Though his dream may have been for a regular, bona fide NBA roster spot, Tacko Fall was given the next-best thing Sunday when the Boston Celtics converted his training-camp contract into a two-way deal.
Fall, the Celtics’ greatest roadside attraction, will be allowed, under league restrictions, to spend 45 days with his parent team and the rest of that time in the G League – specifically with the biggest winner in this arrangement, the Maine Red Claws.
Celtics management clearly believes that instead of signing Fall to the last available roster spot –- filled instead by Max Strus – the 7-foot-5 big man would benefit more from spending most of his team in the G League.
Combined with rookie Tremont Waters, the Celtics’ other two-way player, Fall is likely to turn the Red Claws into the most popular road act in the minors, not to mention in the Portland area.
Strus, originally a two-way player, was signed to the parent team. Though the contract is reportedly for two years, and for the same money he would have made under his previous deal, Strus still could be cut by the end of training camp in another week.
Strus certainly understands the conditions he signed under.
“A lot of people think I got the roster spot but that’s not really what happened. I still have to work for it,” Strus said before Sunday’s exhibition game against Cleveland. “It’s a great opportunity but nothing is official. I still have to make the roster. Nothing is for sure yet. Depends on what they want to do with their roster. I have to continue doing what I’m doing and hopefully they like me.”
The player not yet dealt with here is the one who has had the most explosive training camp of the three – Javonte Green, who still has a chance to make the roster, regardless of the deal Strus signed.
Green, a 6-foot-4 swingman, went into Sunday’s game making all nine of his shots over the first two exhibitions. The Celtics’ coaching staff has also been deeply impressed by Green’s defensive tenacity.
As such, Strus may indeed have just signed a temporary contract. Though reportedly impressive in practice, he played minimally over the first two exhibition games.
“I don’t have anything to add. There’s a lot of moving parts, and to be candid I’m not all that alert to it,” said Coach Brad Stevens. “All those guys have been great, all excellent players, all good people, and we’ll see how it works itself out. But from what I know, nothing has been fully determined.”
CELTICS 118, CAVALIERS 72: Coach Brad Stevens faces a challenge as he attempts to sort through his varied collection of bigs, but his starting center appears to be coming into focus.
Daniel Theis started his second straight exhibition game in the middle during Sunday’s victory at home against Cleveland, with the Celtics’ first unit that much quicker for Theis’ presence, especially in the defensive end.
Theis finished with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, three rebounds and a blocked shot.
The Celtics created all the space they needed in the first half, and with Jayson Tatum (four points, nine rebounds), Kemba Walker (12 points, 3 of 3 on 3-pointers), Jaylen Brown (10 points, three assists, three rebounds) and Gordon Hayward sitting out the second half, Stevens started the third quarter with his reserves, including Enes Kanter (five points, 3 of 4) in the paint.
Carsen Edwards again was a quick-shooting pleasure for the Garden crowd to behold. The rookie guard uncorked an 11-point, 4-of-6 shooting performance.
Fellow rookie Romeo Langford’s injury fortunes continue to get worse. After missing summer league while recovering from thumb surgery, and the first week of training camp due to a strained groin, Langford left for good early in the fourth quarter with a sprained right knee.
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