The Duke big man stops his skid here, and likely is much more talented than this draft slot suggests. This slide down the draft board could come to fruition on Draft night, as teams are (rightfully) concerned about his fit in the modern NBA.
His old-school, back-to-basket play style will work in the right system, and with this pick, we’ll get to see how Brad Stevens utilizes him. The Celtics missing piece right now is depth in the frontcourt, and Carey is not your typical 27th overall pick when it comes to play time. He’s getting good minutes for a freshman at Duke and could be ready to contribute 10-15 per game in the NBA right away.
Carey is fun to watch on the post, and while his bullying of college centers won’t translate fully, he’s crafty enough to score against NBA defenders. His nasty drop step is a selling point, as is his up-and-under game.
The 6-10 center needs to work on his fouls, especially the technical ones, and turnovers. Both of those should come with time, especially in the disciplined Celtics system.