#9. Boston Celtics (via Memphis Grizzlies) – Sekou Doumbouya
Because the Lakers zoomed up the draft board all the way to #1 overall, the Memphis Grizzlies slipped out of the top 8, which meant that their pick will convey this season to the Boston Celtics.
For the Grizz, this is a win, as the protections on that pick are far less strenuous going forward – meaning that the Celtics might be able to reap the benefits of a Grizz team that lacks both Marc Gasol and Mike Conley – who is expected to be traded as soon as this offseason.
In this case, the Celtics will select 9th overall and will choose of the youngest and highest-upside players on the board. The 6-foot-9, 210-pound French national from Guinea displays fluid athleticism and innate scoring ability whenever he’s on the court, he is still an extremely raw prospect that will need time to grow and develop.
Luckily, the Celtics have an immense amount of good players on the roster already, so Doumbouya can take his time to develop.
Of course, because the Celtics have a whopping four selections in this mock draft, some of these players might be re-routed as a part of an Anthony Davis trade. Still, Doumbouya deserves a look-in from any and all lottery teams — especially those with multiple picks.