Devin Carter Waived by Hawks, Draws Celtics Interest for Roster Spot
Atlanta cut the guard they took on for a second-rounder in June. Boston has an open roster spot and the cash for a minimum deal.
A minimum deal in Boston doesn't move the needle yet — wait for a role.
- Carter waived after $5.1M salary took on in June
- 8.9 PPG in 38 games last season (2025-26)
- Shot just 26.3% from three in 2025-26
- Boston has one open roster spot, minimum money
- Hawks still need one more move before opening night
Devin Carter is a free agent. The Hawks officially waived the point guard they acquired back in June — when Atlanta took on his $5.1 million salary from Sacramento and grabbed a second-round pick for the trouble. A roster crunch made him expendable, and once he clears waivers he's on the open market.
The landing spot to watch is Boston. Per insider Jake Fischer, the Celtics are interested, and they've got the pieces to make it work: an open roster spot and enough room to hand out a minimum contract or a touch more. Carter also carries two-way eligibility, which gives Boston a cheaper path if they'd rather keep that final spot flexible.
Carter's résumé is thin but not empty. Across two Sacramento seasons he logged 74 games, and last season (2025-26) he put up 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 38 games. The catch is the shooting — he drilled just 26.3% from three, which is a problem anywhere but especially loud in a Boston system built around volume from deep.
What It Means for Fantasy
In our rankings, Carter sits at #228 overall (#102 among guards) off a 2025-26 line of 18.8 fantasy points per game. That's deep-league fodder at best. The one flicker of intrigue: his last five games ran +14.5 fantasy points above his season average, so there's a pulse when the minutes are there. A minimum deal on a contender rarely comes with those minutes, though.
The bigger domino to keep an eye on is Derrick Jones Jr., whose name keeps popping up in trade speculation. For the record, he hasn't requested a move and isn't expected to — he's in the final year of his deal at $10.5 million and reportedly likes it with the Clippers. In our model, Jones ranks #190 (#67 at forward) after averaging 10.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 21.3 fantasy points per game across 50 games in 2025-26.
Bottom line: don't rush to your waiver wire for Carter. If Boston signs him to the minimum, he's a name to file away, not a name to roster — his usage and shooting both cap the ceiling. Revisit only if injuries thin out the Celtics backcourt and he starts logging real rotation minutes. For now, watch and wait.
