The Boston Celtics have prioritized handling the contracts of everyone from last season’s championship roster above all else, however, that doesn’t concern Anton Watson, the team’s second-round (54th overall) selection from this year’s NBA draft.
Watson spent five seasons with the Gonzaga Bulldogs before getting a chance to make an NBA roster and make an impression at the Summer League. Now with Las Vegas exhibition action officially over, the 23-year-old will await a two-way contract from the Celtics, which Watson expects relatively soon.
“I think we’re gonna figure that out probably sometime this week,” Watson said Monday, per CLNS Media. “But yeah, those conversations will definitely come.”
Watson added: “I felt good overall. The whole Summer League just kind of seeing how it feels and playing at this level of pace, the strength you gotta have and just felt good overall. I felt like I played good.”
Playing alongside a handful of other roster hopefuls, Watson made five Summer League appearances for the Celtics, averaging 11.8 points with 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and one block in 24.4 minutes. Watson also shot 51.1% from the field (on nine shot attempts), 35% from 3-point range and 85.7% from the free-throw line, finishing off with a 15-point performance in Monday night’s 103-98 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Watson was notably active and athletic on both ends of the floor, giving opponents a difficult time scoring. That same level of two-way versatility, which garnered Al Horford comparisons, could lead Watson to get some NBA minutes this upcoming season, especially if Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla’s creative juices start flowing.
