Taylor Funk, a 6-8 forward, was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract by the Celtics this week, according to CLNS Media. After a lengthy collegiate career at St. Joseph’s and Utah State, Funk is 26 this season. The agreement puts the shooter on track to become an affiliate player for the Maine Celtics after training camp, and it makes Boston’s 18th signing of the offseason out of a possible 21.
Funk played for the Heat in four Summer League games, making 5-of-19 (26.3% FG), 4-of-17 (3PT, 23.5%), and drawing 0 fouls. He had a shooting percentage of 45.1% at Utah State, 37% from three, and finished his collegiate career with a 42.7% mark (35.7% 3PT on 1,004 attempts). He attended Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s Manheim Central High School prior to his deed.
As a sixth-year senior who would have to sit out the 2020 season due to a hand injury, Alabama, Florida, Miami, Arkansas, LSU, and other schools expressed interest in him. However, he chose Utah State because of the school’s resemblance to Lancaster and its emphasis on playing the four. He will need to play that position in order to get into the NBA, which he will probably do through the G-League.
Boston is still unsure of what to do with its third two-way place after adding DJ Steward earlier this summer, but it still doesn’t provide a player in that spot a lot of professional minutes. That second two-way spot was created by the new collective bargaining agreement, while Exhibit 10 deals still normally offer a bonus to waived players to become affiliate players in the G-League for a set amount.
