The Celtics Marcus Smart has only been gone (to Memphis) a day or so, but Brad Stevens didn't waste any time trying to replace part of what The Wolverine brought to the court. With the 38th pick in the draft, Boston chose Jordan Walsh.
The 6'7", 205-lb. Arkansas product is a defensive whiz with the size and physique to guard multiple positions (per The Athletic's Kyle Tucker):
“You want a high-ceiling, switchable wing defender in an NBA-ready body? Meet Jordan Walsh, the 6-foot-7, 215-pound former McDonald’s All-American with a 7-2 wingspan, 8-11 standing reach and an aggressive disposition who was selected No. 38 overall by the Celtics. He’s raw (at best) offensively and his stats don’t sing — 7.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, less than an assist per game and 28 percent 3-point shooting as a freshman at Arkansas — but he absolutely impacts winning.
The Razorbacks scored nine more points per 100 possessions with him on the court than when he was off, which led the team. Arkansas was 10-3 in games he scored more than eight points, 12-11 in all others. On the other end, he’s a high-motor, physical defender who never backed down and had the athleticism to guard on the perimeter or bang in the paint. ... It’s not hard to envision him as a longtime NBA role player.”
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