With an offseason overhaul that many fans expected, the 2025 Celtics were going to have a new look to their roster. There were rumors galore heading into the draft and free agency and when the dust settled, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet left Boston. Anfernee Simons, Georges Niang, Luka Garza and Hugo Gonzalez joined the Celtics and there are still hopes to bring back Al Horford or sign Damian Lillard.
The biggest shakeup to the roster is certainly in the front court. Coming out of the draft the Celtics rostered Neemias Queta, Xavier Tillman and Amari Williams. To say this was a downgrade would be an understatement. Even with the addition of Luka Garza, the front court needs some help.
That help may be coming from an unexpected place, though. The free agent market for centers is bleak. Every available center has averaged under 10 points and 9 rebounds. The Celtics' best hope is for someone like Garza to come along and be able to post respectable numbers with more playing time. The Celtics may have found that option on their Summer League roster and many seem to agree with that sentiment.
Celtics Need to Sign Charles Bassey to the Regular Season Roster
In a last-minute addition to the Summer League roster, Bassey has posted a double-double in the Celtics' two Summer League games. Bassey hasn't seen a ton of time on an NBA court, considering he backed up players like Joel Embiid and Victor Wembanyama, that is somewhat expected. However, when on the court, he was a defensive stopper, averaging a little less than 1 block per game in 10 minutes of playing time.
Similar to Garza, the Celtics can look at "Per 36" averages to see what a full-time role for either player may bring. Garza shows better offensive statistics, but Bassey shows greater defensive and rebounding prowess. As last year's team struggled on the boards, it would be ideal if they found a center that primarily focused on that.
As Brad Stevens is adamant about maintain roster flexibility, a Bassey contract would likely be relatively cheap and be a one or two year deal. The Celtics are still slightly over the second apron so there is likely an additional move coming this offseason. Unless that trade brings back a legitimate starting center, the Celtics will likely be operating with a platoon at the position.
Based on what they currently need on the roster, taking a shot with a player the Celtics have familiarized themselves with would be a great start. Massey has earned the trust of Celtics assistant coach and Summer League head coach, Matt Reynolds, in a short amount of time. That should transition to a spot on the bench for Bassey come the fall.