Boston Celtics: 2 potential Summer League Cs signings that can fill out roster

With the NBA’s free agency period in full swing, all 30 teams are now plotting how they’ll handle the next wave of signings after an initial burst of pacts signed first thing post-midnight July 1st. The Boston Celtics made use of their lone avenue of adding an impact-free agent, the taxpayer’s mid-level exception, to reel in the rooster (Danilo Gallinari) and then turned around later on during the first day of free agency and traded for Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon using Daniel Theis, Aaron Nesmith, and a 2023 top-12 protected first-round pick.

To say it’s been a successful offseason would be an understatement. Boston now has the best odds to win the 2022-23 NBA Championship after coming within two games of Banner 18 in June but falling short against the reborn Golden State Warriors dynasty. Titles are won with the top guys on the depth chart, but having a deep roster, as the Warriors did, is what separates the very best teams and those whose ceiling is the postseason’s second round.

Brogdon and Gallinari essentially replaced Nesmith and Theis as the eighth and ninth guys off the bench (Grant Williams and Derrick White still have preference per their postseason contributions), but it could be a while before another signing follows as the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving sagas drag out in Brooklyn.

NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg has a pair of potential Boston Celtics signings in mind, mentioning the names of 2021 second-rounder Juhann Begarin and the 2022 NBA Draft’s No. 53 pick JD Davison, citing current luxury tax concerns following the addition of Brogdon’s $22.6 million contract as his reasoning for pursuing fringe additions unlikely to crack the rotation off the bat:

"“With tax concerns in mind, the Celtics should be motivated to give one of their final roster spots to a player with zero years of league service. Maybe that’s bringing Juhann Begarin stateside (Yam Madar would work, too, but it feels like there’s too much point guard depth to waste years of service). Alternatively, the Celtics could sign 2022 second-round pick J.D. Davison, who might otherwise land a two-way deal or ponder a stash overseas.”"

Juhann Begarin and JD Davison must prove they are ready in the Summer League to make the Boston Celtics in 2022-23

Before any guaranteed money would be handed to the Celtics’ last few second-round draft picks–while we’re at it, you can lump Yam Madar in this group despite his Las Vegas Summer League absence this July–they must prove they can contribute within Boston’s offensive system.

Ime Udoka won’t be with the team in Vegas, but assistant coach Ben Sullivan will be running his system. Both Begarin and Davison must prove that they’re not too raw and need time with the Maine Celtics. Carsen Edwards earned a multi-year deal with strong Summer League play three years ago, so it’s not an unreachable goal. At the very least, the goal for the pair should be to push Udoka and co. into giving them minutes in the preseason.