Celtics sign Coty Clarke to 10-day contract

The Boston Celtics have a full roster once again.

The team announced Monday afternoon that it has signed Coty Clarke to a 10-day contract. The team had been carrying an open roster spot since agreeing to terms on a buyout with David Lee last month, so no corresponding move was necessary to add Clarke.

The 6'7'' forward has appeared in 39 games for the Maine Red Claws, the Celtics' affiliate team in the NBA Development League. He has averaged 16.1 points on 50.8 percent shooting to go along with 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 26 minutes per game this season.

Clarke was in training camp with the Celtics prior to the start of this season and made one very brief appearance in a preseason game that lasted less than a minute.

Don't expect his time in Boston to be much more eventful that that lone preseason appearance. The Celtics already have a trio of rookies that have been unable to secure meaningful playing time, spending most of the season shuttling back and forth between Boston and Maine. Fans are clamoring to see more of Jordan Mickey, who has been outstanding in his time with the Red Claws. If Mickey has barely managed to budge off of the bench in his time with the Celtics, what chance does Clarke have?

If Clarke has anything going in his favor as a means to earning playing time, it's that he can play the small forward position, where the Celtics have less depth. Even after Lee's buyout and an injury to Kelly Olynyk, Boston's frontcourt remains too crowded for Mickey to get minutes, while their strong guard rotation has kept first-round picks Terry Rozier and R.J. Hunter glued to the bench.

The Celtics may give Clarke some time on the court in order to see what they have in the 23-year-old. While they already intend to include the three rookies they drafted in their future, Clarke only has 10 days to make enough of an impression to convince the team to sign him for the rest of the season.

Unfortunately, the Celtics may not be able to afford to give him significant time with four games coming up in that span against teams currently holding a playoff spot. The good news is that Boston plays only two games this week, giving Clarke an opportunity to shine in practice. With available playing time uncertain, now seems like the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a light schedule to add a player to use in practice.