Celtics Sign Rookie Guard To Full-Time Contract originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Boston Celtics have converted Max Shulga’s two-way contract into a full-scale NBA deal, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Boston selected the rookie guard with the 57th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He has spent the season with the Maine Celtics in the G League.
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Shulga has shown significant promise in Maine. When you include the G League Tip-Off Tournament and Showcase Cup, Shulga has suited up for 36 G League games this season. In those outings, he’s averaging 15.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists, shooting 36.7% from deep and 42% from the field.
Boston’s decision to convert Shulga’s contract is partially due to its need to get back to 14 full-time rostered players ahead of Sunday, March 15. Brad Stevens lowered the Celtics roster to 12 players at the Feb. 5 trade deadline, as he sought to get the franchise under the luxury tax. By waiting until now, salaries (which are pro-rata) should be low enough for the remainder of the season to ensure the Celtics remain out of the tax as Stevens rounds out the roster.
Therefore, Shulga is only the first addition to Boston’s NBA roster. Converting Shulga means Boston is now at 13 full-time roster spots. As such, at least one more addition will be made on Sunday, either to a full-scale deal or on a 10-day contract.
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According to NBA cap expert Keith Smith, Shulga’s addition to the NBA roster doesn’t mean that Ron Harper Jr., who has impressed in recent weeks, won’t be rewarded with a full-scale contract. Instead, that is a move the Celtics will likely make closer to the end of the season, as his contract would essentially count as a two-year vet deal, which comes at a higher price point.
Shulga will face stern competition for playing time with the Celtics. He is firmly behind Derrick White and Payton Pritchard in the rotation. However, guard depth has been an area of need for the Celtics since trading away Anfernee Simons in February. At least now, Joe Mazzulla has an additional ball-handler to lean on, should he ever need to turn to the deeper end of his bench.
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