NBA Rumors: Celtics Champion Finally Lands Next Contract

Only two players from the Celtics championship roster didn’t return to Boston for a chance to repeat.

And it took until the middle of January for one of those players to find his next basketball home. CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning reported Friday that Oshae Brissett signed with the Long Island Nets, which is the G League affiliate for the Brooklyn Nets.

Brissett took a gamble after the Celtics won the NBA title when he declined his $2.5 million player option to test free agency. That decision backfired as Brissett obviously didn’t get the interest he thought and had his offseason drift to the mid-point of the NBA season.

“It has not been easy,” Brissett said on a “BrissyTV” YouTube vlog from earlier this month. “I watch these games. I sit back and watch the big games all day. One, cause I’m a big fan of basketball. But two, I want to see where I can fit in and how I can help and I see it. I’m like, ‘Bro, I’m better than that guy. I’m better than that guy.’ I have confidence in myself knowing that if I get the chance I can go out there and do it. So it’s tough. It’s tough seeing it but I can’t give up.”

Brissett will now get a chance to make it back to the NBA by outperforming G League competition. He averaged 3.7 points and 2.9 rebounds while playing 11.5 minutes in 55 games during his only season with the Celtics. He did have a moment during Boston’s playoff run as he came off the bench in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers to make an impact with two points, four rebounds and three steals.

While Brissett waited for a call from an NBA franchise, he did attend the Celtics celebratory visit to the White House in November.

The Brooklyn Nets, who own a 14-27 record entering Friday, are in a freefall after losing 17 of their last 22 games. But the Nets slipping out of the play-in tournament picture probably is good news for Brissett, creating an easier path for him to get back to the NBA.

Svi Mykhailiuk was the only other member of the Celtics to go elsewhere after Boston won Banner 18. The veteran guard has played in 13 games for the Utah Jazz this season.