The Boston Celtics are heading into the 2026 offseason with their own late first-round draft pick intact, and Brad Stevens is poised to work his magic once again in identifying high-upside talent on the cheap. Stevens has a proven track record of unearthing gems late in the first round — just look at the key contributions from Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez this season.
Now, Celtics fans have every reason to be hyped. In his latest mock draft, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor has Boston selecting Morez Johnson Jr. out of Michigan with that late first-rounder.
“Michigan is filled with so much star power that Johnson is the guy who often gets overlooked nationally,” O’Connor wrote. “He’s a 250-pound wrecking ball with surprisingly soft hands and the defensive IQ to guard 1 through 5 in a switch-heavy scheme. And he makes constant plays beyond the box score with bone-crushing screens, full-court sprints and high-IQ rotations that blow up the opponent’s action.”
O’Connor added that Johnson perfectly fits the team-first profile the Celtics have targeted in recent years. The 6’9″, 250-pound (113kg) sophomore has been the connective tissue on one of the best teams in college basketball, proving himself as a high-motor, versatile defender who does all the little things that win championships.
Johnson put up impressive numbers this season for the Wolverines: in 38 games as a starter, he averaged 13.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, while shooting a scorching 65.8% from two-point range (overall FG% around 62.5%) and 36.4% from three on limited attempts. He’s a physical force inside with soft touch and the athleticism to make an impact on both ends.
Johnson Would Face Competition on the Celtics
Landing in Boston won’t come with an easy path to immediate minutes. Joe Mazzulla’s squad already boasts a stacked forward rotation featuring stars like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, along with shooters and wings such as Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr.
That said, the Celtics’ roster isn’t guaranteed to look identical next season. Brad Stevens could orchestrate moves to clear space, especially if younger pieces like Walsh or Harper Jr. are moved. Even if Johnson spends time developing with the Maine Celtics in the G League, Boston has shown a strong track record of turning G League prospects into rotation contributors through patient development.
Celtics Could Trade Sam Hauser
To make room for incoming talent like Johnson, changes may be necessary in the frontcourt. According to Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz, Sam Hauser is the player most likely to be floated in trade talks this summer.
“Assuming the Boston Celtics keep their core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White moving forward, Sam Hauser is the next priciest part of the rotation,” Swartz noted. With his $10.8 million salary next season, Hauser could be used to match salaries in a deal for a star, especially as younger, cheaper forwards like Scheierman, Gonzalez, and Walsh step up.
Hauser remains one of the NBA’s elite shooters, making any potential departure a tough call — unless the Celtics are confident Scheierman (or now Johnson) can help replace that spacing and floor-stretching ability. Drafting another versatile forward would almost certainly force roster adjustments to keep the rotation balanced and cost-controlled.
At the end of the day, if O’Connor’s mock holds up and the Celtics land Morez Johnson, they’ll be adding a 113kg defensive monster and high-IQ connector on a rookie-scale deal. Pair that with the potential sacrifice of moving Hauser, and Boston’s frontcourt could get even deeper, tougher, and more switchable.
The East has been warned — the Celtics aren’t just reloading, they’re stealing undervalued beasts and building for another title run.