2019 NBA Draft: Top 3 players for Boston Celtics to select with 20th pick
By Trevor Marks
3. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, 6-6 guard – Virginia Tech
With Terry Rozier all but out the door and Kyrie Irving’s future in Boston in doubt, it’s likely that the Celtics will look toward the 2019 NBA Draft to find themselves a new piece of the backcourt, and Virginia Tech’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker would be a fine addition.
Albeit not a true point guard without dynamic ball skills or a quick burst off the dribble, the 20-year-old guard made great strides in his playmaking throughout his sophomore season, seeing his freshman average of 2.3 assists per 40 minutes double to 4.6, especially flashing his pick-and-roll vision and savvy guard play after the team’s assist leader (Justin Robinson, 5.0 APG) miss a large stretch of games late in the year.
He’s shown an ability to make a nice variety of tough passes — skips, corner finds, pocket passes, etc. — thanks to being fairly ambidextrous, which is a positive sign that he’ll be a capable guard in the NBA, whether he’s running bench units or splitting time as a secondary/tertiary playmaker when alongside starters. He still has to improve as a decisionmaker (1.23 A:TO for his career), which further reinforces his projected role as a part-time playmaker, but the flashes are enough to buy into his ability as a passer.
The 6-6 guard has the length (6-10 wingspan) and defensive capabilities (awareness, quick hands, IQ, etc.) to defend both guard spots and even some smaller wings, which would be useful in Brad Stevens’ defensive system that desires versatility. The Celtics like versatile players, and Alexander-Walker put his skills on display throughout the year, averaging 16.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.9 steals and 0.8 blocks on an impressive 47.4-37.4-77.8 shooting split.
He’s not a reliable threat to score off the dribble due to physical limitations (53rd percentile shooting off the dribble, per Synergy), but he excelled as an off-ball threat, canning 38.3 percent of his triples as a Hokie, including a sharp 40 percent (48/120) of his attempts from NBA range this past season, according to The Stepien’s shot charts.
He’d be a fine fit next to Marcus Smart off the bench, as both players are strong defenders and capable playmakers, and he’d make a superior bench option at guard compared to the inconsistency and inefficiency of Rozier.
Whether the Celtics use the 20th pick on someone they plan on keeping or someone they plan on shipping out in a trade, Alexander-Walker holds value in both regards because of his IQ and versatility, and would be a fine selection with this draft spot.