The Boston Celtics are bringing back 11 of the 12 players who averaged the most minutes per game on the team from the 2023-24 championship season.
The only player in that group not under contract for the 2024-25 campaign is Oshae Brissett, but the door hasn’t totally closed on a potential return for the free agent forward.
“The Celtics have one remaining roster spot after re-signing Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman this week. The team has interest in bringing back wing Oshae Brissett, who declined his player option last week,” The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach wrote in a story published Thursday.
“But as of Wednesday evening Brissett was still seeking an opportunity with a team that can offer more playing time. Brissett is skipping Olympic training camp with the Canadian national team to focus on his free agency.”
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Brissett ranked 12th on the team last season with 11.5 minutes played per game. He appeared in 55 regular season games and averaged 3.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists per contest. He averaged 5.5 minutes per game during the 2024 playoffs and appeared in 10 of Boston’s 19 games.
If Brissett is determined to get more playing time, it might not happen with the Celtics. They are bringing back the league’s deepest and most talented roster. They also added 2024 first-round pick Baylor Sheierman — a strong all-around player and a very good 3-point shooter at Creighton — to the mix. There probably aren’t many extra minutes to go around, but you never know how injuries might impact the rotation.
Brissett made his NBA debut with the Toronto Raptors in the 2019-20 season. He played for the Indiana Pacers from 2020-21 through 2022-23.