According to Chris Haynes of Prime and NBA TV, the Boston Celtics have signed Jordan Walsh to a three-year, $16 million extension.
Boston had recently fully guaranteed Walsh's contract for the 2026-27 season (which came as a bit of a surprise to me), so it's clear that they have high hopes for him, his development, and what he can provide as soon as next season.
With Jaylen Brown no longer in the mix (and Paul George pretty much guaranteed to miss at least 30 games next season at this point in his career), the Celtics will rely more on their young wings to take that next step. And even if the jury may be out on him a little bit (nobody is doubting his defensive talents, but his offensive game is still super limited), it seems like Walsh may be a big part of the team's plans next season.
Jordan Walsh needs to make a leap for the Celtics next season
I said it before, and I'll say it again: I like Walsh. He plays hard, is already an elite defender, and has improved his three-point game drastically (he came into the league as a non-shooter, shot 26.6% from deep across his first two seasons, and is fresh off a 38.45% 3 FG campaign). But he still has a ton of room to grow.
The 22-year-old isn't much of a shot-creator, is a poor playmaker even for his position, and while his three-point shooting has improved, he's still very inconsistent. These might all work themselves out over time, but it also doesn't help that Walsh is practically buried on Boston's depth chart.
It's tough to imagine him getting consistent playing time with guys like Jayson Tatum, PG13, Sam Hauser, Hugo Gonzalez, and Baylor Scheierman all ahead of him. All of them (maybe with the exception of Gonzalez, who still has more potential than the Texas native) are better suited to contribute to winning basketball next season and help the Celtics surprise some people.
All things considered, this is a low-risk, high-reward signing for Boston. A $5.3 million AAV for someone like Walsh might end up being a steal, especially since it's clear that the Celtics like him and want to continue developing him.
As it stands, though, Walsh has a lot going against him for next season. But if he can level up his game and become a more reliable offensive player, then this move is going to look like another brilliant one from Brad Stevens (is it still too soon to say that?) down the line.
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