As the Boston Celtics work to finish this league year under the luxury tax, when the 10-day deals they signed John Tonje and Dalano Banton to expire, expect them to go another 14 days with only 12 players on their roster.
Then, on Mar. 14, presumably, they will convert Max Shulga from a two-way contract to a 10-day deal. They will also need to fill one more vacancy. For accounting purposes, it would make the most sense to wait to sign Ron Harper Jr. to a standard contract until the end of the season. Not only will that make him playoff eligible, but it will probably be a multi-year agreement that positions him to remain with the franchise beyond the current campaign.
So, who else might Boston add on Mar. 14? Bringing Banton back would make sense. However, if they want a veteran on the buyout market with more pedigree, one option is to sign Lonzo Ball. However, that would come with a concern that one cannot overlook.
Should the Celtics sign Lonzo Ball?
The seventh-year guard would be a tremendous fit in Boston's system at both ends of the floor. He's a talented and versatile defender, a high-IQ player, and he'd provide them with another ball handler. That's a sneaky area behind Derrick White and Payton Pritchard that's worth addressing.
Statistically, Ball isn't the same shooter he was earlier in his career. He only converted on 27.2 percent of his 4.2 three-point attempts in 35 contests with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season. However, he knocked down 34.4 percent of the 5.6 threes he hoisted in the 2024-25 campaign while still a member of the Chicago Bulls.
What type of production Boston would get on that front is a mystery, but he's at least a capable threat from beyond the arc, and he would not hesitate to let it fly.
However, what's more concerning than the possibility of him struggling from three-point range or questions surrounding his durability is how he would respond to his role with the Celtics.
Is Ball open to spending most matchups parked on the bench?
If the team is healthy, its current contributors, like Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and Ron Harper Jr., are more worthy of minutes than the former second overall pick.
If Ball isn't playing, how would he handle that reality? Perhaps, he does enough with his opportunities to help his value in free agency this summer. However, the idea of him signing with Boston, after not having played in over a month, receiving minimal game reps, and still capitalizing when he gets his chances would be incredibly challenging.
Some of his new teammates might not love the added competition for their minutes, but one, that probably would not stand in the way, and secondly, trust that they would handle it maturely.
The question is how Ball would respond. For a franchise that rightfully places a premium on its culture, that risk might outweigh the potential reward of bringing him into the fold. However, if he's willing to insert himself into a situation like that, then it's a signing that makes sense. If it doesn't work out, they can part ways and move on.