Dillon Mitchell should have edge over Amari Williams in earning new Celtics' deal

Will the Celtics convert someone from a two-way deal to a standard contract this season? Boston's track record suggests that it's likely.

The franchise did so with Neemias Queta late in the 2023-24 championship campaign. A year later, it was JD Davison. Last season, it was Ron Harper Jr., Max Shulga, and Amari Williams.

If it happens again, Dillon Mitchell has the edge. The reasons for that are both a credit to him and an inescapable reality for Williams.

Dillon Mitchell has the edge for Celtics' last roster spot

If Boston fills its final vacancy at any point this season, Mitchell should be viewed as the betting favorite.

The former St. John's captain has the size, athletic ability, and instincts to be an elite perimeter defender, just as he was in college.

Offensively, those traits can help him carve out a role as a savvy cutter who can create points at the rim and generate extra possessions. Mitchell grew significantly as a facilitator in his last collegiate campaign; maybe that could translate to making an impact as a screener and short roller.

More importantly, he's already addressing the biggest concern about his game. The Celtics' coaching staff has emphasized releasing the ball on the way up. The benefits of that adjustment were displayed at Summer League.

The franchise's second-round pick has future rotation potential in Boston. As a result, it wouldn't be surprising if his first taste of a full-time roster spot comes this year.

Also, the franchise is in a position to reset the repeater tax. That hurts the chances of an external roster addition, increasing the odds that his two-way contract will be converted.

Celtics' center depth stands in Amari Williams' way

The roster already has three centers. Plus this year's first-round pick, Chris Cenac Jr., who can play the four and the five.

Outside of Cenac, it's not a group well-suited to share the floor. That includes pairing Williams with one of Boston's current options to patrol the pivot who's on a standard contract.

Granted, the Celtics put Kristaps Porzingis with Luke Kornet at times in the 2024-25 campaign and got a productive partnership out of it. However, barring an injury to someone ahead of him on the depth chart, this seems like a significant impediment to the former Kentucky standout getting a full-time roster spot.

The reality about two-way deals getting converted

Getting a full-time roster spot is a significant achievement. However, one must be aware that this could happen for any number of reasons.

Sometimes, a player has his two-way deal converted as a token of appreciation for his growth during his time with an organization. And one doesn't have to look far for an example of someone getting a standard contract but ending up back on a two-way deal with the same team when the offseason arrived. That just happened to Williams.

There are also instances when an individual gets this promotion from a franchise that moves on from this person over the summer. But on merit alone, Mitchell has plenty.

Boston's abundance of wings didn't stop Ron Harper Jr. from having his contract converted, then signing a three-year, $9 million deal this summer. If Mitchell turns his promise into production, the belief here is that he'll be on the Celtics' roster full-time at some point in his rookie season.

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