Jalen Bridges embraces his alternative with Summer season League Celtics

After spending his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Phoenix Suns, 24-year-old ahead Jalen Bridges is utilizing a chance with the Summer season League Celtics to discover a new dwelling in his younger NBA profession.

Bridges — a four-year school participant that had stops at West Virginia and Baylor — was added to the Summer season League roster two weeks in the past, reportedly with a chance to battle for a roster spot at coaching camp this fall.

Beginning out the 2026 summer season league as a DNP, Bridges was thrust into the beginning lineup Sunday, delivering an environment friendly 16-point efficiency in just below 23 minutes throughout Boston’s 94-81 win over the Knicks. It was a productive two-way effort from the 6-foot-8 wing, who shot 6-of-10 from the sector, grabbed 5 rebounds and got here away with two steals and two blocks.

A day later towards the Miami Warmth, Bridges performed 12 minutes in a 100-96 loss.

After a recreation spent on the bench whereas Boston followers extolled over the tenacious debut effort of first spherical choose Hugo Gonzalez, head coach Matt Reynolds praised Bridges for a workmanlike efficiency that helped the staff to victory.

“I noticed a man that’s able to play,” Reynolds stated. “It’s not simple to try this, to look at from the bench after which get inserted right into a beginning lineup and simply fill a task.

“I don’t suppose he was on the market making an attempt to do an excessive amount of. He does precisely what you count on him to do. He’s a professional, he is aware of what he’s doing and we commend him for stepping in having not performed and contributing to a win.”

In his lone season as a professional, Bridges had been a reliably productive perimeter shooter with dimension to crash the glass. Although he made eight temporary appearances for the Phoenix Suns final yr, Bridges had a promising pattern dimension with their G-League affiliate, the Valley Suns, scoring 14 factors per recreation throughout 31 common season appearances, ending with taking pictures splits of 42/39/79 to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists.

It’d in the end be a one-year trial for Bridges in Phoenix, and now he’s embracing the chance to impress for a Celtics staff that presently has a full roster, however room to maneuver come coaching camp.

“Issues form of fell by way of there, they selected to go in a distinct course,” Bridges stated of his time in Phoenix. “I’m very self-aware, I don’t essentially really feel I gave them causes to maintain me. I felt like I had a very good season, however I do know what I’m able to and I didn’t really feel like I performed as much as that. I’m simply completely satisfied for this chance.”

In his early minutes in Las Vegas, Bridges is leaning into his capacity as a floor-spacing perimeter shooter, however he talked about prioritizing effort within the little issues as the first methodology wherein he’ll earn minutes on the ground and possibilities at open photographs.

“My targets are simply to exit and play onerous, play with effort,” he stated. “I really feel like while you do this the basketball gods care for you, the ball simply appears to search out you, whether or not that be in transition, making a layup, making a simple open shot. Once you play onerous, the remainder takes care of itself. That’s simply actually what I’m making an attempt to hold my hat on.”

Hailing from Fairmont, Bridges is a uncommon West Virginia native on the NBA degree. The Fairmont Senior Excessive standout is the primary NBA participant from the state since Donte Grantham, who performed in three NBA video games in 2019. Previous to that, Deron Williams and O.J. Mayo had been the latest recognizable faces from the Mountain State, although neither has performed since 2018.

“I do know the place I come from, and I’m not making an attempt to return so I’ve gotta go a little bit bit more durable than everyone else,” Bridges stated. “That’s simply the truth of the scenario, particularly when you will have that undrafted tag on you.”

Bridges additionally has a small built-in connection to Joe Mazzulla, who coached his cousin throughout his time as head coach at Fairmont State.

After some promising moments in his first minutes of motion, Bridges will proceed to get alternatives in Vegas to indicate Boston’s teaching employees that he’s a severe candidate for a roster spot this season.