LAS VEGAS – After trading for Paul George, adding Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley in free agency, and drafting Chris Cenac Jr. (27th overall) and Dillon Mitchell (40th overall), Brad Stevens was asked if there were moves to come.
While Stevens didn’t rule anything out, it appears the Celtics’ offseason is largely complete unless the right opportunity presents itself.
“Yeah, I mean, we’re looking. We’re open, right? And we’ll be open. I don’t anticipate anything in the very near term. I think that we do like the team we have,” Stevens said. “We might be able to add to it, but at the end of the day, we like the group we have. We like the people that we think we’ll be able to officially sign. Those types of things. But we’re cognizant that we have a lot of work to do.”
As it stands, 14 of the Celtics’ 15 standard roster spots have been filled for the 2026-27 season. Historically, they’ve left that final spot open until later in the year to maintain roster-building and financial flexibility. That strategy makes even more sense this season, with Boston likely looking to stay below the luxury tax and reset the costly repeater tax. The Celtics currently sit about $1.7 million under the tax threshold.
Boston does, however, have two open two-way roster spots. Players on two-way contracts typically split time between the NBA and G League while remaining under team control, preventing other franchises from signing them away. They are eligible to appear in up to 50 regular-season games but cannot play in the postseason unless their contract is converted to a standard NBA deal.
Second-year center Amari Williams holds one of the two-way spots. The other is expected to go to Dillon Mitchell, Boston’s second-round pick, although he has not officially signed yet. The Celtics could, if they chose, sign Mitchell to a standard deal and remain under the tax.
But given how the Celtics have typically approached that final roster spot, it’s more likely Mitchell will sign a two-way contract.
So what happens with the final two-way?
The Celtics could look outside the organization, promote one of their Exhibit 10 players, or bring back a familiar face. Milos Uzan and Tucker DeVries are among the Exhibit 10 players currently on the roster, while John Tonje — who held one of Boston’s two-way spots last season after being acquired in the trade that sent Chris Boucher and a second-round pick to Utah — could also be considered.
Among the internal candidates, Tonje should be the frontrunner.
After scoring 18 points (6-of-10 FG, 3-of-7 3PT) in Wednesday night’s win over the Kings, the 25-year-old has now scored at least 17 points in three of the four games he has played. He leads the team with 60 points while shooting 47.6% from the field (20-of-42) and 46.2% from three (12-of-26). His 12 made threes are also a team-high. He has also chipped in 13 rebounds, five steals, and two assists.
“I know [a roster spot] is kind of on the back of my mind,” Tonje said. “But I’m really just focusing on getting better each day. I love to improve, and I’m blessed to be here, honestly. So, just leading with that, being grateful every day, and giving everything I have every day, and it will take care of itself.”
The 6-foot-4 guard has built a reputation as a bucket-getter. Before being selected in the second round by the Jazz last year, Tonje led the Big Ten in scoring with 724 points during the 2024-25 season. That total ranked fifth among all Division I players and was the third-most in a single season by a Wisconsin Badger. He also set a school record with 37 points in the NCAA Tournament against BYU.
His NBA experience was limited. He appeared in just six games for Boston, totaling 42 minutes, with 29:36 of those coming in the regular-season finale. In that game, Tonje finished with 13 points (4-of-12 FG, 3-of-8 3PT), four rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
Across 44 G League games between Salt Lake City and Maine, Tonje averaged 17.8 points (45.9% FG, 37.0% 3PT), 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists.
There is no question Tonje can put the ball in the basket. Beyond his scoring ability, though, his approach and the energy he plays with have also stood out to Summer League coach Amile Jefferson.
“He’s become a leader. We can lean on him. And the thing you want as a coach is dependability. You want guys that you know what you are going to get from them. And for me, that’s exactly who he’s been,” Jefferson said. “The one thing that I just want to praise him on is how hard he’s playing. This dude, you know, we’re trying to make people’s dreams come true and help them in their journey, and he’s one of the guys I’m most proud of, because he wants to make it. And when a guy wants to make it, and when a guy wants to be in the NBA, that’s how you look.
“Like, if somebody wants to know how hard it is to be in the NBA, you go see how good he is. And he’s given himself a really good chance, I think. He is definitely an NBA player, and when he plays that hard, it just makes everybody on the team better. So I’m really proud of his growth and the way he attacked this Summer League.”
I asked Amile Jefferson about John Tonje, who he had high praise for:
“He's one of the guys I'm most proud of because he wants to make it. And when a guy wants to make it, and when a guy wants to be in the NBA, that's how you look. If somebody wants to know how hard it is to be… pic.twitter.com/iFFmFLTz7a
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) July 16, 2026
Tonje has the type of skill set teams can work with. He can shoot, he competes defensively, and he brings an energy level that can impact winning. There is a place in the NBA for players like that.
For a Celtics team with one two-way spot still available, Tonje is giving them a reason to keep him in the conversation.
