Thomas Bryant seemed like an intriguing option for the Celtics in the early stages of NBA free agency, but it appears he's headed to Boston's historic rival.
The free-agent big man has agreed to a one-year contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, who will give him a chance to compete for the starting center position, Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported late Tuesday night.
ESPN's Dave McMenamin reports that Bryant will sign for the veteran's minimum, which is roughly $2.1 million.
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Haynes listed Boston and Los Angeles as teams with "significant interest" in Bryant last week and noted Tuesday that the Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks also pursued the 24-year-old.
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The Celtics could use a backup big man behind talented but injury-prone center Robert Williams and 36-year-old big man Al Horford, especially after trading center Daniel Theis to the Indiana Pacers in the Malcolm Brogdon deal.
Bryant likely would have been the seventh or eighth man in Boston's rotation, however, and it appears the young center is seeking more playing time by joining the team where he began his NBA career in 2017.
Bryant appeared in just 37 games over the last two seasons due to a torn ACL but boasts career averages of 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game with plenty of upside. With his name off the board, the C's may look elsewhere for reserve frontcourt help.