Things got ugly fast for the Boston Celtics in the 2025 NBA playoffs.
After defeating the Orlando Magic in a stress-free five-game series, disaster struck against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The organization surrendered back-to-back 20-point leads at home and lost their star forward, Jayson Tatum, in Game 4 via a gut-wrenching Achilles injury.
Although it hasn’t been confirmed, Tatum will likely miss most, if not all, of the 2025-26 season, considering he suffered his lower-body setback late in the year (May).
While it will be challenging for the Celtics to replace Tatum’s production, the franchise elected to give it a go by signing Houston Rockets superstar Kevin Durant’s former 6-foot-8 teammate to their summer league roster.
“Jalen Bridges has been added to the Celtics summer league roster, I’ve been told, and will be going to camp with the team in the fall with a chance to make the roster,” the Athletic’s Jay King reported Thursday. “He played for Phoenix (Suns) on a two-way contract as a rookie.”
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Bridges only appeared in eight games with the Suns last season, but he received a golden opportunity to play alongside a Future Hall of Fame bucket-getter in Durant.
The 24-year-old forward averaged only 1.1 points per game on 28.6% field goal shooting and 28.6% three-point shooting.
Still, it’s worth noting that Bridges is a capable perimeter shooter. The West Virginia and Baylor product finished his collegiate career with a respectable 37% long-range shooting percentage, shooting above 39% from deep during two of his four campaigns.
Although Bridges is nowhere near the playmaker Tatum is, his ability to flourish as a spot-up shooter in Joe Mazzulla’s system would help him earn valuable minutes as a second-year pro.
Bridges should treat the upcoming summer league as his first audition for the Celtics.
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