What’s left for open roster spots after Celtics sign rookie Dillon Mitchell? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Celtics announced Wednesday that they have signed rookie forward Dillon Mitchell to a two-way contract.
The signing of Mitchell, the 40th pick in the 2026 draft, comes on the heels of reports that he was pondering a return to St. John’s for a potentially more lucrative fifth college season. Instead, Mitchell fills the second of three available two-way slots on Boston’s roster.
Amari Williams, the 46th pick in the 2025 draft, signed his second two-way contract with Boston in July. Williams earned a call-up to the parent roster while the Celtics played salary-cap Tetris last season before finishing below the luxury tax line.
Mitchell, who turns 23 before the start of the 2026-27 season, might hope there’s a similar pathway to a bigger rookie payday. The Celtics currently have only 14 players on the parent roster, and any in-season movement could open a door to in-season call-ups for two-way players.
The Celtics will likely enter the new season with an open 15th roster spot. The team can reset pesky luxury tax repeater penalties by finishing below the tax this season and is set to enter the year just $1.7 million below that line, per Spotrac’s contract tracking.
The team still needs to fill its third two-way slot before the season but can be patient in that process. Players on two-way deals can earn up to $678,882 per season but do not count towards the team’s salary cap.
John Tonje, acquired from the Utah Jazz in a trade last season, seemed like a prime candidate for a two-way spot but signed a two-way deal with the Portland Trail Blazers last month. Max Shulga, the 57th pick in the 2025 draft who started last season on a two-way deal with Boston before being converted to a standard deal, will reportedly sign overseas with Real Madrid.
Boston is set to bring undrafted rookies Milos Uzan and Tucker DeVries to training camp. Those players might be two-way options but could also be funneled to Maine as affiliated players if waived before the start of the season. Some intriguing two-way options could emerge as teams finalize their rosters in October.
Mitchell appeared in three games at Vegas Summer League, averaging 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2.7 steals, and 1.3 blocks over 26 minutes per game. Mitchell showcased his explosive athleticism, including his potential to impact the game with both his height (6-foot-8) and length (6-10.5 wingspan).
Boston is well-stocked with young wings, but Mitchell will get every opportunity to distinguish himself starting at training camp in September. He’ll get valuable reps in Maine with an ability to be called up for up to 50 games with the parent club.
Here’s a look at Boston’s projected depth chart:
Ball-handlers: Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Mike Conley
Wings: Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr., Chris Cenac Jr.
Bigs: Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, Luka Garza
Two-way: Amari Williams, Dillon Mitchell
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