Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens is aiming to do several things at once this offseason:
Avoid both luxury tax aprons by cutting salary while keeping enough of a team intact for when Jayson Tatum returns from his torn Achilles.
In dealing away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, and Georges Niang this past week, and letting Al Horford and Luke Kornet walk in free agency, Stevens achieved the first part. To keep flexibility open, Stevens is looking to cut bait from a 2023 draftee who has yet to carve out a role in Joe Mazzulla’s rotation.
MassLive’s Souichi Terada reports that former Arkansas Razorbacks basketball star Jordan Walsh could be the next Celtic offloaded from their 2023-24 championship roster.
Terada did add that Walsh had a nice summer that can spare him from being released.
“Boston still has an open roster spot after it waived guard JD Davison a few weeks ago. At this point, it appears the Celtics are going to roll with a 14-man roster. They do have some flexibility in that Jordan Walsh is on a non-guaranteed contract and could be cut, though he had a few nice moments in Summer League,” Terada wrote.
After trading Niang for St. John’s Red Storm rookie R.J. Luis Jr. and signing Chris Boucher on Tuesday, Stevens is aiming for flexibility.
Walsh’s contract does not require immediate attention, but his name could be the first on the chopping block if a potential transaction comes up.