Brad Stevens acknowledged that the Boston Celtics would like to bring Oshae Brissett. However, he also understands why Brissett may want other opportunities elsewhere.
During the Las Vegas Summer League, Stevens gave his honest thoughts on keeping Brissett to reporters.
“We have to be mindful of, with the last roster spot, what our needs might be,” Stevens told reporters, per Noa Dalzell’s X account. “Oshae had a terrific year with us, not only when he got the opportunity on the court but as a teammate and a person. In his shoes, there might be the desire to play more, too. I always want to be respectful of that, but we loved having Oshae.”
Stevens also talked about the prospect of having the whole team ready for the 2024-25 season. He even mentioned another Celtic who is currently a free agent.
“As far as how we fill out the rest of the roster, we kept 14 most of the year last year, and then we added two at the end of the year. We’ll see how the next few months play themselves with regard to people’s availability. Obviously, Kristaps [Porzingis] is going to have a long rehab process ahead of him, and we have to determine what the best need is for our team in that 15th spot. Both Oshae and Svi [Mykhailiuk], to me, are good NBA players that, whether here or elsewhere, are good fits for any team. They’re just terrific people.”
Oshae Brissett Opens Up About Upcoming Decision
Brissett records his everyday life on his YouTube Channel, Brissy Files. On July 17, he revealed his latest on his free agency. While not announcing anything, he said that people would know what his plans are in his next vlog.
“Free agency, everybody wants to know. You’re going to have to wait ’cause I’m waiting, so you’re waiting. We’re waiting together,” Brissett said, which was aggregated by Daniel Donabedian. “As soon as I have updates, it’ll be in the next vlog.”
Brissett may have to wait longer since there are higher profile free agents than him who are still available on the open market. That could work in the Celtics’ favor.
Oshae Brissett’s Return Not Ruled Out: Report
Brissett’s return to the Celtics remains a possibility until further notice. On July 2, The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach revealed that Brissett could still return while confirming the details of Xavier Tillman‘s new contract with the Celtics via his X account.
“Xavier Tillman’s 2-year deal is fully guaranteed, I’m told. Also, sources say Oshae Brissett is still hoping to find a team that can offer more playing time, but the door is not fully closed on a Boston return,” Himmelsbach wrote.
Brissett played sparingly during the Celtics’ title run in 2024. Though he appeared in every single playoff series, he only factored in one playoff win. That was Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. Brissett did not score much, but he played small-ball center for them in their victory.
Brissett understandably wants a bigger role than that because he wants to keep his NBA career alive. The Celtics can help his career stay alive, but they can’t promise a regular role for him.
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