The Celtics Should Target This Draft Sleeper
The young EuroLeague standout would plug a clear gap in the rotation
Let’s put all this Giannis Antetokounmpo chatter on pause. Just for a minute.
We’re closing in on draft day. In all the hustle and bustle of the never-ending stream of Giannis rumors being pumped out in recent days, a little nugget of reporting from Jake Fischer regarding Boston’s desire to trade up in the draft didn’t get the attention it deserved.
So, let’s change that.
“While Boston continues to loom as a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spot, sources say the Celtics are looking to trade up in the first round of next Tuesday’s NBA Draft from their No. 27 pick,” Fischer posted on X on Tuesday.
How high the Celtics want to move up is anybody’s guess. Why they want to move up is also open for debate.
On the one hand, Brad Stevens could be interested in a specific group of players who all project to be off the board by the time Boston is on the clock at 27. On the other hand, a higher draft pick could help sweeten a deal for Giannis, assuming Stevens moves up before draft night.
Either way, a move would be a signal of intent from the front office. Judging what type of signal is where the challenge would come into play.
But what if I told you that there’s a potential sleeper pick who could be a strong fit for the Celtics but is a risk to come off the board around 24? The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves are both reported to have strong interest in Sergio De Larrea out of Spain, per Jake Fischer.
“The Wolves hold a strong interest in selecting the polished international guard with the 28th overall pick next Tuesday, viewing his elite positional size as an ideal long-term fit next to superstar Anthony Edwards,” EuroHoops wrote. “…This strong interest from Minnesota creates a strategic dilemma for the newly crowned champions, who currently own the 24th and 31st selections. To secure the Valladolid native outright, the Knicks may be forced to keep their first pick rather than attempting to trade down or waiting.”
De Larrea has been someone I have focused on in recent days. He’s been a pro since 2022, so he will enter the NBA with four years of pro ball experience under his belt. At 6-foot-6, De Larrea has great size for a point guard, along with a skill set that fits what Boston is currently lacking out of the guard position.
De Larrea is a throwback-style playmaker. He thrives on getting his teammates quality shots, while approaching halfcourt offense with a calm patience that can lull defenses into a false sense of security.
However, in the open court, he’s a penetrator who loves to pressure the rim before kicking out to open shooters on the perimeter, or by finding the big man, either on the roll or around the rim.
What I find really interesting is that right now, De Larrea’s biggest weaknesses could be what helps him fit into a contending team’s system. Ok, that sounds weird. Here me out.
On offense, De Larrea lacks elite-level burst. He’s not beating people with his first step, and he doesn’t have different gears to cycle through. His handle, especially when moving at speed, is questionable. There’s also a significant amount of work to be done on his overall strength, both lower body and core, as with most rookies.
Those issues are why De Larrea could be available at the end of the first round, if not early in the second. Yet, they’re also why he could fit with a team such as Boston. Think about it: as a rookie, sophomore, or even third-year guy, De Larrea’s touches would be limited.
De Larrea would be given plenty of time to work on his weaknesses in Boston. He would slot into a tertiary playmaking role under Joe Mazzulla, who could lean into De Larrea’s instincts as a passer within a .5 framework.
One dribble passes, a straight-line drive leading to a kick-out, spotting cutters or even a simple entry pass — all of these options would be available and having another high-level passer to lean on would elevate the second unit. Then, there’s De Larrea’s feel in the pick-and-roll. He might not have electric speed, but his change of pace, ability to control angles, and feel for when passing pockets are open would help unlock second unit bigs and wings.
In the minutes when De Larrea shared the floor with an explosive big such as Neemias Queta, I could see some serious lob-city vibes, too.
De Larrea is more than just a passer, though. He’s a highly talented shooter. At 20 years old, he has suited up in 68 games across all competitions this season (for Valencia), shooting 38.6% from three-point range and 43.1% from the field, per RealGM.
If his shot can hold as he adjusts to the NBA, positioning him as an off-ball shooting threat with a green light to put the rock on the floor would be an ideal way of maximizing his strengths while hiding his weaknesses.
Close-out hard and De Larrea will beat you off the bounce, draw help and redirect the rock to the open man. Give him space, and he’ll drop threes on your head. Try and split the difference, and suddenly the pick-and-roll game opens up for him to manipulate the situation before making reads that can put opponents on the back foot.
“Scouts frequently praise his masterful pick-and-roll pacing, noting that the young floor general consistently makes the correct decision,” EuroHoops noted.
Overall, De Larrea projects as someone who could slot into the Celtics rotation and provide secondary or tertiary playmaking and ball-handling. He’ll bring connectivity, while also being a viable scoring threat both off the dribble and off the catch. I think he'll surprise people with his off-ball cutting, directional changes and overall feel for the game.
At his size, De Larrea could easily slide between the 1, 2 and 3, giving Mazzulla plenty of optionality when iterating through combinations early in the season.
Now, onto defense…
Where’s the one place you don’t want to put a guy who lacks burst, is limited in terms of overall speed and has questions regarding their strength: the point of attack.
De Larrea doesn’t project as a POA defender at the NBA level. I mean, he wasn’t that guy in Europe, either.
Instead, De Larrea provides defensive value as a helper. His wingspan and overall length make him a disruptive presence in passing lanes, and his basketball IQ ensures that he rotates over at the right moments. He can, however, be prone to gambling when trying to jump the lane, which is something Mazzulla would quickly coach out of him.
Furthermore, the young guard is also a little foul-prone. He averaged two fouls per game in 24-25, and 1.6 per night this past season. Most of those fouls have come when De Larrea is operating at the point of attack and is being forced to try and play at a pace outside his comfort zone. Nevertheless, De Larrea’s foul rate will be another area he’ll need to work on, especially as he won’t get a welcoming whistle as a rookie.
Still, nobody is expecting De Larrea to be an elite shut-down defender. As long as he can play a role, show upside along with a pathway to improvement, and not be someone who is a total liability on the defensive end (such as not being hunted), he will be afforded the opportunity to develop his game and carve out a role within the Celtics’ system.
So, the question now becomes whether Stevens would be willing to move up (slightly) in the draft to acquire De Larrea. After all, we’re talking about a player who was crowned 2025-26 Liga Endesa Best Young Player and the 2024-25 Super Cup MVP. He’s a proven young talent with sizeable upside. Furthermore, he plugs a legitimate gap in the rotation while also offering some much-needed additional playmaking.
Of course, there’s a chance that De Larrea will be available when Boston’s on the clock with the 27th pick. However, if the Celtics do identify him as a genuine target, finding a way to jump ahead of the Knicks at 24 will be their best chance of guaranteeing he’s still on the board.
Now, I’m not saying he is who the Celtics will target. Nor am I saying they should absolutely make him their sole focus. What I am saying is that as far as late first-round prospects go, you could do far worse than a four-year pro that’s already proven himself on the European stage and has significantly more room to grow.
If that means parting with a future 2nd and the 27th pick to move just above the Knicks, I think I would be ok with that.
Great analysis on De Larrea (they call him "Larry" too). I had seen him win the U19 World Cup in Hungary with Almansa and Baba Miller as the alphas of that team. Fast forward and I saw him live with the national team last summer in Cyprus and it's fair to say we were all so impressed with his growth and maturity, particularly in a not-so-good Spanish team (for once). During that tournament he really earned a 'PhD' as a pro. Before that, he was not a great ball handler and turned the ball over (sometimes obscene turnovers) but he quickly rectified that and added 3-point shooting where he's very reliable as you pointed out. On defense he's big which really helps in swap-heavy scheme. Quite different from Hugo (worse athlete, better shooter) but would be wonderful to see two Spanish guys in my favorite team!!