On the eve of the final regular season game, the Celtics have filled their 15th roster spot, rewarding two-way guard JD Davison with his long-awaited first NBA contract on Saturday.
Davison, drafted 53rd overall by the Celtics in 2022, has spent the last three seasons in Maine with the G-League. Earlier this month, the 22-year-old was named the 2024-25 NBA G-League Most Valuable Player, becoming the second player in franchise history to win MVP, joining 2014-15 D-League MVP Tim Frazier, formerly of the Maine Red Claws.
He averaged 25.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. The 22-year-old made 30 regular season appearances, leading Maine to the postseason for a third straight year. His scoring mark ranked fourth in the league, and his assist mark ranked seventh, making him the only G-League player to place among the top seven in both categories.
The 6-foot-1 guard topped 30 points in 15 games during the 2024-25 campaign. He recorded 13 double-doubles and two triple-doubles. In the postseason, he averaged 34.7 points and 13.3 assists. He appeared in a career-high 15 games with the parent club, the Boston Celtics (Sunday will almost certainly be his 16th), totaling 24 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and a block. He was named to the Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star weekend.
“I definitely wanted it,” Davison said earlier this month on winning MVP. “I think I had a chance to win last year, but coming into this year, I definitely wanted it, but I never thought about it. I just kept playing the game and took it game by game, possession by possession.”
By signing a standard deal, Davison fills the Celtics’ 15th and final roster spot. For luxury tax and flexibility purposes, Brad Stevens typically keeps that spot open throughout the season, and for the second straight year, Stevens opted to convert a two-way contract at the end of the season—last year, it was Neemias Queta.
Two-way players aren’t eligible for postseason minutes, and while Davison has been around for the Celtics’ past two playoff runs, he’s been stuck watching from the crowd—either behind the basket or in Wyc Grousbeck’s seats. Now, he’ll be eligible to suit up.
The contract is a nice nod to the work Davison has put in over his three years in Boston. He is one of the most accomplished players in Maine basketball history, owning the franchise record for points, assists, and steals. He is also fourth in franchise history in rebounds.
Davison, who also leads Maine in games played (133), would not have been ineligible to sign another two-way contract in Boston this offseason, and with the deal reportedly a two-year contract, assuming the second year is a team option, it will give Davison a chance to make the team come training camp in October. Given the roster decisions that loom with the record-breaking luxury tax bill, the Alabama native could factor into the team’s future plans.
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