Celtics Re-Sign Another Key Contributor for Next Season
By Ryan Bunton
Brad Stevens has continued his mission to run it back with the 2023-24 NBA championship team. Only a day after extending Derrick White and handing out the largest contract in NBA history to superstar Jayson Tatum, Stevens was back at it again on Tuesday.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Xavier Tillman and the Celtics have agreed on terms to keep the 25-year-old back in Boston. Terms of the contract were not immediately available.
Woj: Xavier Tillman to sign a 2-year deal with the Celtics.
— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) July 2, 2024
Tillman was acquired by Boston from the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 7 in exchange for Lamar Stevens and a pair of second-round picks. Tillman was the 35th overall pick by Memphis in 2020 out of Michigan State. He appeared in 20 games with the C's once arriving in Boston, where he averaged 4 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. Tillman played eight games for the Celtics during their march to the franchise's 18th title.
With the signing of Tillman, the Celtics now have their top 11 players by minutes per game from last season locked up for the 2024-25 campaign.
Boston clearly feels incredibly comfortable with maintaining their roster heading into next season, as there has been little turnover and no expectations of any major additions or departures. The only real offseason loss is that of assistant coach Charles Lee, who left Joe Mazzulla's staff to become head coach of the Charlotte Hornets.
One reason for maintaining the status quo? Per Michael Pina of The Ringer, the Celtics have built a healthy locker room culture, one that the front office has zero intention of tinkering with.
One thing I’ve heard and been told repeatedly about last year’s Celtics is that their locker room was the most supportive and placid anyone involved had ever been a part of.
— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) July 2, 2024
Keeping it together clearly matters to that front office and coaching staff
Players themselves have indicated this by their desire to re-sign in Boston. With a championship-caliber roster that exists within a cohesive environment, there is no reason for Brad Stevens to mess with that. On July 2, Stevens has nearly checked all of the boxes on his offseason to-do list. Now, if we could just play some basketball and chase another title.
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