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

Israel. Dragan Bender . 4. player. 66. <p>If Boston does opt to go the domestic route and forgo Dragan Bender with the third pick, the Croatian big man shouldn’t have to wait long to hear his name called. Bender would be an excellent fit in Phoenix where the Suns lack a true power forward option after trading Markieff Morris to Washington earlier this year.</p> <p>Just 18-years old, Bender is one of the youngest prospects in the draft and would give Phoenix another piece to build around for the future next to Devin Booker. Offensively, at 7-1, he is capable of stepping out beyond the three-point arc where he has knocked down 33.8 percent of his attempts across all competitions this season. Bender’s real upside, though, is on the defensive end where he shows great promise as mobile big man who can switch onto smaller players, which is a necessity in the modern NBA. In addition, he may be able to develop into a competent rim protector if he can add some muscle mass to his thin frame to make himself more capable of battling with bigger bodies in the paint.</p> <p>If Bender is not available for Phoenix at four, the Suns could explore the possibility of trading down or they could opt to simply take the best player available on their board to help build a foundation to become competitive in the Western Conference.</p> <p><em>To read more about Dragan Bender, <a href=. PF