The Boston Celtics could be in line to get their replacement for Al Horford this NBA Draft. Johni Broome, in our latest mock draft, is predicted to land in Boston in June. It would be the perfect replacement for the Celtics' long-time big man.
While it’s going to be hard to replace what Horford brings to this team, getting a player like Broome to wiggle his way into the lineup when Horford decides to retire is almost the perfect scenario for a team looking to win their second straight NBA championship.
Horford is at the tail end of his career. You wouldn’t know it with the way he’s playing, but he doesn’t have too many seasons left — which is why the Celtics should start looking for his replacement now.
Broome is the perfect candidate, because he not only is cheap and should be available at Boston's pick in the draft, but because his style and what he’d bring is nearly identical to what Horford has meant to the Celtics.
Why Johni Broome is the perfect player to replace Al Horford for the Boston Celtics
According to Yahoo Sports, Kevin O’Connor has compared Broome to Jaylin Williams of the Oklahoma City Thunder. That’s not a bad comparison, considering Broome isn’t a significant offensive presence.
His strength is his ability to facilitate out of the post. That’s one thing Horford has done well with a litany of perimeter shooters on the Celtics. Broome wouldn’t have to do much early on to impact the offense.
Though the one thing Horford has been able to do is become a consistent 3-point shooter. The Celtics have relied tremendously on the 3-point shot in recent years, even with slashers like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
Which means Broome would have to develop a more consistent perimeter shot as well. This season he shot 26.5 percent from beyond the arc; that’s nearly 10 percent down from last year. That’s not a good sign, but fortunately it's something he can work on and develop early on in his career.
I’m not saying Broome is destined to be Horford regardless of whether he lands in Boston or not. But I am confident that if he is drafted by Boston, he could use the first couple seasons to learn from Horford and develop.
He could eventually evolve into the perfect replacement. He wouldn’t have to rush into the starting lineup, be a decent depth piece that could become a starter down the road.