According to Chris Forsberg of ESPN, the Boston Celtics agreed to terms with guard Shane Larkin. The former University of Miami standout played in Spain this past season. He averaged 13.8 points and 5.4 assists overseas. Larkin was the No. 18 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and last played for the Brooklyn Nets.
Larkin can revive his career
The son of hall of fame baseball player Barry Larkin lasted three seasons in the NBA before opting to play for Spain. Larkin was a standout for the Hurricanes by averaging 14.5 points and 4.6 assists during his sophomore year.
It was the same year that Larkin was awarded the ACC Player of the Year Award.
However, he could not find sustained success in the NBA. The good news is that he is just 24 years old, and could have a stellar year at a low cost for the Celtics. Larkin could emerge as a potential backup for Isaiah Thomas this season. If Larkin can provide 15 to 20 minutes a game and score about seven points a game, he could show he has value again.
The worst case scenario for the Celtics is that Larkin takes up one of the final roster spots and doesn't play more than five to ten minutes. For what the Celtics are likely paying Larkin, it was a solid move.
Oversized roster haul
The Celtics only have six players returning from last year's team.
Thomas, Al Horford, Jae Crowder, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and Terry Rozier are the only returning players. The Celtics have gone through a complete roster overhaul in order to compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The team signed Gordon Hayward to a max-level contract, traded Avery Bradley for Marcus Morris, and added veteran Aron Baynes.
The rest of the roster consists of two 2016 international draft picks, and three rookies selected from this year's draft. The Celtics have also been linked to multiple trades going forward due to their amount of 2018 draft picks.
Larkin low risk, high reward
Larkin was once regarded as a potential lottery pick before his stock dropped toward the end of his sophomore season.
After spending a year overseas, it might have been a nice change of scenery for Larkin. The team has Smart and Rozier ahead of Larkin in terms of playing time. However, there's no guarantee that Rozier will have a better sophomore campaign.
Larkin wanted to get back in the NBA, passing up $6.3 million to play overseas in order to come back to the NBA. Larkin was the 16th guaranteed contract that the Celtics gave out this offseason.
