NBA Draft 2019: 5 targets for the Boston Celtics

2. Goga Bitadze, Center, Mega Bemax

Much of the discussion surrounding the Celtics’ long-term outlook in the frontcourt has rightfully centered around Horford, but he’s not the only Boston big man getting up there in age. Aron Baynes, freshly opted-in for the 2019-20 season, will turn 33 in December and managed only 51 games last season due to a variety of injuries. The Australian big man has been a crucial cog in Boston’s defense over the past two seasons, and the Celtics need to be better prepared in the event he misses more time going forward.

Goga Bitadze might be the heir to Baynes that the Celtics are searching for. Standing 7-feet tall (with a 7-foot-3 wingspan) and weighing in at 250 pounds, he’s an absolutely mauler and one of the most prolific shot blockers in all of international basketball, swatting 3.5 shots per 36 minutes in the Euro League. Bitadze isn’t merely a brute, however — his skill level is intriguingly high. He’s quicker than you think as a roll man, and he has a surprisingly soft touch on his jump shot which should make him effective out to the NBA 3-point line. Bitadze isn’t quite the ideal defender for the modern NBA — he’ll probably be limited to drop coverage against the pick-and-roll — but Brook Lopez and the Milwaukee Bucks showed us the value of a 7-footer who can stop shots at the rim and nail 3s at will.

Bitadze is generally considered the second best international prospect in the class (after wing Sekou Doumbouya) and appears to be trending upward as we approach next week’s draft. The Celtics will likely be hard-pressed to acquire him with pick 20 or 22. Even still, he’d be a worthy choice for pick 14 — assuming, of course, that Boston misses out on the final prospect on our list.