Celtics Roster Finalizing Before Opening Night vs Knicks

The Celtics didn’t feature as lengthy of a tryout process at training camp this season, opting instead to target more established contributors assured in their role. That led to less thrilling fourth quarters, with only subtle swings in rotation minutes on the line between members of a bench that won’t play a massive postseason role on a top-heavy roster. All eyes will focus on Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday during Wednesday’s opening night, with any additional contributions among the newcomers a bonus.

Still, contract guarantees, extension deadlines and roster management at the bottom of the depth chart loomed this week before the Celtics take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. None loomed larger than Derrick White’s extension deadline later tonight at 11:59 EST, after which Boston and White can’t agree to a long-term deal until next summer when the league year ends. White enters the first of a two-year deal with the Celtics making $18.4-million with likely incentives, then $19.6-million next year before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2025. It doesn’t appear a deal will get done barring a last-minute agreement on a day where Cole Anthony, Onyeka Okongwu and Giannis Antetokounmpo inked rookie and veteran extensions.

A lack of urgency two years from free agency always made a White extension a toss-up despite his comfort, importance and focus on staying with the team long-term. He spoke at practice last week preparing fans for no extension, assuring them that it doesn’t reflect his desire to stay with the team.

“I love it here. It’s been great being here, being a Celtic,” White said. “That’ll never change, whether I sign before the season or not. If it happens, great. If not, I’m still excited for the season.”

Boston would take on the risk of tacking on four years to a two-year contract health-wise if they did a deal now, while White can benefit from waiting until free agency or the maximum offer from Boston — four-years and roughly $123 million starting at approximately $27.4-million in 2025-26. That limit remains next summer. White will turn 31 in 2025. Jrue Holiday becomes extension-eligible in April, Boston and Holiday poised to negotiate a significant contract given that he already makes nearly $40-million annually.

Elsewhere, non-guaranteed players Dalano Banton, Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk and Lamar Stevens all appear safe after remaining on the roster after most of the league cut down to 15 standard roster players this weekend. The Knicks surprised the Celtics by waiving F/C Nathan Knight, who joined Boston on a two-way contract that forced the team to waive Jay Scrubb, who tore his ACL earlier this month. Scrubb, visible at the facility this week, plans to rehab around the team and should retain two-way eligibility for the 2024-25 season. Knight spent the last two practices with assistant Jermaine Buckner ramping up as he slowly acclimates to his new team. He scored four points across eight preseason minutes with New York.

Knight, a 26-year-old, 6-8 big man, shined against the Celtics with the Timberwolves in a 2021-22 Minnesota beatdown win over Boston, a game he only vaguely remembered after the disappointment of getting let go by New York. He said he’ll do whatever the Celtics ask to stick around, which’ll mostly involve playing the big man position in Maine, but his flexibility to play the four like Al Horford next to the team’s bench bigs could earn him a call-up in case of emergency. It also signals the team’s changing perspective on fellow two-way big man Neemias Queta, who thrived in the preseason and now projects to spend more time with Boston than Maine.

“It feels great,” Queta told CLNS Media on Friday. “But that means it’s just the beginning of the work. I’m really happy to be around here and I’m really happy that it’s going well for now, but it’s a really, really, really long season and we’ve just gotta stay locked in. We know what we’re fighting for … keep building on these preseason wins.”

If Queta expands on his individual preseason performance, 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game on 86.7% shooting, the Celtics will eventually have to consider transitioning his two-way contract to a standard deal to guarantee both his playoff and long-term availability in Boston. There’s no rush for that either though, as the Celtics incur no cap hit or injury risk by playing him for the allowed 50 games two-way players can spend with their NBA teams. Keeping him on the two-way also retains the roster flexibility that waiving Wenyen Gabriel last week created, as the Celtics plan to enter the season with 14 players and an open standard roster spot as they often do. Knight, Queta and J.D. Davison currently fill the three two-way slots.

Queta will also have to continue contending with Kornet, a favorite in the building who struggled in the preseason adapting to new defensive looks and a new array of second unit players he focuses on setting up. Kornet enters the season earning $1.1-million of his $2.4 million (guaranteed Jan. 10). Banton ($1M out of $2M) and Mykhailiuk ($1.2M of $2.4M) receive similar guarantees on Wednesday, while Stevens’ presence at practice this week would indicate he made the roster after signing a training camp deal last month. Stevens will make just over $2 million on a one-year minimum contract.

The roster cuts around the league didn’t prove as enticing as they could’ve, particularly from teams like the Thunder with packed rosters at the back end. Oklahoma City addressed its logjam by trading Victor Oladipo and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl for Kevin Porter Jr.’s contract, which they waived then moved on from Jack White to reach 15 players.

Robinson-Earl shook loose from Houston, potentially a fit for Boston given its front court depth questions, but other cuts like Taj Gibson, Keon Johnson and Rudy Gay probably won’t make the Celtics jump to fill its final spot yet. Boston can’t sign buyout players later in the season as a second apron team. The flexibility to do one-for-two deals or utilize the team’s Grant Williams trade exception make it worth holding onto that spot anyway.

The team, for now, maintains belief in its center situation and backup wings.

“(Training camp) was really competitive,” Kornet said on Monday. “A lot of competition, figuring things out and getting better playing with new guys. We have some great guys on our team and great guys to compete against.”