Celtics reportedly sign Xavier Tillman to a 2-year contract

Another day, another Celtics rotation player being re-signed by Brad Stevens and his staff.

The Celtics retained another player from their 2023-24 championship roster on Tuesday, signing backup big man Xavier Tillman to a two-year, minimum-salary contract, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. 

Tillman marks the fifth contract that the Celtics have handed out in the past three days. 

Boston opened NBA free agency on Sunday by re-upping backup big men Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta on new deals. 

The following day, the Celtics reportedly signed starting guard Derrick White to a four-year, $126 million extension before handing Jayson Tatum the largest contract in NBA history via a five-year, $315 million supermax deal.

Much like the signings of Kornet and Queta, Tillman’s return should further bolster a Celtics frontcourt that is set to open next season without Kristaps Porzingis, who underwent ankle surgery last week and will miss five to six months while recovering. 

Tillman, acquired in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies in February, appeared in 20 regular-season games with Boston averaging 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per contest. His best game with the Celtics came in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals, which saw him hit a corner 3-pointer, grab four rebounds, and record two blocks in a road win against the Mavericks. 

With Tillman back in the fold, the Celtics have already filled 14 of their 15 regular spots on their roster just days into the offseason. Boston’s 2024 first-round pick Baylor Scheierman is currently the only player among that group of 14 who was not on the team last year.

Oshae Brissett could round out that roster if he chooses to return to the Celtics on a new deal, but a league source told Himmelsbach that Brissett is still looking to sign with a team that could offer the athletic wing more playing time.