Celtics make curious move ahead of stretch run

Shulga posted strong numbers in the G League this season, averaging 15.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.5 steals across 36 contests with the Maine Celtics. But he hasn’t exactly produced during his call-ups thus far, going scoreless across games with the Boston Celtics.

The move left several Celtics fans confused. Many also wondered why the team would prioritize signing Shulga to a standard deal over Ron Harper Jr., who has played a much bigger role for Boston this season.

The Celtics drafted Shulga with the 57th overall pick in last year’s draft, and likely see potential in him that isn’t exactly evident in his box score numbers.

Team president Brad Stevens also deserves the benefit of the doubt for finding several overlooked gems such as Neemias Queta, Hugo Gonzales, and Sam Hauser over the last couple of years. Shulga may simply be the next one in line.