According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Maine Celtics have claimed Keon Johnson off waivers, bringing him into the Boston Celtics’ organization. The Brooklyn Nets waived Johnson on September 17 after he spent last season with the club as a major part of their rotation.
Johnson will now join a red-hot Maine squad that has won five games in a row after losing their first three to begin the year. His presence alongside Max Shulga and Ron Harper Jr., who has been utterly dominant in the G League, should create a very strong backcourt as Maine looks to make its third straight Eastern Conference finals birth.
It seems unlikely that Johnson earns a call-up to Boston at any point, but anything could happen.
Keon Johnson has joined the Maine Celtics
Since Johnson has already played in four NBA seasons, he would be ineligible to sign with the Celtics on a two-way contract, so that is out of the question regardless of how he looks in Maine.
Still, he should be a decent addition to the Celtics’ G League team. He’s a great athlete and has plenty of experience under his belt, so he should be able to help the youngsters up in Portland.
Last season, Johnson appeared in 79 games for the Nets, starting 56 of them. He averaged 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 steals while shooting 38.9% from the field and 31.4% from deep on 5.1 three-point attempts per contest.
Keon Johnson has been claimed by the Boston Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, sources told @hoopshype. Johnson is now fully healthy. He averaged 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 79 games, including 56 starts, for the Brooklyn Nets last season pic.twitter.com/XzwyVmvoh6
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) November 30, 2025
Johnson began his career with the LA Clippers but was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers midway through his rookie season in the deal that brought Norman Powell to LA.
However, Johnson was also traded twice before he even played an NBA game. First, he was part of the New York Knicks-Dallas Mavericks trade for Kristaps Porzingis, and then, the Knicks traded him to the Clippers for Quentin Grimes.
Eventually, the Blazers sent him to the Phoenix Suns in the massive blockbuster deal that saw Damian Lillard join the Milwaukee Bucks, and after the Suns waived him, he was scooped up by the Nets.
Now, Johnson will likely be fighting for his NBA life in Maine. He’s been on team after team, and almost all of them have traded him.
Even the Nets, who are tanking right now and are one of the worst teams in the league, waived him before the start of the season.
Maine could be his last opportunity to find a home in the NBA ecosystem.