The Boston Celtics have waived RJ Luis Jr., per Noa Dalzell of Celtics Blog. The former UMass Amherst and St. John's star needs surgery that will keep him out for an extended period. That development forced the organization's hand.
The Celtics acquired Luis in an offseason trade with the Utah Jazz. The primary motivation of the move was to shed Georges Niang's salary. To entice the latter team to do so, Boston sent over a second-round pick.
After going undrafted, the six-foot-seven wing joined the Jazz on a two-way deal. He remained on that agreement after joining the Celtics. However, Ron Harper Jr. prevailed in the battle for the franchise's final two-way roster spot.
The intention was to continue working with Luis, via their G League affiliate in Maine. Perhaps that will happen once he gets healthy.
What RJ Luis Jr. brings to the table
The Miami, Florida native, made history as the NBA's first Ecuadorian player. That earned him an honor from the Ecuadorian president, Daniel Noboa, this offseason.
On the court, his play netted him Big East Player of the Year and Second-Team All-American accolades in his final collegiate campaign. Luis led the Red Storm in scoring, averaging 18.2 points per game.
What professional teams might be more intrigued by is his defensive potential. He utilized his six-foot-10.5-inch wingspan to swipe 1.4 steals per game last season. He had over one theft per contest in each of his three years in college.
Luis's size, length, and athleticism are tools that could turn him into a disruptive and dynamic on and off-ball defender at the next level. If his shot comes around, he has a real path to the NBA.
While he is effective at attacking downhill, with the ability to finish above the rim, Luis was a career 31.4 percent three-point shooter during his NCAA career. He attempted 3.9 shots from behind the arc and made them at a 33.6 percent conversion rate in his last year playing under Rick Pitino at St. John's.
The Maine Celtics, led by first-year head coach Phil Pressey, have a talented roster. That includes players with NBA experience in Wendell Moore Jr., Kendall Brown, and Jalen Bridges.
There is also the trio of individuals on two-way deals who figure to spend most of their time with Boston's G League affiliate. Like the group mentioned above, Ron Harper Jr. is fighting to get back to the NBA. The team also features the Celtics' second-round picks in this year's draft, Amari Williams and Max Shulga.
Perhaps Luis will join that mix and try to help the program capture its first G League championship in franchise history.