The Boston Celtics have reportedly signed former Miami Heat point guard Carlos Arroyo to a veteran minimum contract for the rest of the season, according to a report from the Boston Herald.
Arroyo, who was released by the Heat last week in order to clear a roster spot for Mike Bibby, was one of two options that the Celtics were reportedly looking at. The other was Antonio Daniels, a longtime veteran who is currently playing in the NBA D-League.
In 49 games in Miami this season, Arroyo averaged 5.6 points and two assists. Arroyo, who is 31, has averaged 6.7 points and 3.1 assists in his nine-year NBA career. The move gives Boston additional depth behind started Rajon Rondo after Delonte West suffered another injury, this time to his right ankle.
In a retroactive move, Boston will not renew the 10-day contract of backup center Chris Johnson, who they signed following the trades of big men Kendrick Perkins, Semih Erden and Luke Harangody. According to a report from ESPN Boston, Johnson isn't all too upset about the news.
"I worked hard, did whatever I could do in 10 days," said Johnson, who saw limited action after a brilliant debut in Denver for a short-handed Celtics squad that made three moves and traded away five players (including two centers) at the deadline. "Everybody saw I work hard and I felt like I left a mark."
Celtics head coach Doc Rivers had said last week that he had hoped to keep Johnson on the roster, but recent reports indicated that would only happen if Boston was unable to strike a deal with a point guard, like Arroyo.
However, according to the same report from ESPN Boston, don't expect to see Arroyo in Celtic green for that much longer, as he reportedly would not even make an injury-free Celtics squad.
Arroyo is unlikely to have much of a long-term impact if West is able to get (and stay) healthy, but Boston hasn't had a pure backup ball handler behind Rondo very often over the past two seasons and it provides yet another veteran body whom Rivers can toss out there when the situation allows. Projecting a 12-man roster for the postseason, it seems unlikely Arroyo would even make that cut should Boston get all of its troops healthy (a big if for a Celtics team battered and bruised all season).