I've been keeping tabs on this draft class, and below are my quick thoughts on the guys I'm at least somewhat familiar with. I bolded the guys I'm either higher on than general consensus, or that I think are good targets for the Celtics. The rankings within tiers are pretty loose, and for the second round guys, I just grouped by archetype.
Tier 1 is the hardest for me, I really don't have a great sense of any of those guys. Overall, its hard to rate some guys if you don't have a sense of their work ethic or BBIQ. I've read enough about Desmond Bane and Tre Jones to know that everyone around them rave about their work ethic, and I've seen enough of Xavier Tillman, Josh Green and Kira Lewis Jr. playing in actual games to know they're straight up ballers who nearly always do the right things on a basketball court, but I don't have much of that with RJ Hampton or Poku. I definitely get the sense that the Celtics front office really values that stuff, and really does their due diligence trying to figure it out in the draft process. It's as much an art as it is a science, but their track record is looking pretty good in that respect.
I do think the conventional wisdom that this draft is very flat is correct. I could have easily combined tiers 2 and 3, and I think there's a bunch of guys in tier 4/second round that will provide value on their rookie contracts.
Tier 1- Significant warts, but All-NBA upside (although I don't think any of them are likely to hit it)
1. Wiseman
2. Hayes (Great vision, good shooter. Good size, solid defender. No right hand)
3. Edwards
4. Okoro (highest floor of these guys, but really needs to shoot to maximize value as elite 3&D with some secondary initiator equity)
5. Okungwu (All Star upside as one of the best defensive players in the league. Decent floor)
6. Ball (Upside is one of the best offensive players in the league, but it's a long shot. Low floor)
Tier 2 - Good starter upsides, decent floors
7. RJ Hampton (All Star upside, lower ceiling than the rest of the guys in this tier. I buy the shot and he's great at finishing at the rim. Wish I had a better sense of his BBIQ)
8. Kira Lewis Jr. (Great production at a young age in a good conference, lightning fast, and a good shooter. Smart player with a good rep. I keep flipping between him and Hampton as my preferred PG target for the Cs)
9. Devin Vassel (I'm basically ignoring the recent clips of two 28 foot jumpers, but maybe that's unwise)
10. Tyrese Haliburton (BBIQ for days. As a low-usage guard, would be a nice fit with the Celtics. Athleticism is a real concern, but he added a nice little floater game after not getting to the rim at all last year. Unorthodox guy but I loved watching him play)
11. Obi Toppin (he'll be a liability on D with slow feet and high center of gravity, but really fun offensive player)
12. Tyrese Maxey (A guy I've come around on a lot. He's a better shooter than his numbers indicate, and a great finisher. Small, but strong. Microwave scorer who can defend smaller guards well)
13. Deni Avdija (looks much better than I expect on D, but he's really gotta shoot to be useful and the numbers aren't particularly promising)
Tier 3 - Guys with good starter upside and lower floors, or above average starter upside and decent floors
14. Patrick Williams (really smart defender, but slow feet so not great at closing out or switching on quicker ballhandlers. Pretty raw overall, but very young)
15. Josh Green (Incredibly fluid hips and quick feet- can legitimately defend NBA PGs, and has frame to be able to switch onto 4s eventually. I feel like I should have him higher, if he shoots, he'll be a premier 3&D guy. Okoro-lite in that strength, lateral agility, plus passing and general smarts/motor are all assets. Shot is wonky, but he has a rep as a hard worker)
16. Saddiq Bey (Very high floor. Not great laterally and not very explosive, but smart and strong enough, with great positioning and footwork so he's still a pretty versatile defender)
17. Desmond Bane (similar to S.Bey in that they're very smart players who coaches love and who can really shoot, though his form is not as good. He has a negative wingspan and is not particularly athletic, though he's very strong and pretty decent laterally)
18. Aaron Nesmith (He has the tools to defend, but he didn't really do it well at Vandy- there's just a lot of really poor recognition and/or effort when you watch him. Also has shown very little aptitude for moving the ball with a grotesque 0.6 A/TO. The incredible shooting makes him a pretty good fit for our roster though, and there's the possibility that the defensive lapses were the result of a very heavy offensive burden. (Also see: Edwards, Anthony))
19. Tyrell Terry (Dame-level shooter, release is high and quick, but he's small and not very athletic so he'll get hunted despite his good defensive instincts. Maybe I'm dinging him too much for what he can't do rather than focusing on what he can)
20. Cole Anthony (awful spacing for him with lack of shooters. I think he's a much better PnR player than he was able to show. Looks much better in settings I've seen him in outside UNC)
Tier 4 - Starter upside/decent floor or good starter/low floor
21. Precious Achiuwa (not quite Bam-level upside on D, but not too far off. Not close on offense though. Poor decision-maker which means I probably have him too high, but impact defender given system and development)
22. Xavier Tillman (Smartest big in the draft, very good defender and passer. Not quick twitch like Preious, but great footwork and positioning. Always there to challenge shot. Advanced stats will love him. College BPM beast. I'd love him on the Celtics)
23. Jalen Smith (Stretch 4 due to lack of strength but he's a rim-runner who can shoot out of pick and pops, with some utility out of hand-offs and pin downs. I believe in the shot and he can put it on the floor a bit. Protects the rim, but not a great defender and not someone you want on quicker players. Poor footwork, not particularly high BBIQ. Strength will be a problem against NBA bigs even after he added mass- they call him "Sticks" for a reason.
24. Immanuel Quickley (Shooting percentages similar to Terry, but without the lightning high release, which really matters. Good defender, tough kid. Maybe there's more to his playmaking than what Cal allowed him to show once Maxey took over)
25. Jaden McDaniels (An enigma, wrapped in a riddle. Did not meet lofty expectations and his team stunk, but he's got the size, skill and athleticism. I don't think the BBIQ is there, but if it is, and if he's a hard worker, legit could be the best player in this draft. More likely a low-efficiency gunner putting up empty stats for a bad team while being a non-factor on D. Thin frame and some character concerns)
26. Aleksej Pokusevski (Frame makes McDaniels look like Karl Malone. Incredibly skilled for his age and height- he gets very low to the ground and has plus handles, passing, shooting. Active, smart defender with good length, but will be too slow to defend NBA guards and too weak to defend anyone close to the basket. He's a 7 foot guard, but I have a very hard time getting over the fact that there's never been a decent NBA player with a frame as small as his. Swing for the fences type pick)
27. Robert Woodard II (Prototypical NBA wing size and athleticism, but lack of offense limits upside)
28. Leandro Bolmaro (reminds me a lot of Satoransky, but stronger and a bit less skilled)
29. Mason Jones (So crafty. Foul-drawing machine. Only started playing organized hoops 5 years ago because he was too fat before that, but he transformed his body)
30. Isaiah Stewart (So big and strong, he'd make a good Embiid-stopper. Great motor, light on his feet for his size, decent touch on his jumper. Still a drop big despite quick feet. Advanced screener. Supposed to be a great kid. I like him as a Celtics target if he lasts to 26/30. If this draft was 25 years ago, he goes #1 over Jalen Smith. Maybe should be higher, but the devaluation of the position is real)
31. Killian Tillie (If he's healthy, he's the best stretch big in the class and a solid overall defender, but heath is a major question)
32. Isaiah Joe (Shooter with good SG size and deep range. Good movement w/o ball. Just good at getting open. Good mechanics. Decent handle to attack close-outs. Very good team defender and length helps, but really needs to bulk up)
Second Round PGs with Upside
Tre Jones (May not last until 2nd round. If he shoots, I think his ceiling is pretty high. Advanced stats will love him)
AboudayeN'Doye (7'2 wingspan, shot well on low-volume, and generally played well for a good team in France. Not very athletic, but fluid. Good defensive tools. Nice stash option)
Karim Mane (7 foot wingspan, good handle, great first step, very athletic. Poor competition, older prospect who is still raw, but untapped potential to be a Jrue-like PG)
Lower-ceiling PGs
Theo Maledon (Smooth PnR guard with no left hand and poor lateral movement.)
Malachi Flynn (Smart PnR floor general who I see having Jameer Nelson type career)
Cassius Winston (One of the best college PGs ever, but the athleticism kills him at the next level. Incredible career, so much fun to watch)
Nico Mannion (Great vision, strength will be an issue)
Devon Dotson (Explosive athlete who pressures the rim and is a pest on defense. Better vision than I think he gets credit for)
Yam Madar (fairly tough and athletic Israeli stash option)
Ashton Hagans (Defensive menace with no jumper, but good floor general. Rumors have the Heat interested, which would be a perfect developmental spot for him. If they fix his jumper he's a great fit with his buddy Herro)
Payton Pritchard (Tough, smart, but meh athlete who'll likely succeed in Europe)
Energy/Situational Bigs
Reggie Perry (combo forward who can do a bit of everything. Smooth. Has some pull up game. Versatile defender, good on glass)
Daniel Otoru (rim protector who rebounds well and has stretch potential. Rim runner/diver. Good screen setter. Smooth, but not a plus athlete)
Tyler Bey (undersized, but really pops as a smart motor guy who does all the little things, and gets after it on D, where he reminds a bit of Shawn Marion. Very reluctant to shoot though, and cannot put it on the floor)
Vernon Carey (Old school big. Skilled and smooth big, w/good footwork, decent handle and shot. Drop big who can't defend in space. Terrible PnR defense despite quick feet. Allergic to setting screens)
Udoka Azubuike (Old school banger w/7'7 wingspan who erases in the paint. Lob target. Raw but great combo of strength length and athleticism)
Zeke Nnaji (Very active, runs the floor well, smart defender, maybe can shoot eventually)
Paul Eboua (Very raw, but looks the part with a great NBA frame for his age. Pretty athletic. Working on shot. Stash project)
Paul Reed (athletic 4 who generates blocks and steals. Some stretch potential, but not much else in his bag on O. Defends perimeter well)
Kaleb Wesson (lunchpail, old school, below-the-rim big, but he can shoot and pass well. Greg Monroe-ish)
Mamadi Diakite (elite shot-blocker who can defend the perimeter. Quick-twitch but too wiry for NBA bigs. Very smart. Not much beyond rim-running, but good touch on FTs is promising. Old but very raw, so untapped potential?)
Marko Simonovic (Spacing PnR big. Positional defender. Meh athlete drop big likely unplayable in most playoff matchups even if he hits his upside)
Microwave Scorers
Grant Riller (3 level scorer who attacks the rim. Great handles, decent passer but not a true PG. Poor defender)
Jahmi'us Ramsey (Pure SG who can light it up from deep, but overall poor decision-making. Good man defender, but pretty terrible off-ball)
Markus Howard (very small, extremely productive. Carsen Edwards type scorer, but weaker, less athletic and minus 6 inches of wingspan, though better with the ball in his hands. Maybe closer to IT than Carsen, stylistically. Incredible shooter though)
Jay Scrubb (Great athlete with positional size and great looking shot, but no sense whatsoever of his game)
Shooters Gonna Shoot- Floor-Spacing Specialists
Sam Merrill (6'5 Deadeye who can shoot from any angle, and pretty crafty with ball in his hands. Old, non-athlete who will get hunted on D . 42%3Pt, 89%FT for college career)
Justinian Jessup (Duncan Robinson type. 6'7, 40.1% 3PT, 83.1%FT)
Jordan Nwora (6'7. 39.4/78.5. Low ceiling 3&D)
Developmental Wings
Ty-Shon Alexander (Undersized but good scorer who maybe can initiate an NBA offense, and he's hard-nosed defender)
Cassius Stanley (Gerald Green type vertical athlete with a nice-looking jumper, but poor instincts and meh motor)
Elijah Hughes (Good overall scorer, but tough to gauge defense due to zone role. Iso scorer, but does that role translate to what he'll be asked to do at next level?)
Nate Hinton (Good athlete with great motor. Tough as nails guard who can shoot a bit, but defends and rebounds like a beast)
Aaron Henry (See above)
CJ Elleby (See above but with better range and less athleticism)
Kenyon Martin Jr. (Good athlete with positional size, but a project. Hated his dad though, so do not draft)