Celtics sign Devin Carter to training-camp contract

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Boston Celtics have signed guard Devin Carter to a training-camp contract. He will likely compete against the likes of Milos Uzan and Tucker DeVries (also on training-camp deals) for a two-way spot in the coming weeks, though a standard deal isn't out of the question.

Carter was the No. 13 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after playing three years of college ball. He spent one year at South Carolina before spending two at Providence. Carter has been with the Sacramento Kings for the first two seasons of his NBA career. This summer, the Kings traded him to the Atlanta Hawks, who subsequently waived him.

On top of his time with the Friars, Carter spent some of his high school career at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, so he's very familiar with the New England area.

In his first two campaigns, Carter has appeared in only 74 NBA games, averaging 14.8 minutes per contest. His rookie year, he missed time at the start of the season because of a torn labrum, but last season, he racked up DNPs.

The 3-ball has been one of Carter's biggest weaknesses, shooting just 27.4% from deep range on 2.4 attempts so far in his career. Despite his lack of NBA minutes, Carter has only played in 10 G League games. He shot 38.8% from deep in the G League as a rookie (five games), but this past year, that number dropped to 29.5% (five games).

Coming out of the draft, Carter's defensive intensity was heralded. He was a pest on the ball and supposed to be a top-notch perimeter defender at the next level. He even shot the ball well in college, though his form has never been amazing.

The Celtics have a history of helping players fix their 3-point shot. Craig Luschenat has been integral to many players' success in that area, as has the rest of the player development team. That could be crucial for Carter, should he earn a two-way spot (and even just during training camp).

As noted in Sunday's NBA Notebook, this wouldn't be the first time the Celtics have picked up the Kings' scraps because they saw something. They did the same thing with Neemias Queta in the summer of 2023.

Sacramento waived Queta to make room for JaVale McGee. Boston picked him up, and this offseason, Queta earned a four-year, $56 million contract. So, though Carter hasn't proved much so far, this wouldn't be the first time the Kings failed to develop a talented player.

Boston could use the backcourt help. Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Jayson Tatum are slated to handle most of the team's ball-handling duties, and guys like Mike Conley, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and even Ron Harper Jr. can contribute, too. But adding another guard would be useful.

Carter, who is listed at 6-foot-2, is still just 24 years old. He has plenty of time to come into his own, and joining a developmental hub like Boston should help.

The Celtics have one two-way spot left available, as Amari Williams and rookie Dillon Mitchell are currently filling two. They also have one standard roster spot open, but they seem likely to keep it empty in favor of maintaining financial and roster flexibility.