Young players in the league have a fantastic opportunity to compete for roster spots during the NBA

Summer League.

 

 

 

 

 

In 2023, more than 400 players will be vying for a spot on an NBA team, but only roughly 30 non-

rookies will be successful in doing so. One of the Boston Celtics’ summer roster players who few expected

to be there is among them.

Through four games, Jay Scrubb has been outstanding for the Celtics, ranking as their top player. In

those games, the 22-year-old scored 66 points in total.

Scrubb’s play has influenced many to believe that he is deserving of a two-way contract. The Celtics have

two left to give, with JD Davison signing on for another season early in the summer, meaning it’s a

possibility that Scrubb sticks around.

That’s only if he wants to, though.

Scrubb has passed on two-way contract offers in the past, so making a return to the G-League might not

sound all that intriguing. He does have NBA experience, after all, playing in 24 career games with the

Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic. He’s even made it clear that he believes he’s NBA ready during

the summer slate.

“It was a crazy transition for me, going from junior college to the league, but I feel like my talent speaks

for itself,” Scrubb said Sunday, per Steve Hewitt of the Boston Herald. “I can compete with the best, and

I’m here. … Just confidence in myself, there’s a lot of great guys out here competing. I just want to show

that I’m one of the best players here. That’s all I really want.”

The Celtics also have other options, with Justin Champagnie and Olek Balcerowski each having solid

summers, as well.

READ MORE:

Damian Lillard Trade To Celtics Could Look Like This

 

That will almost certainly scare most teams away from making an offer for Lillard, but it would be hard

to imagine him actually no-showing on a new team. Could he be disgruntled for a little while? Sure. But,

depending on where he landed, he could be contending for a title right away, which is the ultimate goal.

 

One team who could look to make a splash and land Lillard, in the opinion of Zach Buckley of Bleacher

Report, is the Boston Celtics. They have been ousted by the Heat from the postseason twice in the last

four years and should be motivated to make sure another star doesn’t end up in South Beach.

NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers & Boston Celtics Updates

Buckley suggested two different trade packages that the Celtics could try and entice Portland with. The

first would be a deal that gives Boston arguably the best Big 3 in the NBA, adding Lillard to Jayson

Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

 

While that trio is certainly good enough to win a title, it would leave the Celtics dangerously short-

handed. Essentially every tradeable asset Boston owns would be on the move as the package Buckley

suggested is Kristaps Porzingis, Robert Williams III, Malcolm Brogdon, Payton Pritchard, Jordan Walsh

and three first-round picks in exchange for Lillard and Jusuf Nurkic.