The Boston Celtics are down by four key players at the moment after superstar point guard Kyrie Irving underwent a “minimally invasive” knee operation on Saturday. Boston will reportedly request another replacement player exception from the NBA and former No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett has emerged as a “ potential candidate ” to fill the roster spot, per NESN .
It is not yet confirmed whether the NBA has already approved the request as the league is still waiting for the official results of Irving’s surgery. It was said that an independent doctor will verify how long Irving is going to get sidelined, which would be the basis of the league’s approval.
There is no specific timetable with regards to the five-time All-Star’s return, but Hoops Habit indicated that it could take 3 to 6 weeks before he can get back on the basketball court. This means that Irving’s potential comeback may already be in the second round of the playoffs if the Celtics manage to escape the first round.
Boston had lost Gordon Hayward due to a freak ankle injury during their season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Marcus Smart also recently had a procedure to fix a torn thumb ligament while Daniel Theis is out with a knee injury as well. Irving became the team’s fourth casualty with less than 10 games left in their regular season campaign.
NESN’s Dakota Randall reported that the Celtics could sign Bennett, the first overall pick of the 2013 draft, for the rest of the regular season as soon as they receive the NBA’s consent. The 25-year-old power forward is currently playing for the Maine Red Claws, averaging 16.0 points, 7.6 boards, and 1.6 dimes in 21 games for the NBA G League squad this season.
Bennett last played in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2016-2017 season, when he averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in only 11.5 minutes per game in 23 games. He played for four different teams in four different seasons since he was drafted first overall by the Cavs in 2013, suiting up for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Toronto Raptors in each of the following seasons after his rookie year.
The former UNLV standout also played overseas in 2016-2017, appearing in 10 games for Turkish club Fenerbahce in the EuroLeague. However, his 6.3 minutes per game stint had been forgettable, leading him to average 1.2 points and less than one rebound a night at that time.
