Could Hassan Martin Make the 2018-2019 Boston Celtics Roster?
On June 28, 2018, it was announced that Hassan Martin will be playing with the Boston Celtics during 2018 Summer League. Coming off of a season playing in Japan with the Ryukyu Golden Kings where he averaged 15 points and nine rebounds, it is nice to see the Staten Island native grab a Summer League roster spot.
Now is the time to evaluate the possibility of Martin being on the Boston Celtics for the 2018-2019 season.
According to ESPN.com, the official website of the NBA, this is the Celtics’ projected roster for the next season:
Exceptional talents and budding stars that include Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Terry Rozier should all be back on the roster. One thing to watch for with the Boston Celtics is if they strike at least one major trade for a player like Kawhi Leonard, more roster spots could become available.
Beyond the team's elite talent that is returning, key reserves like Marcus Morris, Marcus Smart (unrestricted free agent), Aron Baynes (unrestricted free agent), and Daniel Theis all garner roster spots. The expectation right now is that Smart and Baynes will both be resigned. With the Celtics lone draft pick in the 2018 NBA draft, they drafted PF Robert Williams from Texas A&M, who I would expect to have a long-term spot on the roster.
After their contributions late in the season and in the playoffs, Semi Ojeleye and Shane Larkin (unrestricted free agent) have the inside track to staying on the roster. Additionally, it has been reported that the Celtics will sign Brad Wanamaker, a star in the EuroLeague and he is expected to be on the roster for the 2018-2019 roster.
Consequently, the final few roster spots (and two-way contracts) for the Celtics could be viewed as an open competition. Hassan Martin will have to beat out players that include Guerschon Yabusele, Abdel Nader, and Kadeem Allen. After the Celtics' success with international players recently (Theis and Larkin), he has a fighting chance. Of the team's remaining free agents, Jonathan Gibson (restricted), Jabari Bird (restricted - player option), and Greg Monroe (unrestricted), there could be a bit more competition, depending on if any of them are resigned.
The chances of Hassan Martin making the tremendously talented Celtics roster are not very high but luckily, Brad Stevens is a head coach that is willing to give any basketball player a chance if he is willing to work and listen to everything that he wants them to do. Martin is the kind of player that will give his head coach his best effort, under many sets of circumstances.
