Max Shulga’s first season in the Celtics organization ended with a promotion from Maine to Boston. His second professional season will begin more than 3,000 miles away.
Shulga signed a two-year contract with Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid, the club announced Friday. The agreement runs through June 2028 and gives the former Celtics guard a prominent landing spot after Boston declined its $2.15 million team option.
The Celtics also declined to issue Shulga a qualifying offer, allowing the 24-year-old to become an unrestricted free agent in July.
His departure closes a brief but productive development cycle for the No. 57 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Shulga never earned a meaningful role in Boston, but he showed enough with the Maine Celtics to secure an opportunity with one of Europe’s most prestigious clubs.
Crowded Celtics Backcourt Limited Shulga’s Path
Getty Jordan Hawkins (24) of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts after being fouled by Max Shulga (44) of the Boston Celtics during the second half at the TD Garden on April 10, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Boston’s decision reflected more than the value of Shulga’s option. It also reflected the difficult path to playing time awaiting him.
Derrick White and Payton Pritchard remain the Celtics’ established lead guards. Boston added 19-year veteran Mike Conley on a one-year contract to provide another dependable ballhandler and locker-room presence.
The Celtics also exercised Dalano Banton’s $2.8 million team option and re-signed Ron Harper Jr. to a three-year contract. Baylor Scheierman and Hugo González can absorb minutes at shooting guard when Boston uses larger lineups.
That left Shulga competing for a roster spot at a position where the Celtics already had proven rotation players, a veteran organizer and several younger developmental options under contract.
Boston could have retained him cheaply, but the $2.15 million option still would have occupied one of the team’s 15 standard roster spots. Declining it preserved flexibility for president of basketball operations Brad Stevens as the Celtics reshaped the roster following the Jaylen Brown-Paul George trade.
Max Shulga Emerged With Maine Celtics
Boston acquired Shulga’s draft rights after he completed a five-year college career at Utah State and VCU.
The 6-foot-4 Ukrainian guard was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year during his final season at VCU, averaging 15 points, 5.9 rebounds, four assists and 1.8 steals while shooting 38.7% from 3-point range.
He signed a two-way contract and spent most of his rookie season directing Maine’s offense. Across 39 G League appearances, Shulga averaged 15.4 points, 6.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals in 33.3 minutes. He shot 41.9% overall and 37.2% from beyond the arc.
Those numbers reflected the broad appeal of his game. Shulga could initiate offense, play without the ball and defend either guard position. His limitations — ordinary NBA athleticism, a high turnover rate and the absence of one elite skill — made his route to Boston’s rotation less certain.
The Celtics converted his two-way deal to a standard contract in March when they needed to return to the league minimum of 14 standard players. Promoting a rookie also helped Boston satisfy that requirement without crossing the luxury-tax line.
Shulga appeared in 11 regular-season games, averaging 3.3 minutes, and made two brief playoff appearances.
Real Madrid Offers Larger Opportunity
Real Madrid can offer something the Celtics could not: a clearer opportunity to compete for meaningful minutes.
Shulga joins a roster featuring several players with NBA experience, including Theo Maledon, Facundo Campazzo, Chuma Okeke, Usman Garuba and Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot.
Madrid finished 26-8 during the 2025-26 Liga ACB regular season and went 24-14 in EuroLeague competition. The club reached the EuroLeague championship game before losing to Olympiacos, then suffered a stunning first-round domestic playoff upset against eighth-seeded La Laguna Tenerife.
The Celtics’ decision does not necessarily make Shulga a failed draft pick. He cost little, developed in Maine and filled a short-term roster need without pushing Boston into the tax.
But with Boston’s guard rotation already crowded, Madrid offered the opportunity Shulga needed more: a chance to turn development into actual playing time.
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