2024 NBA Mock Draft: Grizzlies add key piece in lottery, Pistons get future star

30. Boston Celtics take D.J. Wagner

The Boston Celtics will be over the second tax apron as Jaylen Brown’s new contract kicks in, which makes their late first-round draft picks even more important. If they want to upgrade their roster, the Celtics need them to become rotation pieces.

Wagner entered the season with lottery buzz, but the 18-year-old has been inconsistent for the Wildcats. He is averaging 12.4 points, 3.5 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 27.7 minutes per game through 13 games. Those are not the numbers of a top-ten pick. Wagner needs to consistently make jumpers and get buckets if he wants to climb draft boards.

He would not be the first Kentucky guard to blossom in the NBA. D.J. Wagner is only 6’3, and there are questions about his defensive potential. He could become a strong sixth man in his prime, but it will take plenty of work. The Celtics would love to add a key piece with the final pick of the first round.

The 2024 NBA Draft is fast approaching. This is one of the most difficult classes to project in recent memory, which will make for a fun selection night. The draft will be a franchise-altering one, and fans certainly won’t want to miss it.