The Celtics are allowed to have up to 20 players in uniform for the start of their training camp on October 1st at the Auerbach Center and they reached that max capacity this week by agreeing to terms on an Exhibit 10 deal with former Heat power forward Yante Maten, per a team source. Adam Himmelsbach was first to report the agreement.
The 23-year-old power forward played just 13 minutes for the Heat last season while on a two-way deal. He was a standout for the Heat’s G-League affiliate (Sioux Falls Skyforce) averaging 23.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
At 6-foot-8, Maten is a bit undersized for a big but he has terrific athleticism that was showcased during his college days at Georgia (19.3 mpg, 8.6 mpg). Like another recent Celtics Exhibit 10 signing (Kaiser Gates), Maten is another guy who can stretch the floor a bit as a big, even though he only shot 32.7 percent from downtown in the G-League last year.
Any exhibit 10 deal gives Maten some added financial incentive to play for the Maine Red Claws if he he’s waived by Boston after camp. However, he will have an opportunity to compete for a two-way deal or the final spot on the 15-man roster during training camp. Here’s a closer look at the competition for those spots.
Tremont Waters (PG) - Two-way deal
Max Strus (SF) - Two-way deal
Tacko Fall (C) - Exhibit 10 deal
Javonte Green (SG/SF) - Partially guaranteed deal
Kaiser Gates (PF) - Exhibit 10 deal
Yante Maten (PF) - Exhibit 10 deal
Analysis: Waters and Strus deals are safe. They could be converted into guaranteed deals if the Celtics want to bring one onto the 15-man roster. In that case, a two-way contract would open up for Fall/Gates/Maten. It’s highly unlikely Javonte Green would agree to a two-way deal given his earning possibilities in Europe, so the guess here is that he will head back abroad if he doesn’t make the 15-man roster.
Maten and Gates are definitely the longest shots to make the 15-man roster or a two-way deal, but they do play a position that has question marks for Boston on the bench from an offensive standpoint. Semi Ojeleye and Grant Williams will be frontrunners for minutes off the pine as a stretch four but neither are proven outside shooters. If one goes down due to injury, some emergency depth might be welcome on a two-way deal if Maten/Gates play very well.
Otherwise, both guys seem likely to head to Maine after camp, waiting for a callup from Boston or another team that likes their play. While the minutes battles off the bench will be fascinating all camp long, the direction the C’s elect to go in for the final roster spot will have plenty of attention, especially since Tacko is involved. From a positional standpoint, another defensive-minded wing makes more sense than a power forward or a center since the C’s already have four true centers on the roster. Still, Danny Ainge has a soft spot in his heart for Fall and he obviously has the potential to be a useful specialist at 7-foot-7. Whether or not Boston wants to use a roster spot to develop him remains the question. It’s hard to see him making the 15-man roster but seeing Waters get elevated and Fall get a two-way deal may be a plausible scenario.