Picture Courtesy of tsbsports.net

Draft Day: After shipping Doc Rivers out west and being uncertain about the futures of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, Danny Ainge  has some big decisions to make, and soon. The decision making process will begin today. This evening, the 2013 NBA Draft will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Celtics have only one draft pick this year at number 16, so they’ll have to make it count.

Seeing as Pierce and Garnett may be out of the picture sooner rather than later, and given the string of injuries last year (Rajon Rondo, Jared Sullinger, Leandro Barbosa, and the list goes on), Boston will be in a rebuilding mode for a little while before they can get back to business (chasing banner number 18). To make matters worse, C’s fans looking for a quick fix in this year’s draft…can keep looking elsewhere.

There won’t be any superstar potential left by the time the C’s are on the clock. Honestly, after the first few picks, the star power won’t be shining nearly as brightly as it has in recent draft years. Nevertheless, what there will be at pick number 16 are a few role players that could ultimately help provide some depth on the roster. So, let’s take a look at who could be donning Celtics green in 2013-2014:

Miami (FL) Point Guard Shane Larkin will likely be the best fit for the Boston Celtics according to draftexpress.com and hoopsworld.com Picture courtesy of mlb.mlb.com

Potential Picks:

Shane Larkin Point Guard Miami (FL): Larkin will likely be Boston’s best option tonight. Larkin, you may remember, helped lead a Hot Miami Hurricanes team into the NCAA tournament a few months ago in March. Larkin averaged 14.5 points, 4.6 assists and 2.0 steals a game in 2012-2013 for Miami. Larkin would provide depth at the PG position once Rondo returns and Bradley stays healthy at the shooting guard spot. A downside to Larkin though, he is undersized at 5’11″/171 pounds.

Kelly Olynyk Center Gonzaga: Olynyk would certainly be a solid choice for the Celtics if he’s still available at pick number 16. Like Olynyk’s 7’0″ frame though, that’s a pretty big “if”. He’ll likely go higher to the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder (picking 12th) or the Utah Jazz (picking 14th). The big guy from Gonzaga was a key cog in the Zags stellar season in 2012-2013 he averaged 18.6 points and 6.8 rebounds a game.

Mason Plumlee Center Duke: Should Shane Larkin not be arouns by the time Boston picks, Plumlee may not be a bad pick. At 6’11″/238 pounds, Plumlee certainly has the size and skills to at least survive in the NBA. In 2012-2013 Plumlee averaged 17.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks a game for the Blue Devils. If nothing else, he would provide depth at the center position, something the C’s will need after Garnett is gone.

Giannis Adetokunbo Small Forward out of Greece: Averaged 7.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 2012-2013. At age 18 and 6’9″/196 pounds, Adetokunbo has the time and the potential to prove himself in the league. With his 6’9″ frame, Giannis has the size and the right skill set to earn a spot on the C’s roster for the 2013-2014 season, should he be chosen.

Picture Courtesy of cdn.turner.com

Final Thoughts: While the Celtics may be coach-less, they are certainly not hopeless. Though it will take time to rebuild, Boston will be back in business before we know it. Remember, there are always big moves to be made in the NBA (See Celtics 2008 for example) and anything can happen…or in the words of Garnett “Anything is Possible!!!”

Who would you draft? Should the Celtics make a big move this off-season? Who will be Boston’s next bench boss? Leave a comment below.