Getty Ex-Celtics big man Tacko Fall.
Tacko Fall is back on the market.
The Cleveland Cavaliers waived the 7-foot-6-inch center from his two-way contract on January 10, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Fall appeared in 11 games for the Cavs this season, logging a total of 59 minutes. His lone start on the year (which remains the only start of his professional career) came on December 22 against his former team, the Boston Celtics. In front of the TD Garden crowd, the beloved big man racked up four points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 19 minutes.
Fall originally signed a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Cavaliers back on September 27, which was eventually converted to a two-way contract come mid-October. Prior to his arrival in Cleveland, Fall spent the first two seasons of his NBA career with the Celtics on a two-way deal. The former UCF standout averaged 2.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game during his 26-game tenure with the Cs. He was also named to the G League’s All-Defensive Team in 2020.
Cavaliers Move on From Fall to Bulk Up Backcourt
In a corresponding move, Cleveland is signing point guard Brandon Goodwin on a two-way deal — also reported by Charania. Goodwin was previously on a 10-day hardship contract with the team which was set to expire on January 11.
A three-year veteran who has previously spent time with the Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets, Goodwin has averaged 7.3 points, 4.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 22.7 minutes over his three games with the Cavs.
Cleveland has been in desperate need of point guard depth behind starter Darius Garland. Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio are both sidelined with season-ending knee injuries. The team recently went out and acquired former Celtics champion, Rajon Rondo, from the Los Angeles Lakers to backup Garland. The move to lock up Goodwin further adds some reinforcement.
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With Added Roster Flexibility, the Celtics are ‘Open for Business’
Fall, 26, shouldn’t find it too difficult to land a new deal elsewhere, especially in the current state of the NBA. However, chances of a reunion in Boston feel slim to none. The Celtics did recently open up a roster slot following the decision to cut ties with former No. 2 pick Jabari Parker on January 7. However, that move was made with roster flexibility in mind, likely allowing Brad Stevens to be a bit more aggressive on the trade market as he looks to build a contender around the likes of All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
“The 19-21 Celtics have indicated to rival teams that they want to build around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — and have no interest to split up the two All-Star forwards right now, sources said,” Charania wrote in a January 10 column. “The Celtics appear open for business around other players on the roster. Boston engaged with the 76ers before the season about a potential Simmons deal, but showed no inclination to move Brown.”
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Ex-Celtics Fan-Favorite Hits Open Market 3 Months After Leaving Team: Report