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Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers released the following statement on Jason Collins, who revealed in Sports Illustrated that he is gay:

"I am extremely happy and proud of Jason Collins. He’s a pro’s pro. He is the consummate professional and he is one of my favorite “team” players I have ever coached. If you have learned anything from Jackie Robinson, it is that teammates are always the first to accept. It will be society who has to learn tolerance. One of my favorite sayings is, 'I am who I am, are whom we are, can be what I want to be it's not up to you, it’s just me being me.'"

Quick hits following Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge's weekly appearance on Boston sports radio WEEI (93.7 FM) Thursday.

On if he's concerned about Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett not being rested for the playoffs: "Yes, always am. Paul and KG have been incredibly durable throughout their entire careers and they take good care of themselves. But I do think that they need rest. If we have any chance of winning playoff basketball games, we need those guys fresh, healthy. And Paul's neck thing (more on that HERE), I think it sort of comes and goes, but there was a stretch when we were in that losing streak, I actually think that might have been one of the biggest factors -- Paul was not 100 percent and yet he continued to play. That's just who Paul is. But I think Doc is determined to cut those guys' minutes down now that we have a little bit more depth on the bench and we'll get some bodies in here. That's a big part of the second half of the season, getting them healthy."

On if he was at all hesitant to trade Jason Collins: "Sure. Nobody wanted to lose Jason. But I think where Jason is in his career, I think Jason is a player that plays a role that is a little bit easier to find than a Jordan Crawford, who is a young potential. We liked Jordan Crawford when he came out of college. He's a guy that we had contemplated on drafting and done a lot of research on and studied a lot and we've always liked Jordan. And he's a young guy that's scoring 18 points per game per 36 minutes off the bench and he's a unique player, and I think it's just a much more valuable asset for us going forward and for right now."

On whether he ever has disputes with ownership over trade scenarios: "No, and I'll tell you why: First of all, we've had some disagreements on what we should do. But if I feel like if I had a deal that I would die for, that I would put all the marbles on the table for, I believe they would do any deal that would be that way. And, fortunately, as you know, most deals aren't that. Most deals are pros and cons. They're 55/45 and so there's a lot of deals that are discussed. There are disagreements internally between Doc and myself and ownership on bigger deals. But for the most part, we are on the same page of what are good deals and what aren't."

On why he seems so unwilling to move older players (such as Garnett and Pierce) for younger players: "Well first of all, if I felt like there was a player that was in their mid-20s that was a piece to build around and wasn't just a rotation player, as an example, but was actually a building block, a future star or a future All-Star, or one of those pieces, then we probably would do that. But they're far and few between, and I don't see anybody giving those players away for aging veterans."

On if the new collective bargaining agreement had an impact on the limited number of trades this season: "I think the collective bargaining agreement had a little bit to do with it because, for the first time this year, we experienced some of the new rules with the bargaining agreement, which affected us. Basically, we're functioning under a hard cap because we chose to use a mid-level exception being a tax team. So, that stifled some movement. I don't think it really prevented us from doing too much. I still think we could have found ways, financially, to do deals that we wanted to do or that we were talking about doing. But it did have a little bit of a hold on us.

"Second of all, I think that it's hard to find trading partners. People are reluctant to trade. There's so much scrutiny, there's so much evaluation on all of the talk shows and all of the media, so I think sometimes people get cold feet. You talk for three weeks about doing deals and at the very last (minute) they want a much less deal that is really easy to sell and those deals are usually not good enough for the other team."

On whether he could have eventually gotten Garnett to soften his stance on his no-trade clause: "I don't know the answer to that and we never got to that point, so it doesn't even matter. KG has earned the right to dictate his destination and we never got close enough to a deal for either one of them to even have those conversations."

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Jason Collins is no stranger to trades. Heck, his first night as an NBA player he got flipped from Houston to New Jersey after being selected with the 18th overall pick (this after the pick that was used to select him was dealt three times before it even landed with the Rockets).

Twelve seasons, four teams and three additional trades later, the 34-year-old Collins is off to Washington after the Celtics dealt him there as part of a package to bring back Jordan Crawford at Thursday's trade deadline.

Collins gushed about his time in Boston on Thursday while departing from the team hotel and prepping for his next NBA adventure with the Wizards. Trades, he noted, are simply an occupational hazard.

"That's part of the NBA. You're not just making a commitment, but you're making a commitment to yourself and then to the team and understand that there's a business side to the sport," said Collins. "It's not the first time I've been traded. Obviously, I understand everything that's involved in it."

Collins averaged 1.2 points and 1.6 rebounds over 10.3 minutes per game in 32 appearances for Boston, including a seven-game stint as a starter. The Celtics moved him Thursday in looking to add guard depth after being thinned by season-ending injuries to Rajon Rondo and Leandro Barbosa.

"I enjoyed every minute of it," said Collins. "Playing with future Hall of Famers, playing for a future Hall-of-Fame coach, in my opinion, in Doc Rivers -- one of the best coaches in the league. I learned a lot even for someone who's played 12 years in this league. I'm still learning new things every single day. I learned a lot from him. It was an honor to play for one of the greatest organizations in the history of the NBA."

Collins, a native of the Los Angeles area, said there's a small silver lining to being dealt while in these parts.

"I guess it's kind of fortunate that this is my home," said Collins. "So I'll be with friends and family tonight and on the plane back to Boston to pack up my stuff and then on to D.C."

As for any potential buyout with the Wizards, Collins wasn't concerning himself with that possibility.

"That's for agents and stuff like that," he said. "For me, I have a responsibility to honor my contract and move forward from there."

It takes a coach's eye to truly appreciate what Jason Collins brings to the court. But, heck, even a coach's son can appreciate the little things Collins is doing to help the Boston Celtics right now.

"You know, I don’t care about the statistical part of it, he’s just been doing [good things] all year," said coach Doc Rivers. "It’s funny, my oldest son was at [Friday's] game [versus Orlando] and he said, ‘Golly, every time Jason Collins comes in something good happens.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, Jeremiah, it’s really a wise statement.’ He’s right. [Collins] doesn’t do bad things; he just does a lot of good things.”

It's rarely pretty, but Collins has established himself as a serviceable 7-footer who sets hard screens, gives hard fouls, and plays hard defense. While the Celtics have waited patiently to add extra big-man help to a depleted front line, Collins has quietly provided quality minutes in small doses.

Over the last four games since Rajon Rondo was lost for the season, Collins has aided the uptick in production from Boston's bench. He's plus-26 overall in plus/minus during that four-game stretch and, even though he's only taken two shots, he's logged 45 solid minutes in which he's given 12 fouls (and drawn nine from opponents).

Collins' efforts were spotlighted briefly Sunday when he set a hard screen on Eric Bledsoe as Paul Pierce hit a 3-pointer from the right wing midway through the third quarter. Bledsoe got whistled for a foul trying to plow through the screen to contest Pierce's shot and Collins made the free throw to cap a rare four-point play.

"That’s my role on the team: Just try to free up the shooters," explained Collins. "With the Clippers, it’s a little bit easier to set flare screens, because they do a great job of packing in the paint, and loading to the ball. They really set themselves up to flare screens, and I was just trying to get my shooters open."

Collins is the first to admit he's offensively limited -- even after he tossed in a season-high seven points over 12 minutes against the Clippers -- but he frees up others with his screens and, on the defensive end, he's quietly been super effective.

According to individual defensive stats logged by Synergy Sports, Collins is allowing a mere 0.657 points per play, which ranks in the 97th percentile among all NBA players. Opponents are shooting just 32.9 percent (26 of 79 overall) in plays that finish against him.

Collins has played well enough to stay in front of Chris Wilcox in Boston's current big-man rotation. In fact, his play has allowed the Celtics to take their time adding depth up front, even after the loss of Jared Sullinger last week.

Yes, it's not the flashiest play, but the 34-year-old veteran's efforts are not going unnoticed. Particularly by his coach -- and even the coach's son.

BOSTON -- Despite feeling a bit under the weather in recent days, Courtney Lee turned in 17 inspired minutes during Monday night's win over the Bobcats and produced the hustle play of the night in the fourth quarter when he won a track meet down the floor and blocked Hakim Warrick as he went up for a layup.

Lee finished with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting with the block and a steal.

"It was a big man running down the middle and I know that my feet are a lot faster than his, no offense to him," said Lee. "You don't want to give up on a play, especially a play that you can get back in. So I just play hard the whole time."

When asked where that hustling nature comes from, Lee got a bit heavy with reporters.

"Oh, man, if you really want to get deep to it -- I want you all to hear this, man: You can take it back to just life period," said Lee. "I mean, I didn't have the best childhood, but you continue to fight and I use that same philosophy on the court. Something might not be going right, but you can always give effort. Effort takes no talent."

After struggling to carve out his role at the start of the season, Lee is settling into a nice groove. In seven games this month, Lee is averaging 8.1 points per game on 59 percent shooting overall, which includes shooting 45.5 percent beyond the 3-point arc.

* COLLINS' BIG IMPACT: Even as Chris Wilcox (thumb) nears a return, veteran big man Jason Collins has contributed some solid minutes lately. With rookie big man Jared Sullinger in early foul trouble on Monday, Collins played eight minutes and chipped in three points, four rebounds, and two assists.

"He does it every night," said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "He’s Groundhog's Day if there was ever one. He just comes in, he does the same thing: Blocks shots, takes a charge, gets his body in the way. He’s going to bang, he’s prepared; He’s such a pro. It’s just good to have him around."

* WILCOX BACK ON BENCH: Wilcox, sidelined since mid-December with a thumb issue, dressed for Monday's game and was on the active roster, but knew he wasn't going to get in the game (and even resisted the urge to make himself available when Sullinger got early foul trouble). Wilcox said he still wants to get in another practice or two before a potential return to game action. And while it was good to be back on the bench with his teammates, Wilcox admitted it only made him a bit more antsy to get back on the floor. Wilcox was averaging 5.1 points per game in December while shooting a healthy 73.1 percent from the floor before his injury.

* BULLPEN BARBOSA: Rivers elected to go with backup guard Leandro Barbosa over Jason Terry for a late fourth-quarter stretch on Monday. Boston's coach admitted it was simply a gut feeling. "Just a feel, honestly," said Rivers. "I thought we needed energy. And [Barbosa is] always ready. He is terrific. He’s always ready.” Rivers clearly enjoys the luxury of having established veterans like Barbosa and Collins able to contribute in short minutes without worrying about their roles.

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Boston Celtics forward/center Chris Wilcox returned to practice activities on Thursday, a step forward in his rehab for a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb. But while Wilcox is ahead of schedule, he tempered expectations about his game availability moving forward.

"I’m going to go out here and see what I’m comfortable with," Wilcox said before Boston's afternoon session. "That’s not saying if I go out here, I’m going to play tomorrow. I want to go out here and see what I can do and what I feel comfortable with...

"I’m going to definitely get out there and get up and down with the team, just try to get some plays -- we put in a couple new plays -- run through that stuff and see how I am. Catching the ball, getting the feel of shooting a little bit, and we’ll go from there."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers suggested Wilcox would be out as much as a month when initially detailing the injury in late December, which would suggest his projected return is still a ways out, even if he accelerated that time table.

"He’s ahead," said Rivers. "I don’t know what that means, because I don’t really know what the schedule was. But it’s funny, [team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] told me yesterday that he’s ahead of schedule, and I said, ‘Well, I never knew what the schedule was.’ I guess that’s good news. That’s all I can tell you."

Wilcox sported a thick tape wrap around the injured thumb and wrist to stabilize it. His return to the practice floor alone added some much-needed depth up front for a Boston team cobbling its way through some injury woes.

Rivers said veteran center Jason Collins is battling minor hamstring and ankle ailments and the Celtics have tried to limit his game action while he heals. Collins has played a total of just nine minutes over the last three games, but a need for pure height pressed him into minor action against both the Hawks and Suns.

"Jason is still injured, so we’re still trying to get through this stretch without using him much," said Rivers.

Rookie Fab Melo, sidelined since late December after sustaining a concussion while hitting his head on a doorway while on assignment with the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, was on the floor before Boston's practice on Thursday. But team officials said Melo has not been cleared for contact and remains unable to participate in team activities as he attempts to pass the league-mandated requirements to return from the head injury.

Once healthy, Melo will almost certainly be returned to the D-League in order to resume his development. He had a couple of breakout games before the accident in South Dakota forced him to push the pause button on his time with the Claws.

Whether it was because he had played in Tuesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls for the first time since Dec. 1, or because head coach Doc Rivers had suggested lineup changes were on the horizon, Jason Collins showed up to Wednesday's matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers ready to play.

Even before he got the official word from Rivers that he would be making his first start of the season, Collins sat in Boston's locker room with Rajon Rondo, examining video of Cleveland from their game the night before against Toronto and discussing pick-and-roll coverages of point guard Kyrie Irving.

It was a snapshot of why Collins was called upon. Rivers wanted professionalism, toughness, and a guy that would do his job, plain and simple. Collins didn't disappoint, playing a season-high 23 minutes before fouling out, finishing with a +23 in the plus/minus column -- a sign of the impact he had in Boston's 103-91 victory that snapped a three-game losing streak.

Collins, perhaps most importantly, took pressure off of Kevin Garnett, in multiple ways. He started at center, allowing Garnett to slide back over to the power forward spot, and when they shared the floor together, they proved a capable defensive duo through their mutual habit of loud communication and reliable pick-and-roll defense.

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BOSTON -- Jason Collins got the official word from head coach Doc Rivers about 50 minutes prior to tipoff on Wednesday: He would be starting for the first time as a Boston Celtic.

With the C's mired in a three-game losing streak and in need of yet another rotation shakeup, Rivers turned to the player he's used less than any other this season and Collins delivered by impacting several key areas in Boston's 103-91 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night at TD Garden.

The basic stats won't jump out of the box score: one point, two rebounds and six fouls in 23 minutes for Collins. But a glance at the plus/minus column painted a more potent picture of Collins' overall impact. Collins registered plus-23 for the game, good for second on the team behind only Paul Pierce, who was plus-29 while scoring a season-high 40 points.

There was no highlight dunk for Collins, no stellar block or nifty steal along the baseline; he didn't gobble up every missed shot or ignite a scoring run for Boston. But he did set hard screens for his teammates, make the proper rotations on the defensive end, look to both take charges and challenge Cleveland's looks around the basket, and, above all else, bring some professionalism and toughness to a team that needed a sense of accountability.

As a testament to all that Collins did for his team, Pierce hand-delivered him the game ball afterward.

“Well, Jason really fills up the lane and he’s not afraid to take charges," said Pierce. "Another big body to come out on people who likes fouls, he takes charges. He throws his weight around. That’s something that we need sometimes. Guys who go out there, put in that type of grit, that defense that we need. He was able to do that. He was able to show exactly, by example, what we need out there at different times. That’s exactly what we needed tonight, some toughness."

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Celtics coach Doc Rivers, who's dealt with more lineup-related questions this season than perhaps ever, seemed ready to be asked about Chris Wilcox playing only three minutes in Saturday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Jason Collins, the Celtics' other backup center option, took the bulk of the minutes, with a season-high 14.

"Yeah, Jason gives us size and he's playing well," Rivers said afterward. "He played well [Friday], he helps out. Chris does his things, too, so I got a feeling it'll be back and forth all year."

It's worth acknowledging that Wilcox was in a bit of a funk the latter part of last week, dealing with a strange stomach bug that forced him out midway through last Wednesday's loss to the Brooklyn Nets and caused him to miss practice on Thursday. Even though he played Wilcox for 14 minutes in Friday's win, Rivers cautioned before the game that he wasn't looking to overextend him.

As Wilcox rights himself, he could easily re-obtain the consistent minutes he was getting before his illness, though two productive outings by Collins over the weekend could adjust Rivers' thinking a bit.

A productive night for Collins consists of solid defense and rebounding. His stats will never jump off the page; judging his impact on the game will be more about the eye test than anything. But with the team's defense still trying to catch up to its offense, Collins' knowledge of the rotations might take on a greater weight, particularly with Boston still trying to plug up some serious gaps when Kevin Garnett is off the floor.

Rivers' decisions in this particular case might not be as significant as some of his earlier ones, like his call on keeping Brandon Bass in the starting lineup over Jared Sullinger, for example. Both Wilcox and Collins have very specific roles, and playing inconsistent minutes shouldn't impact their ability to fulfill those roles the way it might impact some of Boston's core guys.

Whether he plays five minutes or 15, Wilcox will be expected to spark the second unit, run the floor, and connect with Rajon Rondo on an alley-oop or two. The same goes for Collins and his responsibilities. No matter the minute count, he's expected to be a presence inside defensively.

Rivers won't etch his plans in stone for either. As he alluded to after Saturday's loss, this could be a back-and-forth endeavor for the remainder of the season.

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Jason Collins knows he'll be utilized most as a situational player for the Celtics this season, mainly when the Andrew Bynums and Dwight Howards of the NBA are in the opponent's lineup.

But other factors -- injuries, primarily -- could rewrite the script at any point during the season, and even though he can't predict which situations he'll be needed for, Collins made sure this past summer that he'd be physically ready for any of them.

Collins is coming off of one of his most grueling offseasons ever, which saw him adopt an intense workout regimen that helped him cut his weight, slim down, and significantly improve his conditioning.

"Just a lot of training," Collins said of what his offseason consisted of. "It was something different every day, but I really did a lot of CrossFit type stuff. So, I did a lot of CrossFit exercises, and a lot of cardio, a lot of running on the treadmill. And then, also, random stuff like yoga. I did just about everything as far as conditioning and strength training-wise to really get in the best possible shape I could."

Collins' typical playing weight used to be between 255 and 260 pounds, but he managed to get as low as 235 during the summer. At that point he was too light, though, and he got himself back up to 245. The most encouraging part of the regimen was that Collins was able to shed weight without sacrificing the strength he needs to be a stable post defender against some of the NBA's juggernauts.

"I'm strong as ever," Collins said. "That wasn't so much an issue, just as, for me to be most effective, I need to be around 245. At least."

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Jason Collins will enter the 2012-13 season as a situational player for the Boston Celtics, one of the less-glitzy additions to a completely overhauled bench.

But that’s fine with the 12th-year veteran, a defensive specialist who’s more likely to impact the opposing team’s box score than catch your attention with his stat line. He says his job is to simply be ready when called upon.

That includes situations like Saturday night’s exhibition tilt with the New York Knicks in Albany, N.Y. With Boston holding out Kevin Garnett (rest), Darko Milicic (wrist), and Brandon Bass (knee), Collins got thrust into a spot start.

The soon-to-be 34-year-old quietly chipped in four points (hitting the only shot he took) and three rebounds over 9:49. He started both halves and watched as Boston rallied from as much as a 20-point deficit to top the Knicks 109-98 at the Times Union Center.

The Knicks, playing without Amare Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler, Rasheed Wallace, and Marcus Camby, stayed small most of the night, forcing the Celtics to match and limiting Collins time on the floor.

Collins knows his minutes with come in that sort of sporadic chunks this season and will likely depend heavily on situational opportunities. But don’t let that diminish Collins’ potential impact. When you’re a 12th man on a championship-caliber team, it’s important to have a specific strength and be able to keep yourself ready.

Boston’s 2007-08 championship team had a couple guys like that, one of which was Brian Scalabrine. Which is appropriate for this Collins discussion. Allow Paul Pierce to explain.

“Scal always brags about [Collins], he thought he was the best post defender in the NBA,” said Pierce. “He always mentioned that. [Collins is a] solid veteran, he’s not going to be asked to play big minutes for us, but he’s a true professional. He’s in the gym, he’s staying ready in the weight room, keeping his body in shape. He’s going to be called upon at some point in this season to probably play some big minutes and we know he can be a solid contributor for us.”

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BOLTON, Mass. -- When it comes to accepting his role with the Celtics this season, Jason Collins will be nothing but realistic.

The 7-foot veteran of 11 NBA seasons certainly has value when Boston opposes the Dwight Howards and Andrew Bynums of the league, but on a nightly basis, consistent minutes might not be in the cards for Collins, and that's just fine by him.

"My role is to be ready," Collins said Tuesday prior to the Celtics' Shamrock Classic golf tournament at The International. "I never know what night my name and number is going to be called, but my job is to go out there, be physical, play solid defense, and contribute on the offensive end whenever possible. We have a lot of scorers. I don't think they'll be counting on me for that."

Collins' size, veteran status and professionalism were all alluring from the Celtics' perspective, and Boston stood equally enticing in his eyes, with a talented roster, an appealing coach and a chance to compete for a title.

"It's a great organization, starting from ownership and all the way down," Collins said. "It's an opportunity to play for Doc Rivers and playing with hall-of-famers, and this is my best opportunity to win an NBA championship. We have a lot of depth on this team, so a lot of guys who could be playing a lot of big minutes someplace else are all buying in and sacrificing and trying to win a title."

Rivers' reputation as a coach players want to play for was only enforced by Collins, who sought out the perspective of several others who've played under Rivers in the past.

"I've heard nothing but good things," Collins maintained. "Brian Scalabrine was a teammate of mine in New Jersey for a long time and he talked about him, and just hearing nothing but good things about the kind of person he is and the kind of coach he is, and I'm looking forward to having a great year."

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Our over/under series, where colleague Greg Payne and I attempt to project a Celtics player's production for the upcoming season, draws to a close this week. Today's target: veteran center Jason Collins, who inked a one-year deal at the veteran minimum this offseason.

Minutes per game: 10

* Forsberg: Under. If we use Ryan Hollins as a guide here, last year's third center averaged 10.7 minutes per game in 15 appearances late in the season (and held at 10 per game in the postseason). Alas, injuries had depleted Boston's frontcourt depth and foul trouble for Greg Stiemsma opened some playing-time doors for Hollins. The guess here is that the Celtics will run with some smaller lineups this season, utilizing the versatility of Chris Wilcox and Jeff Green, which will further bite into the time needed for defensive-minded Collins. He'll see the floor, but even the 10.3 minutes per game he averaged last season might be tough to reach.

* Payne: Under. Collins will likely be ahead of Fab Melo should any personnel emergencies crop up, but otherwise, he'll be used sparingly. Collins is really here to help combat the Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynums of the world, and even that won't really matter until the postseason. The good thing about a veteran like Collins is he won't need a ton of burn to be productive in spot situations. He's here to be a big body and a big obstacle for opposing teams, and Doc Rivers won't need to play him every game for him to fill that role effectively when needed.

Field goal percentage: 41

* Forsberg: Over. Yes, three of his last four seasons have been below this number (including a mere 31.4 percent in limited appearances during the 2008-09 season), but the guess here is that Collins will only be firing away when it's a gimme. With all the weapons around him, there's no need for Collins to be putting up more than the 40 shots he took last season in 30 regular-season games for the Hawks.

* Payne: Over. Collins is a career 41.2 percent shooter, but never has he had a distributor like Rajon Rondo on his side. I'm not projecting any lofty numbers for Collins here, but, assuming the shots he does get (there won't be many) come right near the rim, he really should be able to post a figure above 41 percent.

Rebounds per game: 1.5

* Forsberg: Over. A 7-footer with good defensive instincts, the guess here is that Collins can pull down a couple rebounds even in short minutes. He averaged 1.6 per game last season and while his rebounding percentages are nothing to write home about, Boston's defense should force plenty of misses and that will create even more opportunities to clean the glass.

* Payne: Under. A lack of minutes, having superior rebounders around him, and the fact that he's just not a great rebounder to begin with will hinder Collins' impact in this area. With a career defensive rebounding percentage of 14.2, Collins has never established himself as a legitimate force on the glass, and it's unlikely he'll do much in this department this coming season.

The newest members of the Celtics quietly made their jersey selections this offseason (never an easy process considering all the retired digits in the rafters). We've spotlighted the decisions of the rookies and Courtney Lee, but it's worth pointing out that veteran center Jason Collins appears to have chosen No. 98, according to the team's official online roster.

Collins wore No. 35 for his first seven seasons in the NBA with the Nets, but that number is retired in Boston for Reggie Lewis. Collins has worn No. 34 ever since, but clearly captain Paul Pierce wasn't giving up his digits.

So rather than pick a Shaq-friendly No. 36 to maintain sequential order, Collins appears to have gone off the grid (1998 would have been his freshman season at Stanford). If he sticks with No. 98, he'll be the first Celtics player to ever wear that number. Heck, only two other players have even dabbled in the 90's (PJ Brown wore No. 93 in 2008, while Roy Rogers wore No. 99 in 1998).

According to Basketball Reference, only one other player in NBA history have worn No. 98. Chet Aubuchon wore it for the Detroit Falcons in 1947.

[Update: Either the Celtics roster updated overnight or I'm blind -- either is a real possibility -- but Collins now appears to be listed at No. 98. When we originally blogged the entry with No. 96, we noted that the only players to wear it were Don Ray for the Tri-Cities Blackhawks in 1950 and Metta World Peace for the Rockets in 2009.]

The Boston Celtics formally announced the signings of Keyon Dooling, Jason Collins, Jamar Smith, and Dionte Christmas on Tuesday.

All four moves were previously known. The only player left to formally be signed and announced is Jeff Green, whose deal has been termed "imminent" for the better part of the month (though both the team and player's representatives have remained steadfast a deal will eventually get done).

Dooling, who averaged 4 points and 1.1 assist in 14.4 minutes per game last season, is back on a one-year deal at the veteran minimum. Said Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge: "Keyon’s veteran leadership was a very welcome addition to our locker room last season. His infectious energy both on and off the court is a great asset for this team.”

Collins, an 11-year veteran most recently with the Atlanta Hawks, is on a one-year deal at the veteran minimum. Said Ainge: "Jason’s ability to defend in the post will be a great addition to this team."

Christmas and Smith have partial guarantees on minimum-contract deals in hopes of earning a roster spot at training camp.

Team bios on all four players are after the jump.

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