Re-drafting the 2020 NBA Draft — 14. Desmond Bane, Boston Celtics
Desmond Bane is the best shooter of the 2020 NBA Draft, bar none. He’s already an important part of the rotation in Memphis, and would be similarly important in Boston. The Celtics tried to draft a shooter in this spot initially (Aaron Nesmith), but this time around, Bane is clearly the right call.
The Celtics’ young core can go up against any core in the NBA. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are studs, while Marcus Smart, Josh Richardson, Al Horford, and Dennis Schroder form a commendable supporting cast. That said, depth is an issue for Boston, and finding more shooting to complement that core is at the top of the priorities list for new GM Brad Stevens.
As a rookie, Bane averaged 9.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game, shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from deep. He exchange spot-up jumpers with any player in the league. The Celtics would get a pretty sizable boost to the second unit with Bane.