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The Celtics’ Xavier Tillman signs a two-year deal following his championship season

Attempts to “run it back” in the NBA are fraught with difficulty due to the current CBA’s numerous regulations. Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe reports that center Xavier Tillman Sr. apparently agreed to a two-year, minimum-salary deal to remain in Beantown, thus adding another member of the 2024 championship squad to the Boston Celtics.

The Celtics were about to lose a number of big guys to free agency after finishing the 2023–24 season with a five-game NBA Finals sweep of the Dallas Mavericks. However, teenage center Neemias Queta, third-year Celtic Luke Kornet, and Tillman were not free agents for long. First up was Kornet’s one-year deal, Queta’s three-year extension after forgoing his team option, then on Tuesday afternoon, Tillman inked a deal with the Green Team.

During the mid-February trade deadline, the former Memphis Grizzlies big man arrived in Boston. Lamar Stevens, a 26-year-old forward, and two second-round picks were his compensation.

The signing of the 25-year-old Tillman did nothing more than strengthen the C’s bench; the team was already a title contender prior to his arrival. He played in 13.7 minutes a game, averaged 4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1 assist in 20 games.

Even while the front management in Boston was primarily interested in Tillman for his defense, he delivered for the Green Team on the biggest stage in basketball. Tillman almost defended the one through five position when starting center Kristaps Porzingis was hurt in the Finals. Even in Game 3, he hung around with Mavericks standout Luka Doncic:

Gаme 3 wаs Tillmаn’s first аppeаrаnce in the Finаls, but thаt wаs nо deterrent. In eleven minutes оf plаy, the nаtive Michigаnder grаbbed fоur bоаrds, scоred three pоints, аnd blоcked twо shоts. Plus, оn his wаy tо а 106-99 win, he hit the cаreer-highest shоt: