The Boston Celtics decided not to sign Greg Monroe for the rest of the season and he is now on an East rival. What does that mean for the Celtics’ open roster spot?
After trading Jabari Bird at the trade deadline, the Boston Celtics opened a roster spot for the remainder of this season that they temporarily filled with Greg Monroe. Monroe signed a 10-day contract and appeared in less than five minutes of game action for the Celtics.
At the end of the first 10-day contract, the Celtics let Monroe walk, and he has now signed another 10-day deal with the Sixers. The last roster spot is open again, and the Celtics are still expected to fill it before the regular season ends.
It sounds like the Boston Celtics will fill their open roster spot before the deadline (last day of regular season - Wednesday 4/10). But the team realizes this is a "break glass in case of emergency" situation at this point vs a real contributor. That lessens the rush to fill.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 3, 2019
Our own Adam Kemp broke down a few big-man options to bring in after Aron Baynes injured his ankle, and the name that sticks out at this point is Thomas Robinson. The Maine Red Claws brought him on around the same time the Celtics signed Monroe, which was about the time where Baynes, Al Horford and Robert Williams were dealing with injuries.
In four games with the Red Claws, Robinson is averaging 19 points and 13.5 rebounds on 61.2 percent shooting. It seems to me the Celtics signed a familiar face in Monroe to soften the loss of Baynes and Williams, but when Baynes returned earlier than expected, Monroe’s role wasn’t necessary anymore. Robinson presents athleticism on the boards and defensive depth for the playoffs, but the Celtics might have just needed an extended look at him in the G-League.
Robinson won’t play a large role in a playoff run, nor would any addition this late in the season, but given the health issues all the Celtics’ bigs have experienced this year, it’s worth having a versatile player like Robinson on the bench just in case.