LAS VEGAS — The Celtics added an experienced big man to their Summer League roster with former Spurs center Charles Bassey joining the squad. Bassey was not originally listed on the team’s roster released earlier this week but joined the team in Las Vegas at practice Thursday before making his Summer League debut off the bench Friday against the Grizzlies.
Bassey, 24, was drafted in the second round in 2021 by the 76ers and has spent his last three seasons with the Spurs. He averaged 4.4 points and 4.2 rebounds last season over 36 games in San Antonio including one start.
The Spurs have appeared to move on from Bassey after adding former Celtics bigs Kelly Olynyk and Luke Kornet to bolster their bench. The Celtics big man situation remains a work in progress after the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and likely Al Horford.
Boston’s current depth chart at center consists of Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and Xavier Tillman along with two-way center Amari Williams. Boston currently has 15 players under contract but could look to tweak the roster.
“I think we had an incredible luxury with Luke and Neemie as our third and fourth centers, because I think they were both much better than that,” Stevens said of Boston’s big man situation last year. “I think Luke will have an amazing impact in San Antonio, and I think Neemie has a great chance to be impactful here.
“We’ve always liked Luka Garza from afar, and we think that he has the real physicality that’s necessary on both ends of the floor, especially on the glass, in addition to his ability to score. And then you got Amari, who’s down there now, and we think that he has a high upside. And then you can flex other guys into that center role. You know, Tillman is more of a four, probably, but he can flex into that center role. And so we’ll have to do that by committee. That group will not be the group that people will single out based on paper, on what they’ve done with their careers thus far, as our strongest position. But it’s up to them to prove it otherwise.”
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