Celtics select Aaron Nesmith with No. 14 overall pick in 2020 NBA Draft

The Boston Celtics had the 14th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and selected Vanderbilt G Aaron Nesmith on Wednesday night virtually from ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. Boston finished third in the Western Conference last season and fell to the Miami Heat in the Western Conference Finals. Can Boston’s newest asset be enough of a contributor to help it reach the championship series?

The Celtics have three 20-point per game scorers in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker. Gordon Hayward averaged 17.6 points per game last season as a fourth option, so there’s not much Boston is missing on offense. The Celtics have a ton of defensive versatility as well thanks to their abundance of lanky wings and Marcus Smart, but their lack of a legitimate rim protector limits them. The Celtics have enough to compete at a very high level but could need one more piece to set them over the top.

First-Round Pick Analysis

Nesmith is considered to be the best three-point shooter in this class in many circles. He rattled home an impressive 52.2 percent from three in his second season at Vanderbilt on 8.2 attempts per game. He can also chip on the boards and as a defender but could have a hard time getting in with Tatum and Brown in front of him. The Celtics have an abundance of wings, but Nesmith could improve his chances of getting burn if Hayward leaves Boston. He averaged 23 points per game at Vanderbilt last season but won’t come close to that in the NBA unless the Celtics move some pieces.