The Boston Celtics have reportedly signed Devin Carter to their final two-way contract (Amari Williams and Dillon Mitchell took up the other two), according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
This is a great move for Boston. Carter only appeared in one game for the Celtics in preseason, but he looked incredible. He showed improvement as a three-point shooter (he went 1-for-3, but he looked confident taking the shot each time, which is half the battle for someone who is known as a bad three-point shooter). And his defense and ability to get to the basket make him incredibly intriguing for Boston.
The Celtics also need backcourt depth (especially if they start Payton Pritchard; I love the Mike Conley signing, but if he's playing real minutes for the team this season, then they're going to be in trouble), and keeping someone like Carter (who is just 24 years old and was a lottery pick two years ago) could pay great dividends for them in the short and long term.
The Celtics were right to give Devin Carter the final two-way spot
Boston had a lot of other options to choose from (Milos Uzan, Hayden Gray, Tucker DeVries), but Carter was the right pick for its final two-way roster spot.
And why is that? Because I think Carter can play real minutes for the Celtics right now. It wouldn't surprise me if he ends up following the Neemias Queta and Ron Harper Jr. path of starting off on a two-way contract, then becoming an actual contributor, and then signing a standard contract.
Carter isn't necessarily going to be a game-changer. He's not someone the Celtics are going to play in crunch time (at least I hope not), but he provides a lot of value. He plays his heart out defensively. He is incredibly athletic. He is great at getting to the basket. And if he can become at least a serviceable three-point shooter (which we have reason to think actually could happen), then he's going to help Boston compete in so many ways.
Devin Carter can help the Celtics compete this season
I don't think the Florida native is in the same spot as Williams or Mitchell; the other two players Boston has on two-way contracts. Carter is (obviously) way more polished and NBA-ready, and there's a bigger need for him to contribute to the Celtics this season.
He'll likely get some time in the G League to work on his shot, but it shouldn't surprise anybody if he ends the season firmly on Boston's NBA roster (maybe even in the rotation).
Carter is a legitimately talented player, and I know he didn't work out with the Kings (that probably says more about Sacramento than him, to be fair), but I don't expect that to be the same with the Celtics. It's a small sample size, but I've liked what I've seen out of him so far. Boston made the right call keeping him around, and he should prove the team right sooner rather than later.
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