Oshae Brissett took a chance on himself and declined his $2.5 million player option with the Boston Celtics this past offseason.
Brissett played a minimal role on limited minutes (11.5) during Boston’s championship run, prompting the 26-year-old to seek greener pastures. That hasn’t worked out so far. Brissett remains a free agent as the season approaches its Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline, meaning the clock is rapidly ticking for the five-year veteran to land a gig.
“It has not been easy,” Brissett said on his latest “BrissyTV” YouTube vlog. “I watch these games. I sit back and watch the big games all day. One, cause I’m a big fan of basketball. But two, I want to see where I can fit in and how I can help and I see it. I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m better than that guy. I’m better than that guy.’ I have confidence in myself knowing that if I get the chance I can go out there and do it. So it’s tough. It’s tough seeing it but I can’t give up.”
It was a risky move from the jump for Brissett. The Syracuse product logged his fewest minutes total since debuting with the Toronto Raptors in 2019. Brissett averaged just 3.7 points on 44.4% shooting from the field across 55 appearances and reaffirmed everything the Celtics knew upon signing him. Brissett, at best, is an energy spark source with above-average athleticism and a below-average 3-point shooting touch — Brissett shot 27.3% for Boston and is a career 33.3% shooter from three.
The Celtics reunited with Brissett during their championship visit to the White House, but don’t have a reason to reunite for the rest of the season. Brissett didn’t showcase much, albeit on limited playing time, and his skill set isn’t conducive to polishing the team’s current blemishes — such as 3-point shooting, rebounding and bench scoring. Nevertheless, Brissett revealed that in the meantime he’s maintained a consistent training regimen, keeping himself fresh until the next opportunity presents itself.
“That call is coming. I feel it,” Brissett said.
