The eighth in a series of profiles of players that might be of interest to the Boston Celtics during the 2012 NBA Draft (June 28, ESPN, 7 p.m.):


Projection: Late first-round (Insider rank: 22; Position rank: 3)

In the news: Wroten has been making the rounds, working out for a number of NBA clubs, including the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Yahoo! Sports, and the Milwaukee Bucks, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Sentinel still has Wroten projected as a first-round pick.

Why the Celtics want him: Standing at approximately 6-foot-6, Wroten Jr. has tremendous size for the point guard position, and uses his considerable strength to finish effectively around the rim once he gets into the paint. Rajon Rondo is far too unique of a player to be deemed comparable to others, but Wroten Jr. is lauded for his court vision, passing ability, and athleticism, and has drawn heavy criticism for a poor jump shot and a questionable shot selection. In that regard he certainly sounds similar to Rondo. Depending on what the Celtics have planned for E'Twaun Moore, they might be willing to take a chance on another point guard prospect, and Wroten Jr. seems to have plenty of potential for a solid NBA career.

Why the Celtics don't want him: Similar to other prospects, Wroten Jr. to Boston could depend largely on the Celtics' outlook for next season. If they enter into more of a rebuilding stage they might try and land a promising prospect like Wroten Jr., but if they can re-sign the right people and make another push for a championship, they might opt for a player at a different position who might have more of a chance of helping them right away. With Rondo being only 26 years young, he'll still play the bulk of the minutes, and if the C's are serious about contending again, there's next to no chance they'll have a rookie serving as a backup point guard. The Celtics would most likely look to Avery Bradley or a veteran free agent (Keyon Dooling?) to fill such a role.