With the regular season coming to a close, the Boston Celtics are putting the final touches on their roster. Yesterday, they signed Ron Harper Jr. to a standard two-year contract (a move that felt inevitable), but still have one roster spot left over.
At first, it felt as though that spot would go to Charles Bassey, a former standout for the Celtics Summer League team who had looked impressive since Boston took another flyer on him. But, Bassey instead will join Celtics alumni Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis in Golden State.
Right off the bat, we must acknowledge that Boston technically doesn't have to add anyone else to the roster, as 14 players on a roster meet the NBA's standard, but you can never have too much depth. In the Celtics' case, it would be a smart idea not only to add another body but also to bring in someone familiar with the team.
That's why it would make all the sense in the world for the Celtics to bring back someone like Dalano Banton. Spotrac's Keith Smith brought up his name when discussing the Celtics' last roster spot.
Some Celtics math to end the season under the tax:
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 5, 2026
🏀Signing a veteran minimum can happen on Saturday, April 11 (two days of prorated salary)
John Tonje has been with the team for a bit now. The only other available player who has played for Boston this year is Dalano Banton.…
Banton's appeal stems from his familarity
At this stage of the season, it's not like the Celtics have the pick of the litter to choose from when it comes to current free agents. They could go after a microwave scorer like Cam Thomas, but after he just flamed out on two of the NBA's worst teams? Maybe next season.
Besides that, there simply aren't many quality players to choose from. It's not like Banton is any better than the rest (if he was, he wouldn't be a free agent right now), but he has familiarity with Mazzulla and the Celtics both from his half-season with the team during Banner 18 and his brief time with the team earlier this season.
Bringing in someone who has no familarity with the team doesn't make much sense. Boston knows this as they've brought back people like Bassey in part because he knew how they operated beforehand. If they really want to fill in that last spot, Banton's the ideal candidate because he knows how they play, hence wouldn't take time to integrate.
It would fit Brad Stevens' MO
It's been a while since Stevens did this, but he has shown a tendency to bring back players who already had experience with the Celtics. Players like Al Horford, Daniel Theis, and Enes Freedom come to mind. It's easy to forget that back in 2023, he made an effort to bring Josh Richardson back too.
Some returns have worked out better than others, but Stevens has a fondness for bringing back guys who have helped out Boston before. No, Banton doesn't fit that category, but after the Celtics traded him in 2024, he put up some solid numbers in Portland, even if the league clearly saw them as empty calories.
It's the 15th spot, so it's not like a move like this would be the difference between a title and going home in the first round. However, if the Celtics are serious about filling in that last roster spot, it's hard to see why Banton wouldn't fill the part better than anyone else.