The Boston Celtics started this season with more questions than answers. After a summer of roster turnover and uncertainty at the top, nobody in the league knew what version of this team would show up. Thirteen games in, the Celtics are 6–7 and sitting 11th in the East, caught somewhere between growing pains and quiet optimism.
It is way too early to think about the draft, but that has never stopped anyone in Boston from peeking ahead. And in the latest Bleacher Report mock from Jonathan Wasserman, the Celtics land a prospect who fits exactly the kind of long-term swing this front office loves: Washington’s rising 6’11 center, Hannes Steinbach.
Why Hannes Steinbach Makes Sense For Boston
There is a certain type of big man the Celtics have always been drawn to. Not the back-to-the-basket giant of 20 years ago. Not the one-dimensional rim runner. Boston likes players who can think the game, move the ball, and do more than just jump high. Steinbach already feels like he checks those boxes.
What really pops is the craft. His footwork is sharp. He doesn’t rush through his reads. He plays with a calmness that stands out for a 19-year-old. The touch around the rim is soft, his hands are reliable, and he has a natural feel for finding pockets of space without demanding the ball.
And then there is the defense, which might end up being his swing skill. Steinbach has held his own in space, rotated on time, and made weakside contests that hint at long-term versatility. For a Celtics team that has always valued bigs who can survive switching and drop coverage depending on the matchup, that part of his profile feels especially relevant.
Boston wouldn’t be drafting him to be a savior. They don’t need that. They need a piece they can grow, someone who fits the fabric of what they already do. Steinbach feels like that type of bet.
Celtics Fans Keep Dreaming About AJ Dybantsa
Even with Steinbach mocked to Boston, the loudest draft conversations in the city orbit around a completely different name. AJ Dybantsa, Boston-born and already a top-three lock in almost every early projection, has turned into a full-blown obsession for Celtics fans.
He is projected No. 3 to the Indiana Pacers in Wasserman’s mock, and that feels about right. At 6’9 with a grown-man frame at only 18 years old, Dybantsa has been overpowering defenders at BYU. The driving game is advanced, the physicality is real, and the upside is obvious.
But this goes deeper than talent. It is the Boston connection.
Dybantsa Dreams of Boston Too
Dybantsa has leaned into the hometown love. With BYU heading to TD Garden soon, he posted “Excited to be back home in Boston this weekend” on X. When the Celtics dropped their gameday graphic, he replied “let’s get it.”
Those posts sent Celtics fans into a spiral because they hit the exact nerve this city always feels with homegrown stars. It is the dream of seeing a local kid rise through the ranks and eventually wear green on draft night.
The problem is math. As long as the Celtics stay competitive, they are nowhere near the top three. Landing Dybantsa would require a lottery miracle at this stage.
Still, the dream persists because he looks like someone built for Boston’s stage. Powerful, confident, charismatic, and carrying an edge that feels familiar. Even if the Celtics never get within shouting distance of drafting him, the idea of Dybantsa in green is not going anywhere anytime soon.
Looking Ahead for the Celtics
The season is barely underway. The roster is still settling. And the standings in November never tell the whole story. But Steinbach looks like the kind of forward-thinking pick Boston has historically nailed, while Dybantsa represents the dream scenario fans will cling to until the moment his name is called next June.
For the Celtics, this early mock draft feels like a snapshot of two paths. One realistic. One fantastical. Both worth watching.
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