Celtics mock draft: Looking at 4 big men prospects who could fit Boston
The Celtics trade rumors are starting to heat up ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. There should be plenty of player movement coming in the next few weeks around the league. Teams are starting to prepare for what's predicted to be a busy offseason.
On the Celtics' side, they're going to make some trades to shed salary from their payroll. On another note, they also have two picks going into the draft at No. 28 and No. 32 overall. The first round is set for June 25 while the second round will be on June 26. So, the C's have some options when it comes to who they add to their team.
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MassLive already looked at four guards and four wings who the Celtics could potentially draft. Of note, the C's will have to make some decisions when it comes to their big man rotation this summer, a crucial part of next season. Now, here's a look at four big men who the Celtics could pick:
Danny Wolf, Michigan
2024-25 stats: 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists in 30.5 minutes in 37 games. Shot 49.7% from the field and 33.6% on 3-pointers.
Wolf, who started his collegiate career at Yale, is a tantalizing prospect. He starred at Michigan in one year where he showcased his talent. He was measured in at 6-foot-11 at the draft combine; his size and skill is what pops out immediately on his tape. Wolf took over games for stretches as his playmaking will draw parallels to Nikola Jokic.
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It's unclear at what point Wolf will be taken in the draft, but he could be there for the Celtics at the end of the first. Wolf's shooting is still a question mark as he knocked in 33.6% of his 3-pointers and 59.4% on free throws. But in terms of prospects at this point in the draft, Wolf is a fun one even with some holes in his game.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
2024-25 stats: 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists in 34.4 minutes in 35 games. Shot 65.3% from the field and 34.4% on 3-pointers.
Kalkbrenner is another Creighton product, much like last year's first-round pick in Baylor Scheierman. The big man has spent the past five years in Creighton, so he comes into the draft at 23. While he's old for a draft prospect, that also translates to experience as he's a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year from 2022-25.
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It's clear Kalkbrenner is a force defensively inside the paint, averaging 2.7 blocked shots per game last season. He was also efficient on offense, plus he showed some shooting touch. While he might not have the highest ceiling, he looks the part of an NBA center, measuring in at 7-foot-1 without shoes with a 7-foot-6 wingspan.
Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
2024-25 stats: 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists in 33.4 minutes in 35 games. Shot 46.7% from the field and 34.7% on 3-pointers.
Raynaud turned some heads this past season with impressive counting numbers, plus he expanded his game from deep. Not only did he shoot 34.7% on 3s, it was on 5.5 attempts per game. Raynaud measures in at 7-foot without shoes with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, so the size is certainly there.
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Raynaud, a French national, doesn't pop off as much defensively as compared to some other prospects on this list. He's not particularly young at 22, but his offensive game coupled with his efficiency are a solid sign. He spent the past four seasons at Stanford, earning first-team All-ACC honors last season.
Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Penn State
2024-25 stats: 12.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists in 25.1 minutes in 29 games. Shot 61.1% from the field and 9.1% on 3-pointers.
Niederhauser has turned some heads throughout the draft process and his measurables were certainly noteworthy. The big man came in at 6-foot-11 without shoes and a 7-foot-3 wingspan. He also featured a 37-inch max vertical leap, so he can get up there. The Swiss product played at Northern Illinois for two seasons before transferring to Penn State for a year, where he had a breakout season.
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Niederhauser is still a raw prospect as he showed that throughout the past year. But he blocked 2.3 shots per game and looks physically the part of an NBA center. He turned 22 earlier this year, so not young, but still has room to grow on both ends of the court. Niederhauser also doesn't shoot much as he took 11 total 3-pointer last season.
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