2016 NBA Mock Draft: Celtics hold the draft cards at 3

Jaylen Brown . 3. player. 18. <p>The Celtics could go any number of ways with the third pick and while Dragan Bender would be an excellent fit in green, Danny Ainge’s draft history suggests that selecting an international prospect this high may not be his cup of tea. Ainge has taken just one international player in the first round during his tenure in Boston and that pick was on behalf of Dallas in 2013. If Ainge passes on Bender, selecting California’s Jaylen Brown could be an option for a number of reasons.</p> <p>Brown is a physically imposing wing who is at his best barreling into the lane to draw fouls on opposing defenders. He lacks an outside shot at this point in his development, but he could develop one if he’s willing to put in the work. Brown also fills a need at the wing position and would give head coach Brad Stevens substantial flexibility in crafting his lineups as the Golden Bear could be used to defend any position from shooting guard to power forward. The Celtics also have three first round picks in this draft, so taking Brown who figures to be a bit of a project on the offensive end is less of a problem for them than a team that needs to make sure it hits with its first rounder.</p> <p><em>To read more about Jaylen Brown, <a href=. SG/SF. California