones a lot in his workout for what it’s worth.

Murray-Prince-Zizic, i call it a draft day.

Let’s go with Zizic.

 I’m higher on Zizic than Zubac, for defense, rebounding purposes at the nba level.

Depending on their 3rd pick, if it’s Murray case closed, Zizic at 23.

If they take bender, eurostash or not, i could gamble on Jones, they badly need legit size, length and athleticism up front…

Suns liked Jones a lot in his workout for what it’s worth.

Murray-Prince-Zizic, i call it a draft day.

Let’s go with Zizic.

 They took Bender which is a good possibility along with Chriss and then with their 2nd pick they took Prince,I think that they would have taken a true center like Zizic with their second pick as he would fill a greater need in the actual and at this point in the draft they would be looking for a guard with more size and defensive ability along with solid scoring ability. Depending on who is left in the actual this may be a reach, but Quarterman is quickly moving up boards.

 They took Bender which is a good possibility along with Chriss and then with their 2nd pick they took Prince,I think that they would have taken a true center like Zizic with their second pick as he would fill a greater need in the actual and at this point in the draft they would be looking for a guard with more size and defensive ability along with solid scoring ability. Depending on who is left in the actual this may be a reach, but Quarterman is quickly moving up boards.

Damian Jones

Damian Jones

 Zhou Qi is my pick for the Celtics

 Zhou Qi is my pick for the Celtics

 they need a real center

Don’t forget that they have the 31st pick also and Zhou could still be around then. Either Zhou, Zimmerman, Jones, Zubec or Diallo should still be there at 31 

 they need a real center

Don’t forget that they have the 31st pick also and Zhou could still be around then. Either Zhou, Zimmerman, Jones, Zubec or Diallo should still be there at 31 

 Zizic looks like the consensus pick.. Id also say him or otherwise AJ Hammons. 

 Zizic looks like the consensus pick.. Id also say him or otherwise AJ Hammons. 

 Zizic and stash him

 Zizic and stash him

 Zizic is going to win the pick so lets stick with him and get him off the draft board. If they can stash him it makes sense, Zhou Qi could be picked up with one of their 2nd rounders if needed.

Quick Draw McCaw was considered as he could replace Evan Turner if Evan moves on in FA,

 Zizic is going to win the pick so lets stick with him and get him off the draft board. If they can stash him it makes sense, Zhou Qi could be picked up with one of their 2nd rounders if needed.

Quick Draw McCaw was considered as he could replace Evan Turner if Evan moves on in FA,

 Zizic sounds perfect but he wants to play and not be stashed away so I will go with Zhou Qi who has said he will do that.

 Zizic sounds perfect but he wants to play and not be stashed away so I will go with Zhou Qi who has said he will do that.

 Diamond Stone. They have a full roster but that’s no reason to reach for Zubac, Zhou Qi or Zizic. Stone is young, strong and be an Ezeli-like player but with more potential. He’s not a prototypical modern NBA player but can contribute and the Celtics need a big man. 

 Diamond Stone. They have a full roster but that’s no reason to reach for Zubac, Zhou Qi or Zizic. Stone is young, strong and be an Ezeli-like player but with more potential. He’s not a prototypical modern NBA player but can contribute and the Celtics need a big man. 

 Stone.  He can help right away

 Stone.  He can help right away

Zizic says he’s coming over right away.

Zhou will be another year, it relieves the C’s potential roster jam for at least a bit. 

Also, with where the C’s are at, they really should try to shoot for the moon a lot, they have more than enough rotation players that Brad Stevens can make them competitive forever, to reach the next level the only thing that matter is they strike on a special player somewhere in the draft .

Zhou is a really unique player if he pans out. if you just watch his blocking tapes it’s really impressive not just the length but the general feel and skill he display on it as well (don’t get faked much, don’t foul much, keeps the ball in play a lot, stay balanced in in play most of the time.)   if he can translate that he’ll be the most unique rim protector in the league. 

On top of this, his offensive game is closer to a small forward than a big. but still have big moves if you really just put a guard on him or something .(this was a major problem for Yao Ming, teams can play him off the floor easily with small lineups, if Zhou pans out there’s no worry about this.) 

I get that his frame and weight is scary and people don’t trust the CBA’s skill level (but I should note that Micahel Beasly actually scored at roughly the same points per possesion in the CBA and Houston this year.), but if he works out he is almost exactly the prospect you want, a guy that has both the extreme skills (potentially among best shot blocker in league.) along with immense versatility and flexiblity .  Aside for a guy that can drop 40-50 points on you, this is basically the second hardest type of player to find.

Zizic is fine if your looking for a back up center / borderline starter, the Celtics already have like 8 of those guys on their roster right now.  there’s a fairly diminishing return there. he makes more sense for contender level teams as a guy that can fill a smaller niche right away. There is the outside chance that he develops more perimeter skills later on, but the list of energy bigs that managed to do that to a very successful level is REALLY small.

Zizic says he’s coming over right away.

Zhou will be another year, it relieves the C’s potential roster jam for at least a bit. 

Also, with where the C’s are at, they really should try to shoot for the moon a lot, they have more than enough rotation players that Brad Stevens can make them competitive forever, to reach the next level the only thing that matter is they strike on a special player somewhere in the draft .

Zhou is a really unique player if he pans out. if you just watch his blocking tapes it’s really impressive not just the length but the general feel and skill he display on it as well (don’t get faked much, don’t foul much, keeps the ball in play a lot, stay balanced in in play most of the time.)   if he can translate that he’ll be the most unique rim protector in the league. 

On top of this, his offensive game is closer to a small forward than a big. but still have big moves if you really just put a guard on him or something .(this was a major problem for Yao Ming, teams can play him off the floor easily with small lineups, if Zhou pans out there’s no worry about this.) 

I get that his frame and weight is scary and people don’t trust the CBA’s skill level (but I should note that Micahel Beasly actually scored at roughly the same points per possesion in the CBA and Houston this year.), but if he works out he is almost exactly the prospect you want, a guy that has both the extreme skills (potentially among best shot blocker in league.) along with immense versatility and flexiblity .  Aside for a guy that can drop 40-50 points on you, this is basically the second hardest type of player to find.

Zizic is fine if your looking for a back up center / borderline starter, the Celtics already have like 8 of those guys on their roster right now.  there’s a fairly diminishing return there. he makes more sense for contender level teams as a guy that can fill a smaller niche right away. There is the outside chance that he develops more perimeter skills later on, but the list of energy bigs that managed to do that to a very successful level is REALLY small.