The Boston Celtics secured another piece of their retooled core Wednesday, reaching a three-year, $16 million contract extension with forward Jordan Walsh.
The agreement includes two fully guaranteed seasons and a team option for 2029-30, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported. The extension begins in 2027-28 after Walsh plays next season on the $2.4 million team option Boston previously exercised.
NBA TV insider Chris Haynes first reported the $16 million agreement, while ESPN’s Shams Charania reported a three-year, $15 million deal. Scotto’s subsequent report supplied the contract structure and clarified the total value.
For the Celtics, it is a relatively low-risk investment in a 22-year-old wing whose defensive versatility and physical tools already fit their identity. The team option also gives Boston control without guaranteeing the entire deal, an important consideration as president of basketball operations Brad Stevens reshapes the roster around Jayson Tatum.
Celtics Bet on Walsh’s Development
Selected with the No. 38 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, Walsh has gradually developed from a raw second-round prospect into a useful rotation defender.
He averaged 5.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 17.8 minutes across the 2025-26 season, starting 25 games. More encouragingly, Walsh shot 50.9% from the field and 38.4% from 3-point range, showing the offensive improvement necessary to remain playable alongside Boston’s stars.
Walsh said during a July 12 media session at the Las Vegas Summer League that expanding his offensive game had become his primary offseason objective.
“The biggest thing, I’m trying to change my identity offensively,” Walsh said. “I’m trying to become a way better offensive player. I’m trying to fit in situations that I didn’t fit in last year. I’m trying to be the answer to the situations that they took me out of.”
That means becoming more than a low-usage defender stationed in the corner. Walsh said he wants to improve his shooting, ballhandling and ability to create his own shot so Boston can trust him during high-leverage possessions.
“I want to always be the best option,” Walsh said of late-game situations. “I want to be the best choice.”
Team-Friendly Deal Helps Boston’s Reset
The extension arrives during a dramatic transition in Boston.
The Celtics stunned the league this offseason by trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and draft compensation, a move that signaled the franchise’s intention to reconstruct the roster around Tatum while preserving future flexibility.
Walsh’s contract fits that strategy. Even if he reaches the full $16 million value, his average annual salary would remain modest for a switchable wing entering his prime. If his offense continues to improve, the deal could become a bargain. If his development stalls, Boston can decline the final-year option.
The Celtics are betting that Walsh’s athleticism, defensive instincts and work ethic will make the former Arkansas standout part of their next competitive core.
Boston also gains cost certainty at a time when proven two-way wings routinely command far more in free agency. Walsh gains financial security and a defined place in the organization that drafted him.
The agreement does not guarantee that Walsh will become a fixture in Boston’s closing lineup. It does, however, provide him with the opportunity he has sought: a chance to prove he no longer needs to be removed when the biggest possessions arrive.
Boston Celtics Secure Rising Defender With Team-Friendly Extension