With 16 players currently slated to be on their roster, the Boston Celtics need to make some moves to pare it down to the allowable 15 before the season starts. First, though, they have some housekeeping to get in order.
The Celtics are expected to make progress in that regard by signing R.J. Hunter, one of their two 2015 NBA draft picks, to a contract by the end of this week, WEEI’s Ben Rohrbach reported Tuesday, citing a source familiar with the negotiations. Hunter, the 28th overall pick, most likely would sign for 120 percent of the rookie scale, the maximum allowed by the league. The Celtics historically give all their draft picks the max.
If that’s the case, Hunter would receive a four-year deal worth $5.86 million, according to Rohrbach. Only the first two seasons would be guaranteed.
Hunter would be the second of Boston’s four 2015 draft picks to sign with the team. Second-round pick Jordan Mickey on Tuesday landed a deal worth first-round money, and fellow second-rounder Marcus Thornton reportedly is set to sign with a team in Australia.
Terry Rozier, the Celtics’ top pick at No. 16 overall, has yet to sign, but that too is expected to happen soon. Scouts have damned both of Boston’s first-rounders with faint praise, saying Rozier’s toughness and Hunter’s shooting ability could make up for their incomplete skill sets.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@CelticsUpdate
