The Boston Celtics added center Charles Bassey on a 10-day contract and converted guard Max Shulga from a two-way deal to the standard roster on Sunday, restoring the club to the NBA-required minimum of 14 standard contracts.
Boston had operated with only 12 standard players since March 1 after a similar 14-day stretch with 12 players in February. The organization has been trimming payroll since the trade deadline to remain under the luxury-tax threshold.
Recent signings and cap hits
Since the deadline, the Celtics have completed four low-cost additions:
- Dalano Banton — 10-day: $131,970
- John Tonje — 10-day: $73,153
- Max Shulga — two-year: $212,145
- Charles Bassey — 10-day: $131,970
Total cap impact: $549,238.
Why Tonje and Shulga matter
Tonje and Shulga, both 2025 second-round selections, were elevated from two-way deals using draft rights. Rookie free agents would have counted as veterans for tax purposes, raising their cap charges to $131,970 on a 10-day and $382,712 for the remainder of the season, respectively. Promoting drafted rookies instead kept Boston’s tax exposure down.
Next key dates
Having exhausted the 28-day allowance below 14 players, the Celtics must keep the roster at 14 the rest of the way. Bassey’s deal expires March 25, leaving 19 days in the regular season. On that date the team must either re-sign him or add another 14th man.
A veteran signed for the balance of the season on March 25 would carry a $250,743 cap hit. Boston is $293,054 under the tax line, providing a narrow cushion. A second 10-day contract would create the same daily cost while preserving flexibility.
Possible roster path
• March 25: Re-sign Bassey or ink another player to a second 10-day deal.
• April 4: Convert that player to a rest-of-season contract when the second 10-day expires.
• Final week: Promote two-way guard Ron Harper Jr. to the 15th roster spot for playoff eligibility; he has appeared in 32 of a possible 50 games on his two-way deal.
Because two-way slots cannot be replenished after Shulga’s and Harper’s promotions, Boston would finish with 16 total contracts instead of 18. The strategy fills all 15 standard positions for the postseason while keeping the club below the tax, the first step toward resetting its repeater clock after three consecutive years of tax payments.
Source: HoopsRumors
