The Boston Celtics made a couple of moves this week, making late-season roster adjustments. The Celtics are reportedly signing Miles Norris, a forward with the G League’s Memphis Hustle. Norris is getting a two-way contract, while the Celtics are waiving Anton Watson in a concurrent move. Although the Miles Norris signing may not be super impactful concerning the Celtics’ championship chances, they are still making final tweaks to their roster that they believe will give them another shot at a championship ring.
Celtics Drop Draft Pick For Two-Way Contract Gamble
Miles Norris’ Impact
Norris is already a 24-year-old and has been excelling in the G League this season. Miles Norris’ stats during the G League regular season have greatly improved from his first year in there. Now, he is averaging 17.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals a game. On top of that, he is shooting 39.3% from three-point range on 8.6 attempts per game.
Norris’ shot from three is no doubt a huge reason the Celtics have decided to sign him. They have been a team that thrives on shooting a lot of threes and making them. Norris can help the Celtics continue with that. Right now, Norris is third overall in made three-pointers in the G League.
Norris started his college career at Oregon but later transferred to UC Santa Barbara. UCSB is where he really found his footing. He played three seasons there and started in 88 games for the Gauchos. At UCSB he averaged 11.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, he also shot the ball from three well in college, shooting 37.7% from three.
Norris wasn’t drafted to the NBA after college. He instead played some G League games before having a short stop in Turkey, playing overseas. He has been in the G League ever since, playing for the Memphis Hustle, and now is hoping to get his NBA debut for the defending champions.
The Last Word
The signing of Norris coincides with the Celtics letting go of a second-round pick from the last draft, Anton Watson. He showed some potential but obviously didn’t impress the Celtics’ brass enough to be kept around. Nevertheless, it’s surprising the Celtics let their 2024 second-round pick go so early especially since they have an open roster spot.
Norris could definitely have a more successful stint with the Celtics. He is a lengthy forward with good size (6-foot-10) who has shown that he can shoot the ball at every level he’s played. Now, he just needs to translate that to the NBA floor. Playing on one of the best teams in the league could help or hurt. There is enormous pressure that comes with playing on a championship team. However, there are also often lots of garbage minutes to go around during blowouts. The Celtics have had plenty of those this season.
Could Norris finally get his NBA debut in one of the next Celtics’ blowout wins? He has some skills that could help an NBA team; his contract with the Celtics proves that even one of the league’s top teams is interested in testing out his abilities. That alone should give Norris an important confidence boost.
Photo credit: © David Butler II-Imagn Images
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