Celtics Trim Roster by Waiving Former Five-Star Guard
In preparation for the upcoming regular season, the Boston Celtics have been making roster adjustments. On Saturday, they made the decision to release guard DJ Steward and big man Wenyen Gabriel.
These roster cuts didn’t come as a big surprise. While the Celtics had a keen interest in evaluating Steward, it was always a long shot for him to secure a spot on the final roster. Gabriel, who provided depth in the frontcourt, also found himself on the waived list, despite his local ties. It’s worth noting that the Celtics are allowed to have a maximum of 15 players on their regular roster, in addition to three two-way contract signees.
Steward had a limited opportunity to showcase his skills in three preseason games, where he managed to contribute five points in just 12 minutes of play. Although he didn’t get extensive playing time, he did have a chance to display his talents in front of the Celtics’ coaching staff.
The 22-year-old Steward was once a highly regarded five-star recruit in high school. After his college stint at Duke in the 2020-21 season, he entered the NBA Draft. During his time at Duke, he averaged 13.0 points, although his performance was impacted by the pandemic-related disruptions.
Following the 2021 NBA Draft, Steward went undrafted but persevered with the Sacramento Kings organization through the Summer League and their G-League affiliate. In his previous season, he managed to average 12.0 points and 4.3 assists while playing for the Stockton Kings. Now, he’ll seek to continue his professional basketball career after being released by the Celtics.
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