Evaluating potential high-lottery pick, Luka Doncic - and why it matters

After Danny's Ainge's scouting trip out west to evaluate potential lottery picks DeAndre Ayton and Rob Williams, he will certainly look overseas for possible additions to his team. Why does this matter, you may ask? More on that later. Some may think Danny is bringing over European talent simply to annoy Announcer Tommy Heinsohn and give him more difficult names to pronounce. But Ainge knows there is serious talent there, and Luka Doncic is one of them. SI's 2018 mock draft shows Doncic going second behind DeAndre Ayton. Here is what SI's Jeremy Woo had to say about Luka:

Perhaps the most complete and accomplished European draft prospect we’ve ever seen, Doncic’s body of work is hard to argue with. He’s a savvy lead ball-handler and playmaker and easy to peg as the most NBA-ready player in this class, already putting up massive numbers in the Euroleague at age 18. He’s not a high-end athlete, but Doncic is advanced enough in essentially every other area that it may not matter. He has a strong case for the top spot and won’t fall far.

Doncic is listed at 6'7"-6'8" and 220 pounds. He is only 18 years old but certainly has a mature game. In the video below, his talents are on display, and it it apparent that he is multi-talented. He does seem to lack athleticism, but that may be one of the very few negatives. He has the size and skills to play three positions in the NBA.



Luka is averaging 16.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.0 SPG in the Euroleague against relatively high-level talent. He hits 46.5% from the field, 35.5% on threes and 82.7% from the foul line.

Why does this matter? Our own pick won't be a high one, and the chance of getting the Lakers pick is not great. Danny scouting Ayton and Williams personally does not merely mean he is only covering all bases, even though he once played Pro Baseball. As I write constantly, Ainge covets certain players, but he is fluid about his choices. If he sees a player he wants, he goes after him with a vengeance. Kevin Garnett, Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving are proof enough.

If the Celtics get the Lakers pick in the 2-5 range, they will have some nice opportunities. If not, a trade is always in Danny's mind, including one that will get him a high lottery pick. Stay tuned for some drama prior to the trade deadline and just prior to the NBA draft. With Danny as Celtics Exec, you never get bored.

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Photo via Sonya Canada/Getty Images
Video via Eurohoops TV