WALTHAM — It seems the Celtics are content to wait until the 11th hour to make a decision on whether to keep R.J. Hunter or James Young for their final roster spot.
While most NBA teams are making their final roster moves to allow players to clear waivers by the Monday deadline, both Hunter and Young practiced Saturday while the organization desperately sought at least a second-round pick for one of the two.
The Celtics would like some type of compensation for either of the players, each of whom were first-round picks, and they have decided to move Hunter or Young with their decision to retain 2016 second-round pick Demetrius Jackson as a third point guard.
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The club doesn’t have to make a move until Monday, but generally teams finalize their rosters Saturday to allow waived players to clear by the Monday deadline to potentially join other teams. The Celtics have 16 players with guaranteed contracts, meaning they will have to pay Young or Hunter for this season unless they are traded or claimed off waivers.
Smart improving
The Celtics won’t count out swingman Marcus Smart (sprained left ankle) for the season-opening game Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets. Smart left the Celtics’ preseason finale with the Knicks after stepping on the foot of New York’s Justin Holiday in the second quarter. Smart has dealt with sprained ankles in the past, but Celtics coach Brad Stevens said the organization isn’t being extra cautious.
“He looked a lot better today,” Stevens said of Smart. “He was doing things in the weight room and everything else. He’s not going to practice Monday but we’ll see how he progresses. They have not ruled [Wednesday] out.”
Kelly is signed
Former Lakers reserve and Duke standout Ryan Kelly signed a non-guaranteed deal with the Celtics and was working out at the practice facility. Kelly is expected to join NBADL Maine after being waived by the Hawks last week.
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A second-round pick of the Lakers in 2013, Kelly played 147 games over three seasons before being signed by the Hawks. One of his better games as a professional occurred Jan. 17, 2014, when he scored 20 points in a stunning Lakers win over the Celtics at TD Garden.
“He killed us two years ago,” Stevens said. “He likes spacing the floor and he passes the ball, kind of like what we talked about with Kelly [Olynyk], making the right basketball play has always been one of his greatest strengths.”
The Celtics waived Kelly with the agreement that he would join Maine.
On schedule
Olynyk has begun on-court activities, a major step in his return from right shoulder surgery. The club still expects the stretch four to return to game action in mid-November, but his recovery has gone smoothly since his May procedure.
The Celtics will break camp with 14 healthy players, Jonas Jerebko and Jaylen Brown among those filling in at the backup power forward slot.
“He looked good to me,” guard Avery Bradley said of Olynyk. “It’s our job as his teammates to just make sure that we’re trying to keep him confident in himself. I told him I had shoulder surgery and you’re going to have days when you come in and might make shots and then you’ll have your week where you might now make a shot. He just has to stay confident.”
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Bradley missed part of the Celtics’ 2011-12 playoff run because he required double shoulder surgery.
“It was hard, man, I remember [former assistant coach] Tyronn Lue took me to the side and he was like, ‘You’re going to struggle,’ ” Bradley said. “He said this to me and I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ And I went like two weeks without making a shot. It just happens, that muscle memory, you have to get it back. Just reps. It took maybe a good month for my shot to feel good again. It will probably be the same for Kelly.”
Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe.