The Celtics have added another player to their already crowded roster, announcing via press release that Ryan Kelly has been signed. Contract details were not relayed in the announcement, though, it is almost assuredly a minimum salary arrangement that includes little or no guaranteed money.
Boston cut 2016 second-rounder Ben Bentil earlier today, which pared the roster down to 16 players, one over the regular season maximum. The addition of Kelly means that two players still need to go prior to opening night, but it is very likely that Kelly was signed with an eye on snagging his D-League rights, though, that is merely speculation on my part.
Kelly, who was waived by the Hawks earlier this week, spent his first three seasons in the NBA as a member of the Lakers after being selected 48th overall in the 2013 draft. After averaging 22.9 minutes per contest during his first two seasons in Los Angeles, Kelly saw his playing time reduced last season, playing just 13.1 MPG in 36 contests. He averaged 4.2 PPG and 3.4 RPG in those games, shooting just 36.9% from the floor, 13.5% from beyond the arc, and 68.5% from the line.
Why? We don’t need him
If it’s for d-league rights, it could be to use him in a similar system down there as they run in boston. Kelly makes some sense in that regard