Torrey Craig details “no-brainer” decision to join the Celtics

NEW YORK CITY — Torrey Craig sat within the bleachers of Madison Sq. Backyard, surrounded by a crowd of reporters at Celtics’ shootaround. Just some ft away, Al Horford acquired up three-pointers alongside a handful of Celtics assistants, whereas Jaylen Brown went via his full-speed capturing routine on the opposite finish of the courtroom.

It hadn’t even been a full hour because the workforce formally introduced the 34-year-old veteran’s signing — however Craig was nonetheless completely satisfied to be across the workforce after a whirlwind 24 hours that noticed him fly from Chicago to Boston, obtain a tour of the amenities, full his bodily, and finally be a part of his new workforce in New York Metropolis late Friday.

Craig, who was waived by the Chicago Bulls final week after spending simply over a 12 months with the workforce, stated that deciding to hitch the Celtics as a free agent was a simple alternative. Becoming a member of a championship contender was crucial to him, he stated.

“You all the time need to play for one thing and compete for one thing,” Craig stated. “I’m a brilliant competitor — and I need to play basketball the precise means on the highest degree. Simply to get a possibility to return play with these guys was a no brainer.”

What Torrey Craig thinks he can convey to Boston

Craig, an eight-year NBA veteran who started his skilled profession in Australia and New Zealand, has loved stints with the Nuggets, Bucks, Suns, Pacers, and Bulls. He’s been to the NBA Finals as a member of the Suns in 2021.

As such, when requested what he can convey to the defending champions as their latest signee, Craig stated “expertise and management” with out hesitation, whereas acknowledging the workforce is contemporary off a title.

All through his NBA profession, Craig averaged 6 factors per sport on 45.4% FG, and shot 35.5% from three. His capturing has trended upwards of late — he shot at the least 39% from three in every of his final two seasons. As such, he expects to shoot open seems when he’s on the ground for Boston, becoming proper into the Celtics’ three-point heavy offense.

“All of the groups that I’ve been on have been preaching to me to shoot your shot and play with confidence,” Craig stated. “It’s no completely different right here. You may inform the way in which they play, the pictures they shoot — they take the pictures which can be accessible to them. Clearly, they acquired robust shotmakers in JB and Jayson. However, all these different guys, they’ll shoot the pictures which can be accessible to them. I’ll do the identical.”

When he was deciding between groups upon getting into the buyout market, Craig stated that the workforce’s connectivity and self-discipline stood out.

“They’re a deep workforce, tremendous gifted,” he stated. “Nicely-coached, well-disciplined. They play the precise means. They know what it takes to win: taking part in protection, taking part in collectively and having one another’s backs. You may simply see it. The workforce chemistry and so they permit one another to feed off one another and play collectively and I believe that’s why they’ve been so dominant these previous couple years.”

Jayson Tatum agreed that Craig can convey versatility and expertise to the roster.

“Veteran presence. A man that may adapt to the group, play off of men, area the ground, set a toughness, be capable to guard,” Tatum stated. “Simply one other man that may add to our group and be versatile on each ends of the ground.

Just some hours earlier than Craig’s signing was first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, Brad Stevens famous that their 14th participant won’t be somebody who’ll repeatedly be within the rotation.

“We consider on this group, and if we convey any individual in, that implies that we consider they’ll add to this group,” Stevens stated. “That doesn’t imply they’ll play, however when known as upon, they are often able to go in large moments.”

It appears like Craig is on the identical web page on that entrance: “Simply coming in and being an additional man each time the workforce wants it,” he stated of his mindset. “Add to the wing depth of this workforce. Simply being one other defender, one other bodily physique that you could throw on the market and produce.”

Craig is rapidly acclimating to a brand-new Celtics group

Craig has beforehand shared the ground with one present Celtic — Jrue Vacation in Milwaukee in 2021 — and described his impression of this present group as overwhelmingly optimistic.

“The toughest half is studying everybody’s names,” he added, moments after shaking palms with quite a few participant growth coaches and workforce personnel at shootaround.

So far as Joe Mazzulla, the 2 spoke on the telephone on Friday evening and chatted additional on Saturday morning. Craig smiled when requested about what he’d heard in regards to the head coach in his first day as a Celtic.

“You don’t really want to listen to a lot about Joe — you possibly can simply see it,” he stated. “I believe he’s a novel coach, positively one-of-a-kind. Undoubtedly a man I stay up for taking part in for.”

Craig’s transient dialog with Mazzulla left him feeling like the 2 have been on the identical web page.

“I just about perceive him, he just about understands me,” Craig stated. “We have already got that understanding of one another and being communicative.”

On Saturday evening, when the Celtics face the Knicks, Craig received’t be energetic, as he’s nonetheless recovering from a proper ankle damage.

He stated he’s day-to-day and that he’s feeling fairly good: “I don’t anticipate to play tonight. However hopefully quickly.”