The Boston Celtics have re-signed large man Xavier Tillman to a two-year contract, in line with Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Tillman joined the staff on the 2024 commerce deadline by way of a cope with the Memphis Grizzlies and averaged 4.0 factors and a pair of.7 rebounds in 20 regular-season video games in Boston.
Free agent F Xavier Tillman has agreed on a two-year deal to return to the Boston Celtics, sources inform ESPN. Tillman averaged 5.3 factors and three.9 rebounds final season. pic.twitter.com/Z1510rRVs6
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 2, 2024
Tillman performed a small however essential position within the Celtics’ 2024 NBA Championship run, filling in for an injured Kristaps Porzingis within the NBA Finals. His collection was highlighted by a formidable stretch in Recreation 3 that included a number of defensive stops and a clutch nook three.
“That is one thing that I’ve been getting ready for, I assume for some time now,” Tillman mentioned after his Recreation 3 efficiency. “So I used to be prepared for the chance. They had been form of hinting at probably if KP’s exercise didn’t go nicely and he didn’t really feel comfy that I used to be going to need to step in as we speak.”
The 25-year-old can be coming into his fifth NBA season after spending his first four-and-a-half with the Grizzlies.
Alongside Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta, each of whom additionally signed new offers to return to Boston, Tillman will present important reduction all through the course of the 2024-25 common season.
Kristaps Porzingis only in the near past underwent a profitable surgical procedure to restore a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon and can be out for 5 to 6 months. That places his tough return date round December. Plus, Al Horford is 38 years outdated and has already been sitting out one sport of back-to-backs.
Tillman, Kornet, and Queta must fill these gaps, and it’s clear that the Celtics belief them to take action.
At 6-foot-8, Tillman is a bit undersized for the middle place, however his defensive versatility permits the Celtics to play a switch-everything protection that thrives when Horford is within the lineup.
“I really feel like switching is like my bread-and-butter defensively,” Tillman mentioned after Recreation 3 of the Finals, the place he performed an enormous half in slowing down Luka Doncic. “That’s one thing that enables me to make use of my fast ft and my power to have the ability to bump guys on versus being in drop protection and having to make use of my vertical leap.
“So for me with the ability to change and stuff like that’s extra catered for me. With the ability to get subbed in and used for these alternatives, I really feel like I can excel [the] majority of the time.”
