On Thursday, the Boston Celtics announced they have released 22-year-old guard JD Davison.
Davison spent the first three years of his NBA career as a two-way player with the Celtics. In April, the team converted two-way contracts into standard two-year deals and exercised the option for the 2025-26 season in June.
By parting ways with Davison, the Celtics have returned to the second level of the luxury tax threshold. Boston now has one open roster spot, but any new addition will push the team back to that second apron.
The Celtics originally picked Davison with the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft. The Alabama native played just 16 games for Boston last season, averaging 2.1 points in about 5.8 minutes per game. However, he excelled with Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, posting impressive averages of 25.1 points, 7.6 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game, which earned him the G League MVP award.
Davison was part of Boston’s 2024 Championship-winning squad. With only 36 games played over three years in Boston, he is now poised to seek more playing time with other teams in the coming season.
Fan Take: This move is significant for basketball fans as it signals the Celtics are making room to reshape their roster and salary flexibility. For Davison, it opens up fresh opportunities to prove himself and potentially blossom into a more prominent player elsewhere, keeping the competitive spirit of the league alive.