LAS VEGAS — The Celtics will be adding some bulk to their frontcourt on the Summer League roster starting with Tuesday’s game against the Denver Nuggets. The team announced late Monday that recent acquisition Bruno Fernando will join the team in Las Vegas for the remainder of the team’s Summer League schedule.
Fernando, 22, was a reserve center with the Hawks for the past two seasons after being selected with the No. 34 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Boston officially landed him, Kris Dunn and a 2023 second-round pick as part of a three-team trade with the Kings and Hawks that sent Celtics big man Tristan Thompson to Sacramento.
According to a league source, Fernando’s addition to the Celtics Summer League roster was delayed until Tristan Thompson passed his physical with Sacramento, clearing the way for the deal to become official on Monday.
Analysis
The 6-foot-9 Fernando has averaged 3.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game over 89 career games. He was mostly buried on the Hawks’ depth chart last season amid their offseason spending splurge, which will make Summer League an important opportunity to make an impression on his new team.
Fernando is in the final year of a three-year contract, earning $1.7 million in guaranteed money this season but would also be somewhat buried on Boston’s center depth chart behind Al Horford, Robert Williams and Enes Kanter. Given the durability issues that Horford and R. Williams has dealt with in recent seasons, it is possible that Fernando could see opportunities periodically.
For now, he gets a chance to man the middle for the Celtics Summer League team while surrounding by some experienced guards and wings. The Celtics played a lot of small ball in their opener Sunday against the Hawks but Fernando’s inclusion to the roster should allow them to provide some better defensive bulk down low and rebounding.
Fernando doesn’t have much shooting range beyond 15 feet but he’s a solid finisher at the rim for his size and should be able to provide a strong presence on the glass.
