Devin Carter did not last long in Atlanta, but the former Providence standout may not have to wait long for another opportunity.
The Boston Celtics have shown interest in signing Carter once he clears waivers, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported Friday, potentially bringing the 24-year-old guard back to New England two years after Sacramento selected him 13th overall in the 2024 NBA draft.
Carter was waived by the Hawks only months after Atlanta acquired him from the Kings along with a 2033 second-round pick.
“The Boston Celtics have shown interest in signing Devin Carter, sources say, once the Providence product clears waivers,” Fischer wrote on X.
For Boston, the appeal is straightforward. Carter remains young, athletic and defensively wired, and his stock has fallen far enough that the Celtics could potentially take a low-cost chance on a player who was considered a lottery-level prospect only two summers ago.
Devin Carter Could Give Celtics Another Defensive Guard
Carter’s NBA career has not developed as smoothly as expected.
He averaged 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 38 games for Sacramento last season, including 12 starts. He also flashed real upside in stretches, most notably when he scored a career-high 29 points with nine rebounds and four assists against Golden State on April 10.
The larger issue has been shooting.
Carter made only 26.3% of his 3-point attempts last season and remains a sub-30% shooter from beyond the arc for his career. For a guard trying to crack an NBA rotation, that limitation is significant.
Still, Carter’s defensive profile gives him a pathway.
At 6-foot-2, he plays bigger than his size because of his strength, rebounding and willingness to pressure the ball. Those traits helped drive his rise at Providence, where he developed into one of the Big East’s best two-way guards before entering the draft.
Boston would not need him to become an immediate offensive creator.
With Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Mike Conley already in the backcourt, Carter could be brought along more gradually and asked to earn minutes with defense first.
Providence Connection Adds Intrigue
The New England connection makes Boston an especially natural landing spot.
Carter spent three seasons at Providence and broke out as a junior, turning himself into a lottery pick with his defense, rebounding and improved scoring.
A move to Boston would bring him back to the region at a point when his career could use a reset.
The Celtics have otherwise spent the offseason leaning into experience, adding veterans such as Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and Conley around Jayson Tatum. Carter would represent a different kind of move: younger, cheaper and more developmental.
That contrast could be exactly what makes him attractive.
Fischer’s report does not mean a deal is done. Carter must first clear waivers, and other teams could still enter the picture.
But if he reaches free agency, Boston appears ready to explore whether the player who once convinced Sacramento to use a lottery pick on him is still there.
For Carter, that could mean a second chance in a familiar part of the country. For the Celtics, it would be a modest bet with more upside than risk.
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