According to Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog, Summer League standout Charles Bassey does not plan on playing overseas next season (and the Boston Celtics are of interest to him). Bassey played in three Summer League games with the Celtics in Vegas and was one of the best players on the court.
“Celtics Summer League standout center Charles Bassey is not planning on playing overseas next season, sources told CelticsBlog,” Dalzell wrote. “Multiple outlets previously reported that he was seriously considering signing with the Serbian club Partizan Belgrade, but he currently plans to play in the NBA next season. Bassey would especially love to sign with the Celtics if the opportunity presented itself, sources said. How realistic that might be remains to be seen.”
Basse could be an intriguing addition to the Celtics’ center core.
How could Charles Bassey help the Celtics?
As it stands, the Celtics’ center position is in a state of disarray. They lost Luke Kornet to the San Antonio Spurs in free agency, they traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks in a salary dump, and Al Horford is projected to sign with the Golden State Warriors.
Now, the only centers they have on the roster are Neemias Queta, Luka Garza (who they signed in free agency), Xavier Tillman (who is more of a forward), and rookie Amari Williams.
Adding Bassey to the mix would give Joe Mazzulla another option to go to on a game-to-game basis. That said, he has yet to prove himself at the NBA level just yet.
Though he has four years of experience in the big leagues, the most games he’s played in a single season is 36, which was last year with the San Antonio Spurs. Part of that has been his place in the depth chat, but he’s also dealt with a fair share of injuries throughout his young career.
Boston is in a weird place right now. With Jayson Tatum sidelined and their roster gutted, they likely won’t have the manpower to compete for a championship. However, tanking with Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard in tow would be a tall task.
At just 24 years old, Bassey would be a nice mix of potential talent and win-now help to bolster the Celtics’ center position. That said, they already have 14 guys on the roster and very little financial flexibility below the second apron, so the interest may not be mutual.
Bassey plans to be in the NBA next season, and he likes the Celtics. The question is, do the Celtics want him?