NBA: Celtics Sign Forward, Center's Chances Put Under Threat

The Boston Celtics are continuing to make additions before training camp opens on Oct. 1 and they currently have four players ready to compete for the 15th and final roster spot for the 2019-20 NBA season. Tacko Fall is the Celtics fans’ No. 1 choice for the final roster spot after the big center impressed during the summer league.

Kaiser Gates is the latest addition to the Celtics on a training camp contract, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania. He is expected to compete with Fall, guard Javonte Green and possibly point guard Tremont Waters for the final roster spot.

The 22-year-old is the 19th player on the current roster with the Celtics which leaves one more spot open for the team to fill before training camp begins. Gates comes in after an impressive campaign with the Chicago Bulls’ G-League affiliate Windy City Bulls.

The small forward played three seasons with Xavier before going undrafted during the 2018 NBA Draft. He eventually signed with the Bulls to play in the summer league where he averaged 6.7 points in three games before joining their G-League affiliate for the rest of the campaign.

In 50 games for the Windy City Bulls, Gates averaged 12.7 points and 6.4 rebounds on 40.9 percent shooting. This summer he averaged 8.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in five league games with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Gates will have his task cut out to make the final roster spot for the Celtics before the season gets underway, but the forward’s impressive ability to stretch the floor combined with his ability from beyond the arc could give him a chance. He recently spoke to Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders and explained how he expects his career to pan out if he makes it to an NBA roster.

My first few years or so, I’ll probably be more of a three-and-D guy — stretch the floor, play defense make hustle plays, rebound the ball, things like that,” Gates said, as quoted on Celtics Wire USA Today. “But as I’mma grow, (I’ll) look to expand on my game. Maybe work out the pick-and-roll a little bit and expand from there.”