Devin Carter arrives in Boston with the kind of skill set the Celtics can plug in right away, even if he’s starting from the bottom of the depth chart. His offensive rebounding and knack for forcing turnovers fit Mazzulla Ball cleanly, which makes it easy to imagine him on the opening night roster.
That same idea, though, brings an old name back into focus: Jaden Springer.
Springer came to Boston as a former 76ers lottery pick in a salary dump, and the move irritated Philadelphia fans because he still had obvious upside. His defense was already strong, and his athleticism popped.
The issue was always the other end, where he remained raw. He wasn’t a disaster in Boston, but he also never fully sorted it out, and the larger disappointment was that the promise Sixers fans saw in him never really translated under Mazzulla.
Carter is not Springer’s clone, but the comparison makes sense. Carter is a little smaller, yet he shares that same impressive athletic profile for a player of limited size. Boston’s interest was clear from the start, which says plenty about how the team views him.
The difference is that there may be even less at stake with Carter than there was with Springer. If he misses, Boston moves on. If he hits, the payoff is obvious.
Springer had flashes, but they came too rarely. Boston leaned harder on its depth while defending its title because Jrue Holiday needed to be conserved, yet Springer still never separated himself. He was eventually salary-dumped to Houston.
Carter now has the chance to clear that standard. Boston likely wants to conserve some of its most important players, like Paul George and Mitchell Robinson, and that gives someone in Carter’s mold a real opening. The responsibility is on him to make it count.
If Carter does exactly what Mazzulla asks, he could become the player Boston had in mind when it took a swing on Springer back in 2024.
In Other News...
Celtics Just Forced The Jayson Tatum Question Fans Feared
The Celtics spent years building around the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown pairing, leaning on two wings who could carry a playoff offense and take turns shouldering the pressure. By sending Brown to Philadelphia in the Paul George deal, Boston has officially moved on from that familiar balance and handed Tatum a much clearer lane as the team's primary offensive option.
For a franchise that has long valued star versatility, the change raises the obvious question of how Tatum handles the heavier burden now that Brown is gone. The fit between the two was once the foundation of Boston's identity, but this move shifts the conversation toward whether Tatum's expanded role can keep the Celtics at the same level without the second All-Star safety net beside him. [Read more 🡒]
Jayson Tatum Just Addressed The Jaylen Brown Trade Noise
Jayson Tatum finally addressed the buzz surrounding Jaylen Browns exit from Boston, and he did so with the kind of measured tone that fit the moment. Tatum spoke openly about his respect and affection for Brown, pointing back to everything they built together over nine seasons, from repeated trips to the Conference Finals to an NBA championship that cemented them as the core of the Celtics rise.
Browns trade naturally brought questions about whether the relationship between the two stars had been strained by the business side of the league, but Tatum leaned the other way. He framed it as part of basketballs realities, said he wished Brown well, and left the door open to the idea that what they accomplished in Boston still carries real weight even as both move on to different chapters. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Can Breathe Easier As Gabe Vincents Next Move Still Looms
Gabe Vincent is still sitting in free agency, and for now the Celtics can at least take a small breath knowing the guard has not drawn interest from the Miami Heat, according to reports. The New York Knicks have reportedly reached out, but there has been no contract confirmation yet, leaving his next stop very much in the air as the market sorts itself out.
Vincents name still carries some weight around Boston because of his strong showing against the Celtics in the past, even as his later stretches with the Lakers and Hawks did not go nearly as smoothly. For a team with postseason memories that can make every familiar guard feel a little more relevant, his next move is worth watching until it finally comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]