The Boston Celtics are looking to stay near the top of the Eastern Conference standings through the second half of the season, which means they will need all hands on deck. They recently added a familiar face for depth, as Dalano Banton will be back with the team, according to Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.
“The Boston Celtics plan to sign Dalano Banton to a 10-day deal, sources told Hoopshype. Banton just completed a 10-day deal with the Clippers. The 26-year-old guard has averaged 6.7 points in 14.5 minutes in five seasons combined with the Raptors, Celtics, Blazers, and Clippers,” Scotto wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Banton played with the Celtics during the 2023-24 season, and only appeared in 24 games where he averaged 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds in seven minutes.
Since Banton already knows the Celtics' system, it shouldn't be hard for him to adjust, and the hope is that he gets signed for the remainder of the season. The one that has helped the Celtics this season is their depth, and it's a reason why they've played so well.
Many didn't expect the Celtics to be this good, especially with most of the moves they made in the offseason, plus Jayson Tatum not playing because of his Achilles injury. Nonetheless, Jaylen Brown has stepped up in a major way, and it's almost as if they haven't missed a bit.
Now, everyone is waiting to see if Tatum will return sometime during the season, and before the All-Star break, he practiced with the G League affiliate, Maine Celtics. After that practice, he noted that it didn't mean he would be returning, but just a step in the right direction for his rehab.
“Still trying to figure it out. Still just going through the progressions of rehab,” Tatum said. “Not saying that I’m coming back or not. It’s all about being healthy and going through the plan.”
