The Celtics got some further housekeeping done last week, though it was mostly at the margins of the roster. They waived two-way forward Miles Norris, who they signed last season, while inking rookie big man Amari Williams to a two-way contract.
So while it’s the quiet part of the offseason in August, the Celtics have been relatively active in the past couple weeks in tweaking their roster. The big day was when they traded Georges Niang and a pair of second-round picks to the Jazz, getting two-way wing RJ Luis Jr. in return. Then they signed Chris Boucher to a one-year contract.
Here’s a look at the Celtics roster as currently constructed in mid-August:
Guards (3): Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons
Forwards (7): Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh (non-guaranteed), Josh Minott, Hugo Gonzalez, Jayson Tatum (injured)
Bigs (4): Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman, Luka Garza
Two-ways (3): RJ Luis Jr., Max Shulga, Amari Williams
There are plenty of new names up and down this roster, which is a stark contrast compared to last season. Expectations are also muted for the Celtics going into next season as there won’t be sky-high title expectations. With Tatum sidelined for months due to his Achilles injury, the Celtics won’t be expected to make much noise.
The guard situation is a fun offseason debate for now as Celtics fans wonder who will start between Pritchard and Simons. Pritchard is coming off a breakout season as Sixth Man of the Year while Simons has been a consistent starter for the Blazers. At this point, nothing is guaranteed ahead of training camp when it comes to roles.
On the wings front, someone will need to step up behind Brown and Hauser. That should be an interesting mix between Scheierman, Walsh, Minott and Gonzalez. Each guy has something to prove relatively early in their NBA career. There will be an opportunity for a rotation role, it just depends on who emerges from there.
The bigs got a depth boost with Boucher, who’s won two NBA titles in his career with the Warriors and Raptors. Queta figures to be part of the mix while Garza will also have a shot at minutes. It remains to be seen how Tillman looks as his knee slowed him down considerably last season, as well. The Celtics will take a step back here compared to last season, but adding Boucher as depth helped solidify the group.
Interestingly, the Celtics will have three new names when it comes to their two-way slots. They had some carryover the past few seasons, including familiar names like JD Davison or Drew Peterson. But this year, the Celtics have three rookies who are on two-way deals. Even though they’re rookies, all three guys are on the older end. Shulga and Williams are 23 while Luis turns 23 later this year.
Of course, the front office could continue shedding salary in the coming weeks. Simons has been in trade rumors ever since he was acquired by the Celtics from the Blazers. The C’s have slimmed payroll significantly, which means less basketball penalties. For now, the roster looks a bit more cohesive after the past few weeks.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.