Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Boston Celtics and Denzel Valentine have agreed to a training camp deal. Valentine completed the 2021-22 season with Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics. It’s very likely Valentine’s deal will be non-guaranteed.
Valentine is a six-year NBA veteran. He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the 14th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft. Valentine was with the Bulls for the first five seasons of his NBA career. He played four years in Chicago, missing the entire 2018-19 season due to an ankle injury.
Valentine spent part of last season with the Cleveland Cavaliers, before being traded to the New York Knicks in early-January. Valentine then joined the Utah Jazz for a 10 Day contract in mid-January.
Following his time with the Jazz, the 6-foot-5 wing joined the Maine Celtics. In 12 G League games, Valentine put together an impressive all-around stat line.
In 31.9 minutes per game, Valentine averaged 14.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Valentine also shot 44% overall and 35.2 percent on three-pointers while with Maine.
In 256 career NBA games (45 starts), Valentine holds averages of 7.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The Michigan State product is a career 39.4% shooter from the field, including 36% from behind the arc.
Valentine will join a healthy competition for the final two or three spots on Boston’s regular season roster. The Celtics currently have 10 players signed to fully guaranteed deals, with Al Horford and Luke Kornet having healthy guarantees on their contracts. Boston also has both Two-Way spots currently filled.
NBA teams must carry at least 14 players on standard contracts, aside from brief periods of time. That means at least two players out of Valentine, Bruno Caboclo, Noah Vonleh and Brodric Thomas (he’s rumored to be re-joining Boston as well), or future additions, will make the regular season roster.
Assuming all the above signings come through as expected, the Celtics have two more roster spots to fill before camp starts next month. NBA teams can carry up to 20 players during the offseason and preseason. They must then cut down to a maximum of 15 players on standard contracts and two players on Two-Way deals before the start of the regular season.
