Boston Celtics Waive Former Trail Blazers and Timberwolves Forward

The Boston Celtics have decided to waive former Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jake Layman, who was signed to a training camp deal.

Cutting their roster size down ahead of the start of the 2022-23 NBA season, the Boston Celtics have decided to waive former 2016 second-round pick Jake Layman, first reported by The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach.

According to a league source, veteran wing Justin Jackson will fill the Celtics’ final regular roster spot.

— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) October 15, 2022

Layman, 28, was originally drafted 47th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2016 NBA Draft and ended up making his NBA debut during the 2016-17 season with the Portland Trail Blazers. Spending three seasons in Portland (2016-19), Layman then signed a three-year, $11.5 million contract with the Trail Blazers and was subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves as a part of a sign-and-trade deal.

In six career seasons, three with Portland and three with Minnesota, Layman played in a total of 243 games and averaged 4.8 points and 1.7 rebounds while shooting 46.0 percent from the floor.

Back in September, the Boston Celtics signed Jake Layman to a training camp deal and he had been competing for one of the final roster spots this team had open heading into the 2022-23 season. Unfortunately for Layman, former 2017 first-round pick Justin Jackson beat him out for the roster spot on the wing.

The Boston Celtics are coming off a run to the 2022 NBA Finals and will face some adversity early on in the season without head coach Ime Udoka, who was suspended for the entire year due to a major violation of team rules.

Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics will now be led by interim head coach Joe Mazzulla and will open up the new NBA season at home on October 18 when Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers come to town.