As the Boston Celtics brace for a challenging season without injured star Jayson Tatum, President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens has been forced to get creative with roster construction. Tatum’s torn Achilles has prompted the team to seek low-cost talent to stay under the league’s second tax apron.
The NBA Summer League offered Boston a chance to discover affordable contributors, and forward Charles Bassey emerged as one of the standouts. Averaging 15.3 points and 11.0 rebounds over three games, Bassey impressed enough to generate buzz about potentially earning a roster spot with the Celtics.
However, despite his strong showing, Boston ultimately opted not to pursue him. On Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks announced they had signed the 24-year-old, capitalizing on the Celtics’ decision to pass on the promising big man.
Celtics Move On from Charles Bassey as Summer Standout Signs Exhibit 10 Deal with Hawks
Charles Bassey, a standout from the Celtics’ Summer League squad, has signed a non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 contract with the Atlanta Hawks, per Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While this type of deal offers no long-term security, it gives Bassey a shot to earn a roster spot especially with the Hawks currently holding only 11 fully guaranteed contracts ahead of training camp.
For Bassey, the opportunity was worth the gamble. A 2021 second-round pick by the 76ers, he was waived after his rookie year and spent the last three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. Injuries including a patella fracture in 2022–23 and a torn ACL in 2023–24 limited both his availability and impact, as he averaged 4.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 10.4 minutes per game during his final season in San Antonio.
His strong showing in Summer League sparked speculation he might land with Boston, particularly with the team’s frontcourt depleted following the exits of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. Despite having several big men competing for spots Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher, Luka Garza, Xavier Tillman, and Amari Williams Boston still appears to be searching for quality depth at center.
A report from Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog noted that Bassey was eager to join the Celtics “if the opportunity presented itself.” But in the end, that opportunity never materialized. As Boston continues to assess its frontcourt options, Bassey will look to make the most of his chance in Atlanta.
