On this day in Boston Celtics history, the team signed Australian big man Aron Baynes in free agency to a one-year deal worth $4.3 million in 2017. All of Australia — as he was sometimes called — quickly became an invaluable part of the Celtics front line, known for his excellent defense and verticality as much as his unexpectedly solid 3-point shooting with the team.
A New Zealander by birth, Baynes played for the team for two seasons before he was dealt away to the Phoenix Suns in order to help make cap room for major roster reshuffling following the disastrous 2018-19 season (no fault of Aron’s, really).
The big man averaged 5.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game while with the franchise.
It is also the date Celtics forward Semi Ojeleye signed his four-year rookie deal, with three guaranteed years at $4.29 million and the fourth year worth $1.7 million.
The SMU alum played four seasons for Boston before leaving for the Milwaukee Bucks in free agency in 2021, recording 3.5 points and 2.1 boards per game as a Celtic.
On that same day, Boston signed point guard Kadeem Allen to a two-way deal after drafting him out of Notre Dame with the 53rd pick of the 2017 NBA draft.
He would play just one season for the Celtics, logging 1.1 points per game before being waived.
Two years prior in 2015, former Boston forward Jordan Mickey signed a two-year deal with the team after being drafted 33rd overall in the 2015 NBA draft.
Mickey played in 41 games over two seasons, spending much of his time in Maine with the Red Claws (Boston’s developmental franchise in the G League, now the Maine Celtics), recording 1.4 points and 1.1 boards per contest with the team before being waived.
On this day in 2002, ex-Celtics center Bruno Šundov signed a one-year deal with the team and played in 26 games with Boston in 2002-03.
He averaged 1.2 points and 1.1 rebounds before he was dealt with J.R. Bremer and draft assets to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jumaine Jones.
In 2014, former Boston big man Kris Humphries was dealt into the Washington Wizards’ cap space for a second round pick.
The Minnesota alum had come to the team in the blockbuster deal that had sent Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets the season before.
Humphries averaged 8.4 points, 5.9 boards, and an assist game as a Celtic.
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