NBA Free Agency News: Celtics bolster bench depth with underrated $3.3M signing of 2x champ

The Boston Celtics’ roster overhaul continues, and their latest move includes strengthening their frontcourt rotation by signing 6-foot-9 big man Chris Boucher.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday, Boucher is heading to Boston on a one-year deal worth $3.3 million, ending his seven-year stint with the Toronto Raptors, where he was part of their 2018-19 championship run.

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He joined the Raptors in his sophomore NBA season after spending his rookie year with the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors, who also won the championship.

After parting ways with Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet, the Celtics are in urgent need of help in the frontcourt. Boucher is part of the team’s reinforcements, alongside Luka Garza.

In 2024-25, Boucher posted one of his strongest campaigns, putting up 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game while shooting 36.3% from 3 over 50 appearances.

The Celtics are expected to treat the upcoming season as a reset year, focusing on staying under tax thresholds, especially with Jayson Tatum sidelined. In the offseason, they moved on from Porzingis and Jrue Holiday while bringing in Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang.

Earlier on Tuesday, Charania also reported that Boston shipped Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for guard RJ Luis Jr.

Per ESPN cap analyst Bobby Marks, that trade trimmed Boston’s tax bill from $73.1 million to $30.4 million, leaving them $10.2 million below the second apron and $1.7 million above the first.

The Celtics aren’t finished yet either, reportedly exploring trade options for Anfernee Simons, who’s entering the final year of his $27.7 million deal.

Raptors' 2019 championship roster now fully disbanded after Chris Boucher's move to Celtics

With Chris Boucher now joining Boston, the last piece of the 2019 Raptors championship team has officially exited Toronto.

Boucher had been the lone holdover from the Raptors squad that delivered the franchise’s first NBA title. The rest of that core is now scattered across the league or retired.

Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard suits up for the LA Clippers, Kyle Lowry is with the Philadelphia 76ers, Pascal Siakam is with the Indiana Pacers and Fred VanVleet plays for the Houston Rockets.

OG Anunoby now plays for the New York Knicks, Norman Powell is with the Miami Heat and former defensive anchors Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka are no longer in the league.

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About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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