Friday at the Auerbach Center, Joe Mazzulla voiced his respect for Devin Carter. It's not easy to go from being the 13th overall pick to getting released two years later.
"The humility to show up and the openness that he has of where he's been in the league and where he wants to get to and how competitive he is," said Mazzulla.
When the Atlanta Hawks waived him, the former Providence star could have gone to the highest bidder. Maybe a team was willing to offer him a roster spot. At a minimum, choosing that route would have done more to satisfy one's ego.
Instead, he accepted an Exhibit 10 deal with the Boston Celtics. There's a reason for that. Their elite player development program could make this what's best for him in the long term. It still takes humility to choose that arrangement and the risks that come with it.
Devin Carter joins Celtics with a chip on his shoulder
The Sacramento Kings trading their former first-round pick after two years, and the Hawks not keeping him, is a humbling experience. It can also light a fire inside or fuel the flames.
"He's very open about wanting to make it. So I've appreciated just his mindset, his mentality, the chip on the shoulder that he brings to the game," said Mazzulla at Day 4 of training camp in Boston.
That approach should serve Carter well as he battles for his new team's final two-way roster spot.
Devin Carter is the favorite for the Celtics' final two-way deal
It's not just that he arrives with the pedigree of being a recent lottery pick. The 24-year-old guard is a possession maxxer. Despite standing at six-foot-two, he grabbed nearly 2.0 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes in each of his first two NBA seasons.
That captures both his impressive athleticism and the tenacity he plays with. Beyond that, he generates turnovers. Carter swipes steals and takes charges. He doesn't hesitate to give up his body for the latter. He's also quite good at swooping in from the blindside to knock the ball free from someone who's holding it unsuspectingly.
Celtics fans will love his style of play and the energy he brings. Another reason to believe they'll get to watch him suit up for their favorite team beyond the preseason is his upside.
He's already someone who can help Boston win the most important game within the game: The possession battle.
From Derrick White to Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr., and now Dillon Mitchell, this franchise has an impressive track record of helping shooters improve. If they can do the same for Carter, the Celtics could be working with a future rotation player.
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