RJ Hunter back on a two way

[Roy H.]

This is simply an indication that Danny is ready to pull the trigger on a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 trade.  Pretty much everyone not named Horford or Kyrie might as well keep their bags packed until February 8th.

How so? This deal doesn’t affect our 15 man roster at all.

I would think your question would answer itself.

If the Celtics were involved in a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 trade it would open up an end-of-the-bench roster spot for Hunter who is now on a two-way contract.

This seems like the likely plan to me.  I seen no other reason why Ainge would wait until 1 month before the trade deadline to sign a player who's best NBA asset is having experience in Brad Stevens' system.

There’s no advantage to doing that, though. The benefit of a two-way contract is that we can play a guy in NBA games, without having to use an NBA roster spot.

Roster spots tend to be precious. Any surplus roster spots are likely to be used on buyouts, rather than fringe minor leaguers.

Oh?  And what money does the team have to sign buyouts?  I hear they're over the cap.

I can’t explain cap rules to you in a reasonable time frame, but being over the cap doesn’t prevent teams from signing guys to vet minimum contracts.  We also could use the MLE.

[IDreamCeltics]

I see, so you anticipate the Celtics going deeper into the Luxury tax to sign end of bench players rather than starting to clear roster spots and tax room.

That seems completely unlikely to me, but I will admit anything is possible.

[Chris22]

Just what the Celtics need, an unathletic wing who doesn't shoot very well.

[Roy H.]

I see, so you anticipate the Celtics going deeper into the Luxury tax to sign end of bench players rather than starting to clear roster spots and tax room.

That seems completely unlikely to me, but I will admit anything is possible.

It’s more likely than the Celtics signing Hunter to an NBA contract, or taking a roster charge against their cap.

Again, as you said:

... it would open up an end-of-the-bench roster spot for Hunter

If the decision is sign Hunter to a roster spot or sign Robin Lopez to a roster spot, which do you think the Celtics should do?

[csfansince60s]

I see, so you anticipate the Celtics going deeper into the Luxury tax to sign end of bench players rather than starting to clear roster spots and tax room.

That seems completely unlikely to me, but I will admit anything is possible.

It’s more likely than the Celtics signing Hunter to an NBA contract, or taking a roster charge against their cap.

Again, as you said:

... it would open up an end-of-the-bench roster spot for Hunter

If the decision is sign Hunter to a roster spot or sign Robin Lopez to a roster spot, which do you think the Celtics should do?

That's rhetorical question, right?

[IDreamCeltics]

I see, so you anticipate the Celtics going deeper into the Luxury tax to sign end of bench players rather than starting to clear roster spots and tax room.

That seems completely unlikely to me, but I will admit anything is possible.

It’s more likely than the Celtics signing Hunter to an NBA contract, or taking a roster charge against their cap.

Again, as you said:

... it would open up an end-of-the-bench roster spot for Hunter

If the decision is sign Hunter to a roster spot or sign Robin Lopez to a roster spot, which do you think the Celtics should do?

In what reality are the Celics signing Robin Lopez to be their 15th man off the bench and send them deeper into the luxury tax?    I would give this literally less than a 1% chance of happening.

Again, it seems FAR more likely to me that the Celtics will trade players in a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 and call up RJ hunter to fill an empty roster spot when that trade is consumated.

[Roy H.]

I see, so you anticipate the Celtics going deeper into the Luxury tax to sign end of bench players rather than starting to clear roster spots and tax room.

That seems completely unlikely to me, but I will admit anything is possible.

It’s more likely than the Celtics signing Hunter to an NBA contract, or taking a roster charge against their cap.

Again, as you said:

... it would open up an end-of-the-bench roster spot for Hunter

If the decision is sign Hunter to a roster spot or sign Robin Lopez to a roster spot, which do you think the Celtics should do?

In what reality are the Celics signing Robin Lopez to be their 15th man off the bench and send them deeper into the luxury tax?    I would give this literally less than a 1% chance of happening.

Again, it seems FAR more likely to me that the Celtics will trade players in a 2 for 1 or 3 for 1 and call up RJ hunter to fill an empty roster spot when that trade is consumated.

Again, you don’t know how the cap works.

Hunter doesn’t fill a roster spot unless he’s signed to an NBA contract. He doesn’t count against the roster minimum, he’s ineligible for the playoffs, etc.

Hunter won’t be signed to an NBA contract, and luxury tax won’t be the reason.

[gpap]

I don't understand why they brought him back. All he's going to do is take up a roster spot.

No clue what Ainge is doing.

[Jvalin]

I don't understand why they brought him back. All he's going to do is take up a roster spot.

No clue what Ainge is doing.

It's a two-way contract. He ain't gonna take up a roster spot.

We already had 15 players prior to signing Hunter. Teams are allowed to have up to 15 players, plus 2 players signed on a 2-way contract (17 in total). Hunter and Dozier are those 2 players.

[rondofan1255]

https://www.pressherald.com/2019/01/24/its-a-new-beginning-in-the-celtics-organization-for-r-j-hunter/

It’s a new beginning in the Celtics’ organization for R.J. Hunter

The former first-round draft choice is with the Red Claws and trying to work his way back to Boston.

We’re coming up on four years since R.J. Hunter burst into our national consciousness, earning a place in the montage of March Madness shining moments.

With the clock ticking down, Hunter sank a 30-foot shot that lifted 14th-seeded Georgia State to a one-point victory over third-seeded Baylor in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Not only did Hunter’s dagger do in a Baylor team that was up by 12 with under three minutes left, it also sent Georgia State Coach Ron Hunter – R.J.’s dad – spilling off the rolling chair he was using for mobility because he tore his Achilles tendon four days earlier while celebrating the Sun Belt Conference championship.

Since that moment, R.J. Hunter has worn three NBA uniforms and five G League jerseys. He’s been cut twice, first by the Celtics – who made him a first-round draft pick three months after his iconic shot and sent him to Portland for eight Red Claws games in the 2015-16 season to get playing time – and then by the Chicago Bulls, after Boston bid him adieu at the end of training camp in 2016, on his 23rd birthday.

“It was a very fresh feeling,” he said of being waived by the Celtics, who opted to keep James Young instead of the lanky Hunter. “I don’t know if I’ve ever felt that before. Like, I’ve only come off the bench a few times in my career, let alone be cut.”

Hunter spent much of the next two seasons in the G League, aside from three NBA games with Chicago after the Bulls claimed him on waivers, and five last winter with Houston, which signed him to a two-way contract that made him a mainstay with Rio Grande Valley.

Invited to training camp this fall by the Atlanta Hawks, Hunter opened the season with their G League affiliate, the Erie Bayhawks, with games of 40 and 46 points. He even visited the Expo on New Year’s Eve, when the Bayhawks lost to Maine.

Accepting Boston’s two-way offer to play for the Red Claws – and up to 45 days with the Celtics – meant coming full circle for Hunter, rejoining the organization that first believed in him, then cut him loose.

“It was just big that they wanted me back,” he said. “It kind of gave me a stamp on all the work that I put in, that I’m heading in the right direction and I needed that, to move forward.”

Hunter barely broke a sweat Thursday night, working on shooting drills with an assistant coach instead of playing what would have been his fourth game back. A leaky roof in the Portland Expo resulted in postponement of the game between the Red Claws and Grand Rapids Drive.

Earlier in the week, Hunter and the Claws were stranded in Ohio for two days because a snowstorm canceled their return flight.

Ah, the glamorous life of the professional athlete.

As a rookie with the 2015-16 Celtics, Hunter had that life. He appeared in 36 games. He played significant minutes. He made friendships that continue to this day.

“Whenever I see them there’s genuine love,” Hunter said of his old teammates. “That year was special for me. As bitter as it did end, in the bigger picture that was an amazing 13-14 months with the Celtics.”

On the practice court and studying film, he spent a lot of time with a young Celtics assistant named Brandon Bailey, now in his second year as the Red Claws’ coach.

“We got close,” Hunter said. “We were always around each other. He was kind of new and I was very new. We were figuring it out together.”

Bailey sees a different player than the Hunter who left Georgia State after his junior year.

“It’s not like he was super immature when he first got to us, but he was a rookie,” Bailey said. “(Now) you can tell he’s been through a lot and he understands a little bit more of the professional game. He’s been so much more polished, on the basketball court and off.”

When the G League season ended last year with Rio Grande, Hunter went up to the Rockets and accompanied them through the Western Conference finals. He envisions a similar scenario this spring with the Celtics and the Eastern Conference playoffs.

But before that happens he’s back in Maine, humbled but as determined as ever to make it in the NBA.

And if he ever doubts himself or his ability, he can always queue up that clip when he left his dad rolling on the floor in exultation.

Does he still watch that?

“Oh yeah,” he said with a big smile. “All the time, all the time.”