For all intents and purposes, the Celtics’ third and final two-way contract is the final piece of major business for the team to figure out before the season starts. Amari Williams and Dillon Mitchell locked up two of the spots, and for the last month or so, it has appeared as if that job will come down to Milos Uzan or Tucker DeVries, a couple of undrafted rookies who played with the team at Summer League and earned Exhibit-10 contracts.
But that battle took a major turn on Monday as Boston officially signed former lottery pick Devin Carter to a training camp deal where he’ll compete for a two-way or a roster spot - either in Boston or elsewhere.
Carter has been a major disappointment since entering the league, never really getting off the ground in Sacramento before being traded to Atlanta and then waived by the Hawks last week. But he was a defensive pest and an elite scorer in college, winning Big East Player of the Year at Providence in 2024. The talent is clearly there, and he has a great pedigree as the son of former NBA journeyman Anthony Carter.
Celtics betting on developmental history
The Celtics are betting on their recent success in developing players and, perhaps, betting against the Kings (which has been a successful endeavor recently). It’s also a great positional fit, as the Cs are lacking a reliable guard on the NBA roster behind Payton Pritchard and Derrick White.
Mike Conley was brought in, but his best days are long behind him, and it’s unclear how much he can contribute on the court. That was a big reason why it seemed like Uzan had the upper hand for the last two-way spot, but if Carter, a recent lottery talent, is able to find his footing in Boston, that spot could go to him instead.
Carter offers the highest upside by far
It also makes sense because Uzan and DeVries were out there for anyone to sign and made it through the offseason without attracting much attention. A team could certainly try to pry them away, but there’s also a good chance that the Celtics can just sign them to the G League team in Maine, where they can keep developing.
That seems far less likely for Carter, so the Celtics may be wise to make sure he sticks around and at least see what he can do with a fresh start back in New England, where he rose to fame in the first place. If it doesn’t work out, so be it. This is about as low-risk a flier as they could take, but the upside here is massive.
We’ve seen the Celtics poach players from around the league, bring them in on two-ways, and turn them into meaningful rotation players. Just look at Neemias Queta, Ron Harper Jr., Sam Hauser, and others for proof of that. Carter has more talent and pedigree than any of those players, and if Boston is able to unlock some of his potential, this could go down as the latest steal for Brad Stevens and his front office.
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