Free Agent Celtics Champion Isn’t Ruling Out Return To Boston

After the Boston Celtics captured their record-setting 18th NBA title, the front office underwent a mission to retain everyone from the roster, and all of the team's premier pieces remain intact and ready for a potential repeat in 2024-25 -- but not everybody.

Oshae Brissett remains unsigned and available on the free agency market. The 26-year-old sat patiently on the back end of Boston's bench after signing with the Celtics as a free agent last offseason. But once the streets of Boston were cleared of all Banner 18 confetti and it became time to consider what the next move was for Brissett, the fifth-year veteran elected to decline his $2.5 million option for the 2024-25 season and instead entertained the open market. This, however, doesn't rule out Brissett's chances of coming back entirely.

"I'm still a free agent now, talking to some teams," Brissett said on his latest "BrissyTV" YouTube vlog. "You guys will all see obviously when it happens, where I end up. That's full transparency, man. At the end of the day, that's what it comes down to. I love every single part about being a Boston Celtic. And I could go back, who freakin' knows? Hey, the door's not closed fully. There's still a spot on the team. Who knows?"

Brissett didn't play a major role last season with Boston, logging just 11.5 minutes -- the second-fewest in Brissett's career -- through 55 games. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 44.4% from the field, mostly showing occasional flashes of athleticism. Once the playoffs rolled around, Brissett saw an even greater decline in on-court time, logging just 5.5 minutes along with nine DNPs.

Brissett's best performance came in Game 4 of the Finals, when against the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics endured a blowout loss, prompting head coach Joe Mazzulla to remove all starters at halftime and unload the bench. Brissett scored seven points, grabbed three rebounds and recorded a block before playing 38 seconds in the Game 5 clincher.

"That was the best season of my career," Brissett added. "And it wasn't because we won. It wasn't because of playing. It wasn't because of none of that. I just feel I grew so much as a player on the court and off the court. Watching literal Hall of Famers all day, practicing with Hall of Famers, you grow. I'm a sponge, a basketball sponge. I like to learn things. That, to me, was the reason I would say that was the best season of my career."

Brissett's taken the free agency process very seriously this offseason, even going as far as to turn down an opportunity to represent Team Canada in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. He'll continue to field calls and offers with 11 weeks to spare until the official start of the 2024-25 season.