The Maine Red Claws and Boston Celtics have extended their affiliation for three more years, through the 2017-18 season, the Red Claws announced Monday.
Under the agreement, the Celtics provide the coaching staff and choose players for the NBA Development League’s Red Claws. Boston also can send eligible players from its NBA roster to the Red Claws.
“Maine is full of die-hard Celtics fans, and we hear all the time from both NBA and D-League players that the environment at the Portland Expo is the best in the D-League,” said Danny Ainge, the Celtics president of basketball operations, in a press release. “There simply is no better place than Maine for our young players to gain valuable experience against top-level competition, and we expect several of them will take advantage of this opportunity again this year and in the years to come.”
The two teams have been affiliated since the Red Claws’ first season in 2009-10, but Maine initially was affiliated with other NBA teams as well. In 2012, the Red Claws and Celtics entered into an exclusive affiliation.
The Red Claws will begin their seventh season in November. Their schedule has yet to be announced.
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