The Boston Celtics have nearly returned the entire team that won them a championship during the 2023-24 season. However, it's looking like they could fall one player short of truly running it back, as free agent forward Oshae Brissett hinted at leaving Boston this summer.
Brissett had a chance to reunite with the C's earlier this offseason, but he ultimately declined his player option and entered free agency. The Toronto native played in 55 regular season games for the Celtics and even had some key minutes off the bench in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals versus the Indiana Pacers.
Despite his contributions, Brissett averaged just 11.5 minutes per outing in the regular season and 5.5 minutes during the playoffs. The 26-year-old explained on his YouTube channel, BrissyTV, that he hopes to get more playing time wherever he goes next in his career.
“I wanna play,” he said. “I'm still a free agent now. Talking to some teams. You guys will all see obviously when it happens, where I end up. But, that's full transparency.”
While it seems like Brissett is destined to depart Beantown, he wouldn't completely rule out the idea of coming back.
“I loved every single part about being a Boston Celtic,” he revealed. “And you know, I could go back. The door's not closed fully … There's still a spot on the team. Who knows?”
Yet, the Toronto native clarified that the odds of a return are likely slim.
“If I go back to Boston, like how all the fans and you guys want me to come back, I'm literally going back for the vibes,” Brissett stated. “And I'm not 36, I'm 26. So I can't go nowhere for the vibes. Like I want to play basketball. I have a lot of juice left.”
Brissett's lack of playing time with the Celtics has more to do with his talented Boston teammates than his own ability. The C's boast elite wings like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as well as former All-Stars like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. With names like those, it's no wonder that the Syracuse product started only one game all season.
“I didn't play as much as I wanted to,” he admitted. “But things happened. We had the best team ever assembled. We were literally the ‘Monstars' … We were amazing.”
The Celtics dominated the regular season, going 64-18 overall and earning the best record in the entire league. That supremacy continued in the playoffs when the Green Team posted a stellar 16-3 playoff record en route to an 18th championship.
“That was the best season of my career, and it wasn't because we won,” Brissett told his subscribers. “I grew so much as a player on the court and off the court … Practicing every single day with Hall of Famers, you grow. I'm like a sponge, a basketball sponge. I like to learn things. And that, to me, was the reason why I'd say that was the best year of my career.”
What's next for Oshae Brissett?
In 2019, Brissett went undrafted and then signed with the Toronto Raptors. He split time between the NBA and the G League before getting cut ahead of the 2020-21 season. From there, he spent three seasons with the Pacers and played the best basketball of his career. As a result, the C's scooped him up when he hit free agency in 2023.
Now, Brissett has emphasized a desire for more minutes. That wish probably won't be granted by a star-studded Celtics team, but other contending squads could use his energy on both ends of the floor.
Wherever the NBA champion heads next, he'll bring defensive intensity, skilled rebounding, and great effort, no matter if he's starting or riding the pine.
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