The Boston Celtics are preparing for their highly anticipated preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, October 8.
Behind the scenes, however, the organization has also been making several under-the-radar moves to strengthen its developmental pipeline ahead of the new season.
On September 29, Boston’s G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, acquired the returning player rights to three players and additional draft capital in a trade with the Windy City Bulls.
As part of the deal, Maine acquired the rights to center Ibou Badji, forward Tyler Polley, and guard Erik Reynolds II, along with a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA G League Draft.
In exchange, the Celtics sent the returning player rights to forward Jalen Bridges and guard Tyrell Roberts to Windy City.
Boston Celtics Add Intriguing 7-Foot-1 Center to Developmental Pipeline
Badji, in particular, stands out as an intriguing addition to the Celtics’ developmental pipeline.
It is important to note that Maine has only acquired the 7-foot-1 center’s returning player rights. The transaction does not guarantee he will play for the franchise this season, but it gives the organization control of his G League rights should he return.
Since going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, Badji has spent time with several G League organizations, including the Rip City Remix, Wisconsin Herd, Greensboro Swarm, and Windy City.
Across 104 career G League appearances, he has averaged 5.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and an impressive 2.9 blocks while shooting 65.6% from the field.
Badji signed a two-way contract with the Portland Trail Blazers during his rookie season before a knee injury requiring surgery brought his campaign to an early end.
He returned to Portland on another two-way deal the following season and made 22 NBA appearances, averaging 1.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and just under one block in 10.3 minutes per game.
Despite being just 23 years old, the Senegalese center already possesses considerable professional experience. He developed through Barcelona’s youth system before making the move stateside to pursue an NBA opportunity.
Badji later returned overseas, representing Lenovo Tenerife in Spain during the 2024-25 season before playing for Shenzhen in China the following year.
During his stint with Shenzhen, Badji averaged 7.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 3.0 blocks across six CBA appearances.
Badji Could Give Celtics Another High-Upside Frontcourt Option
Should Badji return to the G League, he could provide experienced frontcourt depth for a new-look Maine roster headlined by two-way prospects Amari Williams and Dillon Mitchell.
The towering center’s physical presence and shot-blocking ability are difficult to ignore. A consistent run of minutes and improved injury luck could give Boston another intriguing big man to evaluate within its developmental system.
Badji’s career average of around 3.0 blocks per game in the G League particularly stands out and gives him a potentially valuable defensive skill to build around.
His arrival would also add a different dimension alongside Williams and Mitchell as Maine begins assembling the next version of its roster.
The Celtics have maintained some continuity on the sidelines, announcing on October 1 that Phil Pressey will return for his second season as head coach of the G League affiliate.
Pressey guided Maine to a 27-23 overall record during his first year in charge, helping the Celtics reach the G League playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.
With G League training camps approaching, Boston has continued reshaping the talent available to Pressey for year two.
Celtics Quietly Acquire Intriguing 7-Foot-1 Center in Under-the-Radar Move