On Tuesday afternoon, the Boston Celtics decided the fates of several of their young players. They exercised the team options in the contracts of guys like Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, and Dalano Banton and re-signed Amari Williams on a deal that's yet to have its details confirmed. The odd man out at the moment could be guard Max Shulga, as he didn't receive a qualifying offer after spending his rookie season with the Celtics and will become a free agent this offseason.
There could be a path back for Shulga, though. According to Celtics writer Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, Shulga could join Boston's Summer League roster this July. The first Summer League game for the Celtics tips off in Las Vegas on Friday, July 10, and will provide the former second-round pick with an opportunity to prove himself and maybe score another minimal contract.
During the 2025-26 campaign, Shulga entered just 11 games and averaged 3.3 minutes per outing. He never made much of an impact in his little playing time, however, the Ukraine native put together 14.8 points, 5.7 ******* ists, and 4.6 rebounds per outing in 13 contests with Boston's G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.
These numbers are strong, but not exactly the kind that guarantee a player an NBA roster spot. The 24-year-old will aim to show his worth in Sin City while playing alongside a collection of young Celtics, including rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell who were just selected in the first and second rounds of the 2026 NBA Draft, respectively.
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
There could be a path back for Shulga, though. According to Celtics writer Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, Shulga could join Boston's Summer League roster this July. The first Summer League game for the Celtics tips off in Las Vegas on Friday, July 10, and will provide the former second-round pick with an opportunity to prove himself and maybe score another minimal contract.
During the 2025-26 campaign, Shulga entered just 11 games and averaged 3.3 minutes per outing. He never made much of an impact in his little playing time, however, the Ukraine native put together 14.8 points, 5.7 ******* ists, and 4.6 rebounds per outing in 13 contests with Boston's G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics.
These numbers are strong, but not exactly the kind that guarantee a player an NBA roster spot. The 24-year-old will aim to show his worth in Sin City while playing alongside a collection of young Celtics, including rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell who were just selected in the first and second rounds of the 2026 NBA Draft, respectively.
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
4 months ago
