The Boston Celtics have filled their 15th and final roster spot ahead of the postseason. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Brad Stevens has inked JD Davison to a standard two-year contract.
Davison, 22, was Boston’s 53rd pick in the 2022 NBA draft. He has spent the past three seasons becoming the face of the Maine Celtics and the Celtics’ developmental program. The explosive guard was named the 2025 G League MVP after averaging 25.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Davison shot the ball at a 48% clip from the field and 33.3% from deep.
Given the Celtics’ strength in depth at the guard position, Davison is unlikely to feature during the playoffs. However, his presence provides quality depth should the Celtics be forced to navigate injury. Davison will also have an opportunity to stake his claim for a legitimate role in the rotation next season.
Davison joins a growing number of internally developed talent on Mazzulla’s roster. Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta both came through Maine’s system. Luke Kornet also spent time with Boston’s G League affiliate, and Baylor Scheierman drastically improved during his time with the developmental roster.
What JD Davision Brings to the Celtics
Davison is a highly talented young guard. He’s sort of a Russell Westbrook-esque ball-handler, thriving when grabbing rebounds and pushing the pace in transition. He’s at his best when pressuring the rim and making reads as the defense collapses.
Furthermore, Davison gives the Celtics a level of athleticism they’ve been missing outside of Jaylen Brown. And while his perimeter shooting leaves a lot to be desired, the explosive guard is young enough to improve his jump shot and become a reliable multi-level scorer.
The bigger question will be how Davison handles playing defense against a higher level of opponent. He can sometimes get lost on rotations and needs to get better at his screen navigation. Of course, his athleticism and burst do help bail him out of some mistakes, but that may not be enough at the next level.
Celtics Expected to Win the NBA Championship
While Davison is unlikely to feature, he will have a front-row seat to a potential championship run. According to former Celtic Kendrick Perkins, Joe Mazzulla’s team is still the favorite to secure a second-straight banner.
“I have a better chance of finding a salad in a donut shop.” Perkins said. “It’s not happening…Let me explain why. 1. The Celtics were disrespected after they won their last championship, so they’re p****d off. 2. They brought back every single player from that championship squad…Their others, outside of Tatum, Brown and the rest of the starting five, has gotten better…I don’t see a single team in the NBA that’s gonna beat this team healthy in a seven-game series. Not one.”
Health will be the biggest swing factor for the Celtics’ chances of success. Brown, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Hauser have all had their struggles throughout the season. However, if everyone can stay healthy and the Celtics find their swagger, it will be incredibly difficult for a team to beat them four times in seven games.
Celtics Fill Final Roster Spot Ahead of Playoffs