The Celtics beefed up their roster with some defensive depth with the signing of wing Lamar Stevens to a one-year deal, according to multiple reports on Friday.
The 26-year-old Stevens spent the first three seasons of his career with the Cavaliers, and started 25 games for them last season as he emerged as a strong defensive contributor. His deal is partially guaranteed according to MassLive and he’ll be in the mix to battle for a roster spot when training camp begins in early October.
With the departures of Marcus Smart and Grant Williams this summer, the Celtics lost a significant part of their defensive edge but have addressed it with a few additions to their bench. The signing of Oshae Brissett gives the Celtics some defensive versatility, draft pick Jordan Walsh’s calling card is on defense and now Stevens should also bring more juice on that end.
The Celtics will remember Stevens from a meeting against the Cavs last March, when the forward scored eight points and eight rebounds, including six offensive, that helped Cleveland to a win. It provided a snapshot of the hustle and toughness that Stevens plays with that could benefit the Celtics off the bench this season.
The addition of Stevens gives the Celtics 18 players on their training camp roster – 15 on the active roster, three two-way players – as camp looms in a little more than one week. The C’s have four players on non-guaranteed deals, including Stevens, Dalano Banton, Svi Mykhailiuk and Luke Kornet.
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