After a disappointing exit in the second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs, the offseason has arrived for the Boston Celtics.
One of the most important events for the Celtics on the offseason calendar is the 2025 NBA Draft, which is scheduled for June 24 (first round) and June 25 (second round).
The Celtics currently own two picks in the upcoming draft -- their own first-rounder at No. 28 overall, and the second pick in the second round (No. 32 overall) from the Washington Wizards. That pick from the Wizards was acquired in a previous trade.
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The goal for the Celtics should be finding a player in Round 1 who can contribute right away. Even without Jayson Tatum, the C's still have a playoff-caliber roster in a lackluster Eastern Conference. And as a team with an expensive roster, finding a good young player on a cheap rookie contract would be a major coup.
The ideal fit would likely be some sort of 3-and-D wing who can shoot well from the outside and offer some defensive versatility.
Which players should the Celtics target near the end of the first round? Here's a roundup of expert predictions from recent mock drafts.
Sam Vecenie, The Athletic: Labaron Philon, Guard, Alabama
"NBA teams are excited to see Philon up close during the pre-draft process after a breakout freshman season at Alabama that didn’t necessarily answer all the questions about his potential as a one-and-done. On the plus side, he’s a terrific athlete who played whatever role Alabama asked of him this year. Sometimes he was on the ball, taking ball screens and running the offense. Other times, he was asked to be a secondary ballhandler and attack creases when they presented themselves, then make reads off that to either finish or kick the ball out. On defense, I liked his energy and activity. Philon’s draft range is pretty wide right now. He could immensely help himself during the pre-draft process and see himself spike far up the board, or he ends up more in the late-first, early-second range."
Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report: Drake Powell, Wing, North Carolina
"Teams figure to put extra stock into Drake Powell's NBA combine performance and workouts after he spent the year spotting up 49.2 percent of North Carolina's possessions and taking just 5.7 shots per game. Despite the lack of production, there could still be first-round interest based on his outstanding physical profile, defensive projection and 37.9 percent three-point shooting."
Adam Finkelstein, CBS Sports: Labaron Philon, Guard, Alabama
"A competitive and instinctive combo-guard with on-off ball versatility, Philon seems like he would be a good fit with head coach Joe Mazzulla. The three-point shooting may not be quite where Boston would like it ideally, but the same was true at Alabama and he still made himself a critical two-way part of their attack."
Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo! Sports: Thomas Sorber, Forward/Center, Georgetown
"Al Horford turns 39 this summer and Kristaps Porziņģis can’t stay on the floor. The Celtics need to start thinking about the future of the center position, and Sorber could absolutely be a steal at this part of the draft. Sorber is unlikely to participate in on-court workouts due to a foot injury that ended his freshman year at Georgetown after just 24 games, but he still projects as a first-round pick due to his brick-house frame and the throwback skill-set to match. He sets strong screens, scores with soft-touch finishes, and has gritty drop-coverage instincts."
Jeremy Woo, ESPN: Noah Penda, SF/PF, Le Mans
"Rival teams expected changes to the Celtics' roster next season because of their massive payroll, even before Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury. Boston appears headed toward an active summer to reposition the franchise for more sustainable success. Though a full-on teardown isn't likely, the Celtics control their first-round pick in 2026 and 2027, giving them a runway to rethink things depending on the state of their roster and the course of Tatum's recovery.
"Penda's strong feel for the game and two-way impact, after a productive and well-rounded season in France, would make him an interesting sleeper target in this part of the draft. He offers excellent role-player traits as a smart decision-maker and defensive playmaker if he can make enough shots to earn NBA minutes. It remains to be seen what his availability will be for stateside workouts, with the Pro A season still ongoing."
J. Kyle Mann and Danny Chau, The Ringer: Joan Beringer, Forward/Center, France
"Beringer might’ve been a nice alternative to play Mr. Fantastic had Pedro Pascal said no, because I can’t tell you how many times he reached into the frame to eradicate a shot at the rim when I was watching other international prospects this season. That said, any team will need to know going in that Beringer is a long-term investment—he ain’t ready to play yet. He’ll probably have to join the G League crew in Maine for the foreseeable future, but what better team to sculpt a block of clay like Beringer than a proven development program like Boston’s?"