John Tonje closed out Boston’s Summer League run with the kind of game that makes front offices pause.
In the Celtics’ loss to the Orlando Magic, the former Badger delivered one last strong showing before his summer league contract expired. Playing just 19 minutes as Boston spread the floor time around its bench, Tonje put up 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. He also added a highlight dunk off a feed from Tucker DeVries.
Tonje had been one of Boston’s most consistent performers throughout the week. He was productive in four of the five games, with the lone quiet night coming in a back-to-back when the whole team struggled.
Over the full Summer League slate, he logged 120 minutes, second on the team only to Milos Uzan’s 130. He also finished as Boston’s leading scorer with 74 points, an average of 14.8 per game, and ranked second on the squad in steals.
That production clearly caught the attention of Celtics Summer League head coach and regular-season assistant Amile Jefferson. Jefferson described Tonje as a leader, someone he could trust, and said he was “absolutely an NBA player.”
Boston still has one roster spot left, and the expectation appears to be that it could go to Dillon Mitchell, the Celtics’ second-round pick. Mitchell sat out Sunday with what was listed as “rest,” which points toward him being the likely final addition.
Even so, Tonje’s play put him firmly in the conversation. The Celtics also have two-way openings available, and there’s a strong case for Tonje to land one of them given the way Jefferson spoke about him.
And because Tonje was on a Summer League contract, he doesn’t have to sit and wait on Boston alone. His agent can begin talking to other teams right away, and that opens the door for interest elsewhere. He’s one of the Summer League’s true free agents after actually standing out, which gives him some leverage as options start to emerge.
Whether it’s Boston, another NBA opportunity, a G-League path, or even overseas, Tonje has put himself in position for another year in the pro game.
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