Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Celtics' Juhann Begarin, Yam Madar Will Continue Development Overseas
Juhann Begarin had an impressive showing at Summer League, generating 18.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and nearly two steals per game in five contests.
The six-foot-five 20-year-old forward is also coming off a season where he averaged 11.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 29 games for Paris Basketball.
While Begarin's growth is encouraging, rather than the Celtics bringing him onto the active roster this season, the plan is for him to return for another year in the LNB Pro A, the top league in France, per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.
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Boston drafted Begarin with the 45th overall pick in 2021. There is a financial benefit to keeping him overseas. But since the Celtics have his draft rights and he'd be on his rookie deal, they'd save more with him occupying one of their remaining roster spots instead of signing a player to a veteran minimum contract.
However, rather than starting the clock on Begarin's NBA contract at this stage in his development, it's in his and perhaps the team's best long-term interests to allow him to continue refining his game overseas.
The same is true for Yam Madar, who Boston selected with the 47th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Like Begarin, he will continue developing his game overseas. As Himmelsbach first reported, the six-foot-three point guard will return for another stint with the Serbian club KK Partizan. Madar produced 7.5 points and 2.4 assists per game with them last season.
Madar's commitment to play for the Israeli National Team prevented him from playing for the Sin City Celtics this summer.
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As it stands, Boston has 12 players signed to full-time contracts and this year's second-round pick, JD Davison, and former first-round selection, Mfiondu Kabengele, occupying their two-way slots. The Celtics must fill at least two of their three open roster spots. There's a growing belief they'll do so by having an open competition at training camp.
Boston already projects to have one of the NBA's most expensive payrolls this season. Its roster currently costs roughly $170.1 million and comes with a luxury tax bill of $45.2 million, resulting in a combined payment of $215.3 million.
When the Celtics sign at least two more players to standard contracts, it will bring their luxury tax payment to at least $59 million. As a result, their total expenses will exceed $230 million for the coming campaign.
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