PJ Dozier has officially inked a contract with a new NBA franchise. Following his tenure with the Oklahoma City Thunder in his initial season, reports from Sean Deveney of Sporting News confirm that Dozier has finalized a two-way player deal with the Boston Celtics.
In basketball terms, a two-way agreement allows a player to be part of both the G-League squad and the main team, albeit with restricted playing time. During his recent season, Dozier saw action in two games for the Thunder. In the G-League, the 6-foot-6 combo guard participated in 43 games, starting in 38 of them, and held averages of 13 points, 2.8 assists, 5.6 rebounds, and a 3-point shooting percentage of 33.8%.
The Celtics concluded last season with a 55-27 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, despite the absence of key players like Gordon Hayward for a significant portion of the campaign and Kyrie Irving for various stretches.
Dozier played two seasons at the University of South Carolina and played a pivotal role in the 2017 Final Four team. He notably became the first player to wear Kevin Durant’s renowned #35 jersey upon his arrival at the Thunder. However, Celtics enthusiasts curious about his jersey number switch will discover that Dozier, who is the second cousin of the late Reggie Lewis, opts for #35 to pay homage to a cherished Celtics figure. Since Boston retired Reggie Lewis’ #35, Dozier’s upcoming jersey number remains uncertain.
With the Celtics securing Jabari Bird on a guaranteed contract and Kadeem Allen signing with the New York Knicks, the team has now filled their two-way player slots initially with Walt Lemon Jr. and now with PJ Dozier.
