The Boston Celtics arguably went through more changes this offseason than any other team in the NBA. Jayson Tatum's devastating injury had already thrown a wrench into the franchise's future plans, and the offseason moves by the front office essentially meant the end of an era in Boston.
Now, the 2025-26 campaign looks like a transition season as GM Brad Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla will evaluate the team before regrouping for deep postseason runs once Tatum is back.
With that in mind, the Celtics are continuing to add to their roster. NBA insider Michael Scotto reported on Friday that the Celtics are signing Kendall Brown to an Exhibit 10 deal. This means that Brown will compete for a roster spot during training camp.
Celtics Still Looking for Ways to Upgrade Their Roster
The Celtics currently have 14 guaranteed contracts and three two-way deals on their roster. Amari Williams, Max Shulga, and RJ Luis have already reportedly signed two-way deals. If Brown were to win one of these spots in training camp, one of the three players could be bumped up to a standard NBA deal and land the final roster spot.
Opportunity to land a contract in Boston may be Brown's final chance to stick around in the NBA. The 22-year-old swingman was a consensus five-star recruit, ranking as the 11th-best prospect in the country by Rivals as a high-school senior. He eventually committed to Baylor and was a one-and-done before being selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round, only to be traded to the Pacers on draft day.
It has been three years since Brown was drafted, and he has yet to establish himself as an NBA player. He has had opportunities with the Pacers and the Nets, but has only appeared in 21 games in the league, averaging 4.9 minutes in these appearances.
He spent most of last season on the Nets' G League team, averaging 15.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, shooting 54.3% from the field and 37.7% from three.
Brown spent the summer playing for Boston's Summer League team in Las Vegas, and he must have done enough to impress the Celtics' brass. Despite playing 14.9 minutes per game in Vegas, he made the most of his playing time, shooting 69.2% from the field and averaging 8.6 points.
If he doesn't do enough to warrant a closer look, Brown may have to take his talents overseas to establish his pro career before returning to the NBA. This will be a storyline for the Celtics training camp ahead of the start of the 2025-26 regular season.