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Celtics Make Surprise Decision on Rookie Guard's Contract

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Ricardo Klein | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Boston Celtics are set to enter the 2025-26 season looking like a competitive new squad. They will be without a few key players this upcoming season, due to losing them via trade, free agency, or injury.

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All signs point to the Celtics not being the team we've become accustomed to, at least this season. Many on the current roster will be looked at to carry the load for the next couple of months.

The Celtics added a ton of new pieces to the team, including rookie guard Max Shulga.

Boston signed Shulga to a two-way deal at the end of July. Many things regarding the contract were not confirmed, including the number of years, which Hoops Rumors reported on.

According to Hoops Rumors, Shulga's two-way contract covers one season.

This is a bit of a surprise move by the Celtics, considering that many of those second-round draft picks that were drafted ahead of them signed two-way deals that were worth two seasons.

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The Celtics may have gone this route, knowing they likely won’t have the roster to truly chase a title this season. With 2025-26 shaping up to be more of a gap year for Boston, taking a chance on an undrafted guard felt like a swing worth taking.

Shulga was selected 57th overall by the Orlando Magic, but his rights were quickly dealt to the Celtics. Boston acquired both the No. 57 and No. 46 picks in a draft-night trade that sent the No. 32 selection to Orlando.

What kind of role Shulga might carve out in Boston remains to be seen, but if he shows out in training camp and preseason, the Celtics could find a spot for him. They’re already entering the year banged up, and with the possibility of being without Jayson Tatum for the entire season, depth will be crucial.

Shulga joins the league after wrapping up his college career at VCU, where he averaged 15.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.8 steals per game on 43.5 percent shooting from the field and 38.7 percent from 3. He appeared in 35 games, logging 32.8 minutes a night.

Shulga stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 210 pounds. The 23-year-old could wind up being a useful depth piece for a Celtics team looking to stay competitive in what’s expected to be a challenging season, even in the lowly Eastern Conference.