Since the February 9 trade deadline passed, the Boston Celtics have navigated their season with a 14-man roster, leaving fans to speculate on who could eventually fill the 15th and final spot in their rotation.
On Monday, April 3, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Boston had finally moved to fill their 15th roster spot, acquiring forward Justin Champagnie from NBA G League team Sioux Falls.
The Boston Celtics are planning to sign NBA G League Sioux Falls forward Justin Champagnie, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Champagnie spent parts of last two seasons with the Raptors, and has averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds for Sioux Falls.
“The Boston Celtics are planning to sign NBA G League Sioux Falls forward Justin Champagnie, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Champagnie spent parts of last two seasons with the Raptors, and has averaged 18 points and 8 rebounds for Sioux Falls,” Charania Tweeted.
Champagnie, 21, is a six-foot-six forward who has played in 39 regular-season NBA games, including three this season for the Toronto Raptors. Currently, Champagnie is averaging 2.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per NBA contest while averaging 48.6% shooting from the field and 35.7% from the perimeter.
Al Horford Heaps Praise on Derrick White
While Champagnie might be the latest addition to Boston’s roster, the team’s core has been thriving throughout most of the season, with Derrick White being among the Celtics’ stand-out performances.
When speaking to NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin during an April 3 interview, veteran big man Al Horford heaped praise on White’s versatility, crediting him for the impact he’s been making on the defensive end of the floor.
“There’s no question … He is First Team All-Defense.”
@Al_Horford tells @tvabby why Derrick White deserves an All-Defense nod 🔒 …
“There’s no question, absolutely,” Horford said. “I personally think he’s probably First Team All-Defense already… I mean, you look around and it’s one of those things that we can’t get caught up in names and reputations over the years. Focus on this year; focus on what he’s done on the success of our team. It’s a big part of that. There’s no argument.”
White, 28, has played in every game for Boston this season, averaging 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per contest while shooting 46.1% from the field and 38.4% from deep.
Robert Williams Sends Message on Joel Embiid
On Tuesday, April 4, the Celtics will face off against the Philadelphia 76ers in what will be their last big game before the postseason gets underway. Of course, whenever you’re preparing to face the Sixers, Joel Embiid is the player your scouting report will primarily focus on.
During a post-practice press conference on April 3, Robert Williams discussed the difficulties in trying to guard one of the most dominant big men in the NBA and how the Celtics will attempt to limit his impact.
“More of a team effort than putting it on someone individually.”
Rob Williams talks challenges of defending Joel Embiid
“You just got to play as good of defense as you can, you know, playing against a superstar like that…More of a team effort than putting it on someone individually. We just need everybody,” Williams said.
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Celtics Make Shock Addition, Fill Open Roster Spot: Report