John Tonje has been one of the Boston Celtics standout performers during NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The 25-year-old guard shone as a scoring threat for Amile Jefferson’s team.
On Saturday, July 18, in what was Boston’s fifth game in Las Vegas, Tonje took center stage for Boston. He ended the night with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal, shooting 66.7% from the field in the process.
When speaking with the media after the game, Tonje shared his confidence as he continues to push for a spot on an NBA roster.
“I’m pretty confident, maybe even delusional,” Tonje said. “I can’t lose that. I think I’m an NBA player, and that’s what I’m striving to get to…I like where I’m at right now, and just gonna keep working.”
Tonje will face an uphill battle to earn a roster spot with the Celtics. Currently, Boston’s main roster has one available slot left on the roster. Unfortunately for Tonje, the Celtics already have a multitude of players with his scoring skill set, which could make it tough for him to break through.
However, Tonje may earn another two-way spot, where he can split his time between Boston and the Maine Celtics.
Amile Jefferson Praises Tonje’s Summer League
During his own media availability, Jefferson had high praise for Tonje and the work he’s put in throughout Summer League.
“Everyone wanted to see the defense from John, and I think he showed that at a super high level,” Jefferson said. “I’ve talked the entire week about how proud I am with the effort he’s given, and most of that has come defensively.”
Jefferson continued.
“Obviously, he is a high-level shot maker at all three levels…and so you just want to see for his position: can you guard the ball? Can you pressure the ball? Be at your shifts? Can you be where you need to be? And I think he showed that at a high level.”
Throughout the entire tournament, Tonje averaged 14.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1 assist per game. He shot the rock at a 51% clip from the field and 45.2% clip from three-point range.
Celtics Have Two Open Two-Way Spots
Amari Williams is currently the only player with a two-way contract from the Boston Celtics. Brad Stevens has two more two-way contracts to offer. Dillon Mitchell has likely earned a two-way contract due to his play in Las Vegas.
As such, Milos Uzan and Tonje could find themselves battling for the final two-way deal. Unlike Tonje, Uzan didn’t dominate Summer League as a scorer. However, he did operate at a high level and showed that he’s more than just a shooter.
Uzan ended Summer League with averages of 9.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4 assists per game, shooting 38.1% from the field and 36.8% from deep. When looking at Uzan’s overall production, it’s clear that he is a potentially more versatile option than Tonje.
As such, Stevens will have a tough decision to make over the guard duo, with the loser set to hit the open market at the end of training camp.
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