Terry Rozier was one of the young players who helped the Boston Celtics reach the Eastern Conference finals and force a Game 7 against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, despite the Celtics losing Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward last season. In the 19 postseason games he played as the Celtics starting point guard, Rozier averaged 16.5 points, 5.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals on 40.6 percent shooting from the field, and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc.
With his performance in the 2017-18 NBA season, there is no doubt that Terry Rozier is ready for the starting role. Unfortunately, now that Kyrie Irving is 100 percent healthy, Celtics Head Coach Brad Stevens has no choice but to use Rozier once again as their backup point guard. Rozier has said on numerous occasions that he doesn’t have any problem making a huge sacrifice in his game as long as it will help the Celtics achieve their main goal in the upcoming 2018-19 NBA season.
However, with his impending free agency, the future of Terry Rozier in Boston remains uncertain. According to the Boston Globe , Rozier is unlikely to sign a contract extension with the Celtics before Monday’s deadline. A source reportedly told the Boston Globe that it’s hard to envision a deal that makes sense for both Rozier and the Celtics.
“The Celtics and point guard Terry Rozier will not come to an agreement on a contract extension prior to Monday’s deadline, two league sources told the Globe. According to one source, Rozier is determined to become a starting point guard in the NBA, and next summer will seek the minutes and money of a starter, perhaps in the $20 million-per-season range.”
Report: Celtics won’t extend contract of Terry Rozier, who’s seeking starting spot and about $20 million annual salary https://t.co/VwqPRzgkQx
— Kurt Helin (@basketballtalk) October 12, 2018
As a restricted free agent, the Celtics will only need to match the offer from other NBA teams to bring Terry Rozier back. However, if Rozier receives a huge offer in the 2019 NBA free agency, the Celtics could be forced to let him go since their No. 1 priority next summer is to re-sign Kyrie Irving to a long-term deal. Days before the start of the regular season, Irving has already expressed his desire to stay with the Celtics beyond the 2018-19 NBA season.
After giving Marcus Smart a four-year, $52 million contract this offseason, it is highly unlikely that the Celtics will use a huge chunk of their salary cap space for another backup point guard. As of now, it seems like Rozier’s departure from the Celtics is inevitable. With his rumored free agency demands, Rozier is likely to join a new team when free agency hits next July.
