Celtics reportedly sign forward Lamar Stevens

BOSTON -- The Celtics added some more wing depth on Friday, reportedly signing forward Lamar Stevens.

Stevens, 26, carved out a nice role for himself in Cleveland last season, averaging 5.3 points and 3.3 rebounds over 18.1 minutes of action. He provided plenty of energy for the Cavs whenever he was on the floor, and ended up starting 25 of the 62 games that he played in.

The Celtics got a first-hand look at Stevens' impact in March when he scored eight points (off 3-for-5 shooting) and pulled down eight rebounds -- six of which came off the offensive glass -- against them in a 118-114 Cavs victory.

Stevens spent three seasons with Cleveland after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State in 2020. He's played 165 games over the last three seasons, averaging 5.3 points and 2.8 rebounds. 

But Stevens cares very little about his stats and focuses more on how he can impact the team away from the scoresheet. He's established himself as a solid defensive forward in the NBA, and will compete for an end-of-bench role with the Celtics in training camp. He could potentially provide some of the grit that Boston lost this offseason following the departure of Marcus Smart. 

Friday's signing was first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic.