The Celtics and Mock Drafts

The end to the Celtics season means that fans in Boston will be looking more to the NBA Draft on June 28 than they will be focusing on the NBA Finals (Thunder in 6).

To pass the time, here is who a handful of the mock drafts have the Celtics taking with picks 21 and 22.

Chad Ford, ESPN.com

21: Moe Harkless, SF, St. John's, 18-years-old, 6-8, 190-pounds
22: Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure, 22-years-old, 6-9, 222-pounds

Sam Amick, SI.com

21: Fab Melo, C, Syracuse, 21-years-old, 7-0, 250-pounds
22: Royce White, PF/SF, Iowa State, 21-years-old, 6-8, 270-pounds

DraftExpress.com

21: Fab Melo
22: Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor, 19-years-old, 6-9, 200-pounds

NBADraft.net

21: Andrew Nicholson
22: Jeffrey Taylor, SF, Vanderbilt, 23-years-old, 6-7, 213-pounds

Jeff Goodman, CBSSports.com

21: Terrence Ross, SG, Washington, 21-years-old, 6-6, 195-pounds
22: Fab Melo

Matt Moore, CBSSports.com

21: Moe Harkless
22: Royce White

HoopsHype.com

21: Royce White
22: Andrew Nicholson

Now, we really have no idea what Danny Ainge is planning to do.  For all we know, he will make a trade with the picks to add a veteran or move one of his own veterans for additional picks.  With the futures of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen up in the air, the leadership of the Celtics could choose to take another shot at the title or start to rebuild.

If the Celtics choose to keep both picks, I think it is imperative that at least KG be brought back.  Adding youth is a good thing but they need a strong veteran presence to teach them how to be successful professionals.  Having Garnett to work with young bigs like JaJuan Johnson and any potential draftees will be a huge positive.  The same goes for Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo (and Allen, if he returns) with the young guards.  Rebuilding is a bad idea but reloading around the current core of championship veterans is what the Celtics should do and trusting Garnett, Pierce, and Rondo to lead the team on the court as well as help develop the future of the franchise is what I believe Ainge will do this summer.