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Getty Former Indiana Pacers forward Kelan Martin.
No, it wasn’t any big-named buyout candidates. No, it wasn’t a reunion with the ever-loved Isaiah Thomas. However, on Tuesday, February 23, the Boston Celtics added a pair of players to the mix. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Boston is signing forwards Kelan Martin and Malik Fitts to 10-day contracts.
The C’s previously inked Luke Kornet and Sam Hauser to rest-of-season deals to help fill the plethora of roster vacancies created at the trade deadline. Including guard Brodric Thomas — who is on a two-way deal — Boston currently has 15 players under contract.
What the Celtics are Getting
Neither Martin nor Fitts are much of a household name. Yet, they do each boast their own respective NBA resume. Martin, who measures in at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, has appeared in a total of 93 regular-season games over his three-year NBA career. After playing the 2018-19 campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Martin has spent the past two seasons as a member of the Indiana Pacers. In 2021-22, he’s averaged 6.2 points and 2.0 rebounds over 16.4 minutes per game.
Martin, a product of Butler University, has an obvious connection to the Celtics organization. As highlighted by Boston.com’s Tom Westerholm, “[Martin’s] college recruitment began with Celtics GM] Brad Stevens, who spoke to Martin about Butler shortly before he departed for the Celtics in 2013,” via The Indy Star. As a senior for the Bulldogs, Martin averaged 21.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, earning First-Team All-Big East honors along the way.
Back in the day, while playing for the Louisville Legends summer teams in middle school, Martin was anointed “Baby Shaq” by Celtics champion Rajon Rondo, per PeoplePill.com.
Fitts, 24, is a former undrafted player out of Saint Mary’s, by way of the University of South Florida. He spent time with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020-21 and more recently with the Utah Jazz this season. In total he’s appeared in just 10 NBA games, averaging 1.3 rebounds and sub 1.0 points per appearance.
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Source: Heavy
