Report: Celtics re-sign Xavier Tillman to two-year contract

The Boston Celtics have re-signed large man Xavier Tillman to a two-year contract, in keeping with Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Tillman joined the crew on the 2024 commerce deadline by way of a cope with the Memphis Grizzlies and averaged 4.0 factors and a couple of.7 rebounds in 20 regular-season video games in Boston.

Tillman performed a small however essential function within the Celtics’ 2024 NBA Championship run, filling in for an injured Kristaps Porzingis within the NBA Finals. His sequence was highlighted by an impressive stretch in Game 3 that included a number of defensive stops and a clutch nook three.

“That is one thing that I’ve been getting ready for, I assume for some time now,” Tillman mentioned after his Recreation 3 efficiency. “So I used to be prepared for the chance. They have been form of hinting at doubtlessly if KP’s exercise didn’t go nicely and he didn’t really feel comfy that I used to be going to need to step in at present.”

The 25-year-old might be coming into his fifth NBA season after spending his first four-and-a-half with the Grizzlies.

Alongside Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta, each of whom additionally signed new offers to return to Boston, Tillman will present important aid all through the course of the 2024-25 common season.

Kristaps Porzingis only in the near past underwent a profitable surgical procedure to restore a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon and will be out for five to six months. That places his tough return date round December. Plus, Al Horford is 38 years outdated and has already been sitting out one sport of back-to-backs.

Tillman, Kornet, and Queta must fill these gaps, and it’s clear that the Celtics belief them to take action.

At 6-foot-8, Tillman is a bit undersized for the middle place, however his defensive versatility permits the Celtics to play a switch-everything protection that thrives when Horford is within the lineup.

“I really feel like switching is like my bread-and-butter defensively,” Tillman mentioned after Recreation 3 of the Finals, the place he performed a giant half in slowing down Luka Doncic. “That’s one thing that permits me to make use of my fast ft and my energy to have the ability to bump guys on versus being in drop protection and having to make use of my vertical leap.

“So for me with the ability to change and stuff like that’s extra catered for me. Having the ability to get subbed in and used for these alternatives, I really feel like I can excel [the] majority of the time.”