As the 2022-23 NBA season came to end, the Boston Celtics lost in disappointing fashion to the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals — an ending that left a lot of fans unsatisfied, and with the anticipation, or anxiety, of what offseason moves the Celtics will make up until the start of the season.
Luckily, the Celtics’ 2023 Las Vegas Summer League team is shaping up to be full of potential and viable NBA talent, not to mention that it will be a good hold-over until the season actually begins. Headlining the SL roster is now-sophomore JD Davison and rookie Jordan Walsh, who found himself on the receiving end of a four-year, $7.6 million deal yesterday.
The roster is full of guys that have the potential to earn themselves a two-way and find themselves being a part of a championship team. Aside from Davison, who had one of the two-way spots last season, five names jump off the page that could be top candidates for the two-way: Vincent Valerio-Bodon, Aleksander Balcerowski, Mychal Mulder, Jay Scrubb and Kamar Baldwin.
Valerio-Bodon, 22, is a small forward that’s played four years in the Hungary A League, and during the 2022-23 season, he averaged 8.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. While his numbers don’t exactly light up the box score, his ability to get out in transition is definitely a major factor contributing to his upside. Along with being able to double as a lob threat who thrives off of backdoor cuts to the net, and a positive on the defensive end of the ball, Valerio-Bodon makes a strong case for himself to earn that two-way contract. As unlikely as it is he’d see meaningful minutes, he’s the type of player the Celtics could benefit from if they needed a spark on the defensive side of the ball.
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Next up is Balcerowski. The 7’2”, 22-year old center is definitely one of the more exciting Summer League prospects. Coming from Spain’s Liga Endesa, Balcerowski averaged 9.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists per game. Similar to Valerio-Bodon, Balcerowski’s stats don’t tell the whole story of what he offers. The big man is capable of being a solid screener, along with being able to read the rim for put-back and rebound opportunities. Balcerowski would give Boston some insurance to their center depth with injury concerns with Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Robert Williams III.
For someone who has been around the NBA and the G-League, Mulder would be a terrific option for a two-way contract. Last season, Mulder averaged 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game for the Sioux Falls Skyforce. At 29 years old, Mulder would be able to provide the Celtics with a veteran presence and some much-needed end-of-bench depth for cheap with the new CBA looming.
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Jay Scrubb is another guy that may find himself with a two-way contract. The 22-year old shooting guard has also made his rounds in the NBA and the G-League, playing for both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Orlando Magic, along with their G-League affiliates. Similar to what Mulder could provide, Scrubb can give that same level of end-of-bench depth on the low, while also being significantly younger. Scrubb has shown flashes of potential and is still young enough for him to still tap into it.
Kamar Baldwin should be another candidate in strong contention for a two-way contract. Baldwin played the 22-23 season in the G-League for the Maine Celtics where he averaged 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. His scouting report out of college raved about his ability to pressure the ball, while having great awareness and instincts. Baldwin also is an efficient shooter; he averaged 46.1% from the field, while notching 36.9% from 3. The 25-year-old would provide the Celtics with some decent guard depth with his ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor.
At the end of the day, any player on the Celtics’ Summer League roster has an opportunity to earn a two-way deal. It’ll be about who steps up, who doesn’t, and what areas of improvement the Celtics main roster needs to focus on. The 2023 Summer League season for the Celtics is set to tip off on July 8th at 3 pm EST against the Miami Heat.
