The Celtics may have already applied the finishing touches to their roster before their title defense starts. They’ve met the NBA’s minimum requirement of signing 14 players to standard contracts. That leaves one opening that may remain vacant to preserve flexibility and avoid adding more salary to a $205 million payroll.
Boston’s poised to go over the second apron for a second straight season before spending roughly $515.4 million in payroll and tax payments on their 2025-26 team.
But even with the Celtics signing their second-round pick in this year’s draft, Anton Watson, to a two-way deal on Friday, filling their third and final opening of that nature, the search to strengthen their training camp roster and find talent worth working with on their G League team in Maine continues.
That’s why, according to Bobby Manning of the Boston Sports Journal, the reigning NBA champions are bringing back Jay Scrubb on an Exhibit 10 contract.
The six-foot-five guard impressed with Boston at Summer League in 2023, averaging 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks per game, and shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc on 4.0 three-point attempts.
Scrubb’s performance earned him a two-way deal with the Celtics. Unfortunately, he tore his right ACL during practice at the Auerbach Center in early October, ending his season before it started.
The three-year veteran, who’s spent time with the Clippers and Magic, told Manning he’s 80 percent back physically and will put pen to paper on his training camp deal to return to Boston when he’s cleared to play.
