Inside The Celtics

Celtics Make Their Latest Free-Agent Signing Official

As the regular season wraps up, the Celtics have filled their final roster vacancy.

Bobby Krivitsky

Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
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With two games left in the regular season, the Celtics, who at 55-25, are locked into the second seed in the Eastern Conference, announced how they're filling their final roster vacancy before the playoffs get underway.

Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported the signing of Justin Champagnie on Monday.

Pronounced "Sham-Penny," the 6-foot-6 forward averaged 18.2 points and eight rebounds in 31.3 minutes through 23 games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the G League affiliate of the Miami Heat, this season.

The former Pittsburgh Panther got named to the 2020-21 All-ACC First Team, becoming the school's first player to earn First Team All-ACC honors.

He then began his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors, producing 2.2 points and 1.9 rebounds while logging 7.5 minutes per game during his two seasons in Toronto. The Raptors waived him in December.

The 21-year-old's best on-court abilities are at the defensive end of the floor.

Don't expect to see Champagnie get playing time in the postseason unless head coach Joe Mazzulla is emptying his bench at the end of a game. But his time in Boston represents an opportunity to continue honing his craft, which could lead to sticking with the Celtics through training camp and earning a roster spot for the 2023-24 campaign.

Even if it doesn't play out that way, any improvement, especially from beyond the arc, will help Champagnie continue to live out his NBA dream, whether that's in Boston or elsewhere.

Further Reading

Jaylen Brown Opens Up About His Relationship with Marcus Smart

Jaylen Brown Shares What Winning the Red Auerbach Award Means to Him: 'I've Put My Everything Into This Team, I've Put My Everything Into This City'

Celtics Discuss Malcolm Brogdon's Sixth Man of the Year Candidacy

Joe Mazzulla Reacts to the Celtics Clinching the Two Seed in the East

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Raptors: Boston's Defense Propels Hosts to Victory in Low-Scoring Affair

Jaylen Brown on His Relationship with Jayson Tatum: 'We’re a Part of Each Other’s Destiny'

[Film Room] What the Celtics Did to Slow Down Giannis Antetokounmpo in Blowout vs. Bucks

The Celtics are Proud of Their Growth, Including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown's Maturation: 'I think We're a Better Team'

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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