Boston Celtics forward Semi Ojeleye will be with the team at least a bit longer, though his tenure with the Celtics is by no means assured.
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps reported the hyper-muscular wing has had his option for the 2020-21 season picked up by the team, and while that would normally lock a player into a guaranteed deal for the rest of the season, due to the structure of Ojeleye’s deal, the guarantee date (a decision as to whether to guarantee that salary, or set it to $0, effectively waiving a player) remains.
That decision is due this Saturday by Boston, who will likely remain as flexible as possible while they wait out the decision of Gordon Hayward.
The Celtics have picked up Semi Ojeleye's team option for the 2020-21 season, league sources tell ESPN. Ojeleye's contract for next season remains non guaranteed until Saturday, when it becomes a fully guaranteed $1.75 million.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 19, 2020
The Southern Methodist University product has been a solid defender able to at least slow some of the burlier bodies in the league for the Celtics, but has struggled to find his shot consistently in his three seasons in the league.
There’s still a place for Ojeleye with Boston so long as the roster-building shuffle makes enough spots to keep him, even if the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach is hearing it’s unlikely.
And if he ends up a casualty of the crunch created by so many incoming prospects, he’ll likely find a home on another team.
