Inside The Celtics

Celtics Summer League Star Appears Close to Signing With Next Team

Alex Kirschenbaum|
Apr 3, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen on the parquet floor at center court before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Apr 3, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The Boston Celtics logo is seen on the parquet floor at center court before the game between the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images | Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

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A Boston Celtics 2025 Summer League standout is allegedly nearing an agreement on his next contract.

Boston's frontcourt faces a tenuous short-term future in 2025-26. Team president Brad Stevens traded away starting center Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks to cut costs and allowed third-string center Luke Kornet to ink a three-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs.

The Celtics also seem ready to move on from backup big man Al Horford (who has been more important to the club's postseason campaigns than the oft-hurt Porzingis), who for now remains an unsigned free agent but has been frequently linked to the Golden State Warriors.

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That's why it's a bit of bummer to discover that an exciting young summer big man acquisition appears poised to leave, too, before training camp even tips off.

Per Eurohoops, free agent center Charles Bassey is on the verge of a deal with international squad Partizan Belgrade.

In three impressive contests during the NBA 2K26 Summer League festivities in Las Vegas (there was also a California Classic competition), Bassey averaged 15.3 points on 70.4 percent shooting from the floor and 100 percent shooting from the charity stripe, plus 11.0 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 0.7 steals, while playing just 21.3 minutes a night.

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Bassey with the No. 53 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft out of Western Kentucky. The 6-foot-10 pro was cut by Philadelphia after just one season with the franchise, but he wouldn't go teamless for long. Bassey agreed to a two-way deal with the San Antonio Spurs at the start of the 2022-23 season. He played admirably for San Antonio's NBAGL affiliate the Austin Spurs, earning a berth at the 2023 NBA G League Next Up Game.

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Bassey saw his two-way deal converted to a four-season, $10.2 million standard contract in February 2023, but just a month later his season ended when he tore his left patellar tendon. Nine months later, Bassey tore his left ACL, wrapping up his 2023-24 season after just 19 games. He appeared in 36 games with San Antonio last year.

For now, the Celtics' center rotation appears to comprise (in some configuration) new signing Luka Garza, former fourth-string center Neemias Queta, and deep-bench power forward/center Xavier Tillman.

6-foot-11 rookie former Kentucky center Amari Williams, the No. 46 pick in this year's draft, could also get a look from head coach Joe Mazzulla.

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Celtics Called Out for Trading Away Former First-Round Draft Pick

For more news and notes on the Boston Celtics, visit Boston Celtics on SI.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Currently also a scribe for Newsweek, Hoops Rumors, The Sporting News and "Gremlins" director Joe Dante's film site Trailers From Hell, Alex is an alum of Men's Journal, Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues, and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others.

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