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Celtics Rumors: Joe Johnson to Sign 10-Day Contract; Expected to Play vs. Cavs
December 22, 2021
The Boston Celtics are signing Joe Johnson to a 10-day contract, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Johnson, a seven-time All-Star, hasn't appeared in an NBA game since the 2017-18 season. More recently, the 40-year-old earned his second MVP in the BIG3 league in September.
Iso Joe quickly emerged as one of the BIG3's top stars when he debuted in 2019. The 6'7" wing was the league's leading scorer in 2021, averaging 22.8 per contest and shooting 44.2 percent from the field, including 32.0 from three.
Johnson earned a deal with the Detroit Pistons in September 2019 in a bid to relaunch his NBA career, but he was quickly waived a month later.
A door to the Association has opened back up as the league struggles to cope with more and more players entering the health and safety protocols. NBA insider Marc Stein noted that Johnson is the 48th player signed under the hardship exception.
The swingman is a bit of a cult figure among basketball fans, so his move to Boston is likely to be applauded by many.
Johnson averaged 16.0 points per game through 17 NBA seasons, reaching a peak of 25.0 points with the Atlanta Hawks in 2006-07. The No. 10 overall pick in the 2001 draft is 30th all-time in shot attempts (17,719). Given the depleted state of many teams, it's not difficult to envision him going off for a game or two.
The Arkansas native might be asked to contribute immediately for his new team, considering Boston—which drafted him and for whom he played 48 games—hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday. The Celtics have five games on the docket between now and Dec. 31, when his contract expires.