On this date in Boston Celtics history, the team signed big man Amir Johnson to a two-year, $24 million contract. The Los Angeles native had previously played for the Toronto Raptors for the previous six seasons before decamping to the Celtics, and the Detroit Pistons for four more before that after being drafted directly out of high school by that team 56th overall in the 2005 NBA draft.
Johnson was a key part of the franchise’s post-Banner 17 rebuild, anchoring the team’s interior as a veteran presence while averaging 6.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.9 blocks per game.
Johnson would leave the team in free agency to join the Philadelphia 76ers in the summer of 2017.
It is also the anniversary of forward Jonas Jerebko signing with the team. The Swedish Larry Bird — as he was sometimes called — signed a three-year, $14.5 million deal with the Celtics that same day.
Jerebko had previously played five seasons with the Pistons and provided critical shooting off the bench.
The Kinna, Sweden native averaged 4.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game while with the team, signing with the Utah Jazz as a free agent in 2017.
Today is also the date Boston dealt guard Chris Babb and forward Gerald Wallace to the Golden State Warriors for big man David Lee.
Lee would play just 30 games for the team before being waived by the Celtics, logging 7.1 points, 4.3 boards, and 1.8 assists per game with Boston.
Today is the birthday of former Celtics forward Jordan Mickey, born in Dallas, Texas in 1994 and drafted 33rd overall out of LSU by Boston in the 2015 NBA draft.
Mickey would play two seasons with the team, in which he recorded 1.4 points and 1.1 rebounds per game, and was waived by the Celtics in 2017.
He shares his birthday with former Boston point guard Al Butler, born in Rochester, New York in 1938.
Butler was drafted by the Celtics with the 17th pick of the 1961 NBA draft and would play just five games with the team before his rights were sold to the New York Knicks.
Podcast with Ron Grandison on Bird, Gervin, Reggie Lewis https://t.co/LaQu2pQH6s
— Nick Gelso (@CLNS_Nick) February 6, 2020
Ex-Celtic power forward Ron Grandison shares the birthday as well, coming into this world in 1964 in Los Angeles, California.
He was signed as a free agent by Boston in 1988, and played one season with the team, averaging 2.5 points and 1.3 boards per game.
Jim Paxson and the Microwave getting into it during the 1988 ECF. #Celtics https://t.co/1kULTRMZDy pic.twitter.com/5XrGpLBZ9h
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) July 9, 2020
Finally, former Celtic Jim Paxson — son of player Jim Sr. and brother to Chicago Bulls star John — was also born today, in Kettering, Ohio in 1957.
Coming to Boston in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, Paxson played three seasons with the team, recording 7.6 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
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