The Celtics have waived two-way player Anton Watson, the team announced through its public relations department.
Watson, a rookie forward selected with the No. 54 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, signed a two-way contract with the Celtics in August. He has yet to make his NBA regular season debut.
The 24-year-old appeared in 37 games (34 starts) for the Maine Celtics, the team’s NBA G League affiliate. Watson averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 29.9 minutes per game, including his appearances in the Tip-Off Tournament and regular season.
A five-year player at Gonzaga, Watson posted career highs of 14.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game during his final season with the Bulldogs.
The move opens the possibility for the Celtics to add another two-way player before the March 4 signing deadline. Currently, Drew Peterson and JD Davison occupy the team’s remaining two-way roster spots. Boston also has an open spot on its standard 15-man roster.
The Celtics are coming off a 110-103 home win over the Nuggets on Sunday.
As the Associated Press wrote: “One game after blowing a 22-point lead and losing to the NBA-best Cleveland Cavaliers, the Celtics coughed up most of a 20-point lead against Denver, the No. 2 team in the West. The Nuggets, who trailed 59-39 in the final minutes of the first half, scored 10 straight points near the end of the third to cut a 15-point lead to five.”
In other words, the Celtics are starting to get in the habit of seemingly relaxing after building big leads.
