Celtics Sign 7-Time All-Star 20 Years After They Drafted Him: Report

Getty Seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson returns to the NBA.

With the Boston Celtics reeling from a 108-103 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on December 20 and set to enter their December 23 matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers severely undermanned, the C’s have called on some reinforcement — a familiar one at that.

20 years after selecting him No. 10 overall in the 2001 draft, Joe Johnson is signing a 10-day deal with the Celtics, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. While the seven-time All-Star has not suited up for an NBA game since 2018, Wojnarowski reports that Johnson is expected to play vs. Cleveland. 

Johnson, 40, has spent 17 years in the NBA, spanning across stints with the Celtics, Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Miami Heat and Houston Rockets. His career averages include 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He owns a career 44.1% field-goal percentage and 37.1% 3-point percentage. He also has mounds of postseason experience, appearing in 120 playoff games.

Johnson Has Kept Busy

While he hasn’t taken to the NBA hardwood in some time, he’s far from rusty. He’s put in extensive work in the “BIG3” basketball league, winning MVP in both 2019 and 2021. He also served as a member of the USA Basketball Men’s AmeriCup Qualifying Team. Appearing in two games for Team USA back in February, Johnson averaged 11 points on 50% shooting (40% from 3-point range), nine rebounds and 6.5 assists in 26 minutes per contest.

The Arkansas native is the third addition to Boston’s roster in less than a week, joining the likes of veterans Justin Jackson and C.J. Miles — although neither Jackson nor Miles has yet to appear in a game with the Cs since their arrival.

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Celtics Down 7 Players, Cavs Have 8 in Protocol

Boston, like a plethora of NBA clubs, is currently dealing with numerous absences due to the number of COVID-19 cases. Sam Hauser, Juancho Hernangomez, Al Horford, Jabari Parker, Josh Richardson, Brodric Thomas and Grant Williams have all been ruled out for the Cavs game due to Health & Safety Protocols.

As for Cleveland, they are just as decimated, with eight players in Health & Safety Protocols.

“Cleveland Cavaliers F Ed Davis has entered the league’s Covid protocols, sources tell ESPN,” Wojnarowski tweeted on December 21. “Cleveland has eight players in protocols, but traveled to Boston today and is expected to play vs. the Celtics on Wednesday. Cleveland’s added two replacements and likely will add another.”

As Wojnarowski alluded to, the Cavaliers recently added Justin Anderson and former Celtic Luke Kornet on 10-day hardship exemptions amid the NBA’s COVID outbreak. The moves were announced on the same day that Davis entered protocol. Davis joined the likes of center Jarrett Allen, forwards Lamar Stevens, Dylan Windler and Evan Mobley, and guards Denzel Valentine, RJ Nembhard and Isaac Okoro.

“You just have to navigate it,” Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff told the Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal. “Understanding how you handle the basketball piece of it, how you try to make sure they still feel like they’re a part of it.”

Despite the depleted rosters on both sides, the game is still set to tip-off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday night at TD Garden. With a win, the Celtics will get back to .500 on the season after dropping two of their last three games.

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