The Boston Celtics converted Devin Carter’s Exhibit 10 contract into a Two-Way contract on Saturday, October 17. Carter will now split his time between the Maine Celtics and Joe Mazzulla’s roster.
Carter’s addition is a big win for Boston. Just two years ago, he was a lottery pick for the Sacramento Kings. When speaking with the media following a Celtics practice on Sunday, October 18, head coach Joe Mazzulla explained what he’d seen from Carter throughout training camp and preseason.
“Very talented, just put his head down,” Mazzulla said. “Really impactful, came out with great attitude…Obviously, You see the talent, the impact that he could have, and you want to be able to invest in that.”
Carter will now slot into Boston’s developmental pipeline. We will likely see him split his time between Maine and the Celtics, as he works on improving his game and learning Mazzulla’s system.
Celtics May Wait Before Converting Carter’s Deal
There’s a cap-related reason why Boston likely opted to give Carter a two-way contract. Currently, signing Carter to a full-scale NBA deal would cost the Celtics about $2.4 million, $700,000 more than the $1.7 million headroom Boston has under the luxury tax.
An NBA contract is prorated. So, if a player signs later in the year, they receive a portion of the contract’s overall value. So, by keeping Carter on a two-way contract, Boston can convert and sign him to the 15th roster spot later in the season without paying luxury tax.
We’ve seen the Celtics take this route before. They did it with Amari Williams last season, and Neemias Queta the year before him. Of course, the onus will be on Carter to prove he belongs on the main roster if the Celtics sign him to the 15th roster spot. Otherwise, like Williams this season, Carter could find himself back in the G League this time next year.
Carter Is Currently Away From The Celtics
Interestingly, Carter is currently away from the Celtics. He’s dealing with mononucleosis, per The Athletic’s Jay King.
“Devin Carter remains away from the Celtics due to a bout with mononucleosis, per a source,” King reported via X. “He has signed a two-way contract with the team, though.”
Once Carter returns, he will likely team up with his new teammates in Maine. From there, he’ll get to work with the franchise’s player development team, while waiting for an opportunity to compete for playing time within Mazzulla’s rotation.
Players on a two-way contract are eligible to play in 50 regular-season games. If the player is named to the bench but doesn’t earn minutes, that still counts as one of those 50 games.
Mazzulla has been willing to give younger players an opportunity at times during the regular season. So, assuming Carter continues to put in the work, his chance to impress will come.
Carter has competed in 74 regular-season NBA games since entering the league. He’s averaging 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists, shooting 40.1% from the field and 27.4% from deep. He’ll need to improve those scoring numbers if he genuinely wants a shot at breaking into Mazzulla’s rotation long-term.
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