Torrey Craig didn’t see much on-court action during his brief Celtics tenure. After signing with Boston in February, the 34-year-old veteran appeared in 17 games, averaging 2.7 points in 11.7 minutes per night.
But, if the opportunity presented itself, Craig would love to be back in Boston, he told CelticsBlog after the Celtics’ playoff elimination earlier this month.
“I love everything about Boston,” Craig said. “If it was available, then I would see myself coming back.”
Craig said that the opportunity to be a part of a championship-caliber team is one he’ll always cherish.
“Just being around the guys that previously won the championship – just seeing how they operate, how together they were, just being a part of the Celtic culture,” he said. “That was a cool experience for me.”
Craig is one of the Celtics’ three unrestricted free agents this summer, the others being Al Horford and Luke Kornet. In addition to navigating free agency and the upcoming NBA Draft, the Celtics will also consider offseason trades to reduce their payroll ahead of next season, and get out of the second apron.
As it currently stands, the Celtics would need to shed about $22.7 million in salary to avoid the punitive restrictions that come with being a high-spending second apron team.
The Celtics’ offseason situation is made even more complicated by the reality that Jayson Tatum is expected to miss most, if not all, of next season recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon injury.
Craig said he has confidence that the Celtics can contend even without their leading scorer, rebounder, and playmaker next season.
“It’s a great group of guys, obviously, the situation matters, but I feel like even without JT, this team could still compete for a championship,” Craig said. “They’re talented. You just have to find a way to play basketball a little differently. But this group is way more capable. I have the utmost confidence.”
Torrey Craig provided bench energy and drew praise from Joe Mazzulla
Though his on-court opportunities were limited, Craig became beloved among Celtics fans for his raucous sideline celebrations and infectious energy.
“I get caught up in the game,” he explained to CelticsBlog in March. “I be excited for my teammates, for our team, and I just like to have fun.”
Joe Mazzulla noted on multiple occasions throughout the season that getting to coach Craig has been a luxury, likening his open-minded mindset to former Celtics veteran bench player Blake Griffin.
“He doesn’t care — he just wants to play,” Mazzulla said. “And I appreciated watching a guy who, regardless of the scoreboard, just plays at the level that he plays at, and constantly works. And he’s been doing it a long time.”
Craig said that on top of the Celtics’ championship culture, he particularly appreciated the fact that the organization prioritized family.
He was able to bring his 10-year-old son, Braylon, to several regular-season games toward the end of the season, and apprecaited that Braylon got to sit by the bench and address the team pregame.
“You can tell it’s very family-oriented,” Craig said. “They’re big on kids being around – they’re big on just family being together, bringing people together, doing things in the community.”
Torrey Craig’s son has been having a blast on the baseline tonight
Craig playing some of his best minutes as a Celtic with him in attendance pic.twitter.com/25zrNjnmFf
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) April 12, 2025
Craig said he will meet with his agent and figure out the next steps in his NBA career. Since 2017, the journeyman has enjoyed stints with the Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Mercury, Indiana Pacers, and Chicago Bulls before signing with the Celtics this season.
And, while there will be lots to consider, Craig left very impressed with his Celtics tenure, though it ended earlier than he would have liked.
“Everything’s just done the right way,” he said.
