The Celtics entered training camp last week with plenty of uncertainty and flexibility at the back end of their roster. With just 10 players holding fully guaranteed contracts, there’s competition for not just a rotation spot but for sticking on the roster as President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens tries to build a complete contender following the Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis trades.

One of Boston’s late free-agent additions to the roster this summer was Svi Mykhailiuk, a sharpshooting guard who has just $200,000 of his contract guaranteed. The former Lakers’ draft pick had a standout second half with the Hornets last year before getting a chance to earn a spot with Boston.

Mykhailiuk did not play in the preseason opener, but he and several other bubble candidates got some playing time with Boston’s regulars sitting out Monday against the Knicks. The 26-year-old made the most of that opportunity in the Celtics’ 114-107 loss to the Knicks.

The 6-foot-7 Mykhailiuk scored 15 points off the bench in 25 minutes, going 5 of 9 from the field and 3 of 7 from 3-point range. He showed good touch from the perimeter and solid playmaking in the half court, the type of skills that got him on Boston’s radar this offseason. Defense remains a weak spot (four fouls on Monday night) but his size and shooting on the wing should hold appeal for Boston as it looks for perimeter weapons around its stars within bench units.

With three preseason games left, there’s a long road for Mykhailiuk to cement a roster spot. However, the opening could very well be there if Sam Hauser (2 of 15 from 3-point range this preseason) continues to struggle with his shot. Boston has a pair of energy power forwards (Oshae Brissett and Lamar Stevens) who could be bench contributors but neither of those players are reliable shooters. The same goes for Dalano Banton. Mykhailiuk could be a guy who helps to maximize spacing if injuries arise on the wing and/or Hauser is unable to snap out of his slow start.

The Celtics may well stick with the 15 players on their roster coming out of the preseason but all of them will need to earn a spot as the team weighs trade and waiver wire options in the coming weeks. Mykhailiuk helped himself on that front Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

REFEREES: The NBA has promoted Intae Hwang and Sha’Rae Mitchell to its full-time referee staff for the coming season.

Hwang is a native of South Korea who moved to New Jersey in 2020 with hopes of becoming a referee in the U.S. He worked seven games as a non-staff official last season and has also worked in the G League, the WNBA, the Summer Olympics and the Basketball World Cup.

Mitchell refereed 11 games as a non-staff official last season, and has also worked in the G League and WNBA. She also worked college games for five years, in the Pac-12, West Coast, Big Sky and Western Athletic conferences.

THUNDER-SPURS: San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren lived up to the hype in their first ever NBA preseason games.

Holmgren had 21 points and nine rebounds in 16 first-half minutes, and the Thunder defeated the Spurs 122-121 on Monday night. Wembanyama had 20 points and five rebounds in 19 minutes, mostly in the first half.

Wembanyama was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. Holmgren was the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft, but he suffered a foot injury in the offseason and missed all of last season.

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