2019 NBA Draft: Top 3 players for Boston Celtics to select with 14th pick
By Trevor Marks
3. Goga Bitadze, 6-11 center, Buducnost
Al Horford isn’t going to be a Celtic forever and at some point Bostons front office needs to come to terms with this inevitability. Finding a deserving usurper at the center spot is a task to be completed at some point in the future, and finding a modern day ‘5’ with the fluidity, shooting range, and positive defensive instincts necessary to contribute in a regular season and playoff rotation is a must. It’s no small task, but at some point Ainge and co. will have to deliver the city of Boston a new long-term center.
Why not do it now?
The 2019 NBA Draft isn’t exactly one flush with depth at the center position, unlike last year’s class that saw five true bigs get picked with the first seven selections. This year, it seems like Texas’s rim-running and shot-blocking Jaxson Hayes is the only true big projected to go in the top-10 barring any surprises. Yet, he may not be the best center in the class, although his agility and coordination at his size is attractive.
Rather it could be the 6-11 Georgian center who ultimately proves himself to be this draft’s premier center due to his mix of mobility, rim protection, ball skills and shooting touch.
At 19 years old, Goga Bitadze has established himself as one of the more productive players in all of Europe, averaging 12.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and a league-leading 2.3 blocks per game in EuroLeague play before receiving the Rising Star Trophy. In ABA League play with KK Mega Bemax, he’s seen his scoring soar up to 20.2 PPG to go along with 7.9 RPG and 2.6 BPG. HIs efficiency from the floor is undeniably impressive, shooting 58.3 percent from the field, 39.5 percent from three (30-of-76) and 67.9 percent from the line in 48 total appearances this year.
Bitadze is a legitimate rim deterrent with enough foot speed to keep up with guards and wings without getting apostle blown by out of a pick-and-roll. He’s not a switch-big by any means, but with his mix of interior, space, and perimeter defense, he’s a strong candidate to stay on the floor both without getting torched in ball-screen actions. Throw in his motor and size on the boards, adequate ball skills, off-ball positioning (as a screener, sealer, rebounder) and shooting touch, and you have a promising young center prospect.
With the uncertainty of Horford’s future on the team and the general need for a long-term option at center (sorry, Robert Williams III), Bitadze would be a logical option at No. 14 if Ainge or Zarren prefer to grab a skilled big with the first of their three first round picks.