The Boston Celtics are 50-19 as we enter the final three weeks of the NBA regular season. With only 13 games left, the Celtics are all but guaranteed to be the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. Even though they are firmly behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics are the overwhelming favorites (-140) to make the NBA Finals, per FanDuel Sportsbook.
As perhaps the deepest and most talented team in the league, the Celtics don't have too many weaknesses. Their starting lineup continues to be one of the best units in the league and when fully healthy, the Al Horford-Payton Pritchard-Sam Hauser-Luke Kornet group is one of the best bench groups in the league.
Yet, the Celtics still have a chance to improve their roster as we approach the playoffs. Boston is among a number of teams that currently have an open roster spot. The Celtics have 14 players under contract and three two-way players: Drew Peterson, Miles Norris, and JD Davison.
While the Celtics can sign a free agent to fill their final roster spot, they are better off converting one of their two-way players to a guaranteed deal. It's hard to imagine any player currently available on the market will come in and contribute more than a player who has been in the system since at least the beginning of the year.
Drew Peterson told me he models his game after Derrick White and Franz Wagner he also discussed the importance of versatility and playing any role the team needs him to: pic.twitter.com/gKwon7Iock
— Eamon Cassels (@EamonCassels) February 14, 2025
The player whose contract should be converted is Drew Peterson. The 25-year-old power forward has been with the Celtics since December 2023 after going undrafted out of USC. He played in 21 games for the Celtics, spending the majority of his time in the G League with Maine.
Peterson's calling card is his shooting. This season, he made over 40% of his threes on a whopping 9.7 attempts per game in the G League. In a small sample size in the NBA, he has made 42.9% of his threes as well. He has proven so far that he is a dangerous shooter with a ton of volume.
At six-foot-nine, his combination of size and shooting is exactly what the Celtics are looking for. He will likely not be used in the playoff rotation outside of an emergency, but his fit in Joe Mazzulla's system is undeniable and worth considering.