BOSTONWalking into the Boston Celtics locker room prior to Tuesday's game, Kris Joseph was sitting at his stall, surrounded by only his thoughts.
On this day his emotions were torn between the "blessing" of continuing his NBA journey with the Boston Celtics, and the disappointment in seeing that dream end - at least for now - for two of his closest friends on the team.
The C's announced on Tuesday that Dionte Christmas and Jamar Smith had been waived, leaving Joseph as the lone player from Boston's summer league team still with the club.
"Still being around here," a subdued Joseph told CSNNE.com, "it means a lot."
A second-round pick out of Syracuse University, Joseph understands he still has work - lots of work - to do in order to stick with the Celtics this season.
"We look at a lot of things when we decide to keep a guy or not keep a guy," said C's coach Doc Rivers.
As for Joseph, Rivers said, "We like what he potentially could do. He has done nothing yet."
Boston Celtics
Joseph led the Orange in scoring each of the last two seasons, and was known in college as a better-than-average perimeter shooter.
He has shown glimpses of being that kind of player in the NBA, which is among the reasons why the Celtics have kept him around.
"I've been pretty confident in myself throughout training camp," Joseph said. "But it definitely increases my confidence knowing they had a choice whether to keep me, and they choose to keep me."
In addition to that, it also serves as a reminder that his days in Boston could end at any moment.
"I'm definitely blessed and humbled," Joseph said. "I know how hard those guys (Christmas and Smith) worked on their games to get better. But this is how the business is."
Joseph added, "I remember during rookie transition program them telling us that the window of opportunity is really small. So to still be here, it really means a lot."