Celtics ‘trying to still get a contract done’ with Tacko Fall, says Danny Ainge

Tacko Fall quickly became a fan favorite during the Boston Celtics' Summer League games out in Las Vegas this month. C's supporters are hoping he earns a spot on the roster, either in Boston or with the Maine Red Claws, and it sounds like the team is trying to make it happen.

"We're trying to still get a contract done with Tacko," Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Thursday on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Toucher and Rich." "We haven't signed him yet. So I really can't say much more about Tacko than we're just trying to get him in the fold."

The Celtics signed the 7-foot-6 center to an Exhibit 10 contract before Summer League. Fall went undrafted after playing four seasons for the University of Central Florida before joining the C's. The 23-year-old averaged 7.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in five Summer League games for Boston.

Ainge noted Wednesday that Fall is "a high priority" for the franchise.

"Tacko is fun to watch," Ainge told reporters after the introductory press conference for free agent signings Kemba Walker and Enes Kanter. "I mean, he makes me laugh. Some of the plays he makes are hilarious, because you just don't see them. Guards get in a bind and they just throw the ball up in the air and then Tacko grabs it and tip-toe dunks it into the basket.

"It just looks like a senior in high school playing against fourth-graders sometimes out there. He's a great kid, he's working really hard. We want to take his development very, very seriously. He's a high priority for us to try to really develop into a player."

The Celtics have an open roster spot, so there is room to sign Fall and keep him in the organization. Boston's frontcourt has undergone quite a transformation since the end of the 2018-19 season. Al Horford, Aron Baynes and Marcus Morris all departed via free agency or trade, while Kanter, Vincent Porier and Grant Williams (draft) all have been added. Robert Williams, who was a 2018 first-round pick but didn't play much as a rookie, also should see increased minutes at center next season.