The Boston Celtics have been active this offseason, and they recently checked off the biggest item on their to-do list by signing All-Star Jaylen Brown to a massive contract extension. However, that doesn't mean Boston is finished making moves just yet.
In order to avoid paying $50,000 as part of a partially-guaranteed contract, the Celtics waived forward Justin Champagnie on Tuesday afternoon, per NBA insider Shams Charania. The undrafted 22-year-old wasn't on the C's long, and even though he had a decent summer league outing, it wasn't enough to earn himself a roster spot.
Just prior to the 2023 postseason, Boston brought Champagnie aboard. The former University of Pittsburgh standout only played six games in Boston, with no real meaningful minutes to account for. Additionally, during his three-year career, he's averaged just 7.7 minutes per game. For their youth movement, the C's instead seem to be focusing on point guard J.D. Davison and rookie Jordan Walsh.
With Champagnie now out of the picture, the Celtics currently hold two open roster spots. NBA veteran Blake Griffin could be a prime candidate to return via one of those vacant spots, as the six-time All-Star is an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Despite little talk of an extension for Griffin, a reunion with the Celtics makes plenty of sense.
The C's also lost Grant Williams and Marcus Smart this summer, two key pieces in their defense. If they let Griffin walk, they'll lose another vocal leader and positive locker room presence, which isn't the best idea for a team with a brand new head coach in Joe Mazzulla. To maintain some of their past defensive identity, a short-term deal for Griffin could be beneficial. Since the 34-year-old is also far from his prime, maybe he'd accept another team-friendly contract to stay in the league.
“You take a charge up 30, 40 (points), whatever it is, that says a lot about you. My favorite play of the game.”
Joe Mazzulla highlighted Blake Griffin drawing a charge in the 4th Q in 44-point Celtics win over Spurs. pic.twitter.com/KZS6fjlNUA
— Gio Rivera (@sportsguygio) March 27, 2023
As for the other roster spot, there aren't many clear contenders. Boston could hold onto the opening in hopes of adding more depth later in the season, yet Brown's historic deal will hinder the front office's financial flexibility. For now, the Celtics should focus on retaining Griffin at a cheap price and then move on to deciding who should round out the rest of their roster in wake of Champagnie being waived.
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