WALTHAM, Mass. – At a time when most NBA teams are trimming their rosters, the Boston Celtics have added to theirs.

Danny Ainge made a rare appearance with the media on Friday and announced that the team has claimed forward Jarell Eddie off of waivers. Eddie, a 6-foot-7 swingman, had previously been with the Atlanta Hawks.

“He’s a player that we watched in college in Virginia Tech. He’s a player that we watched in his exhibition games with Atlanta,” Ainge said. “He’s always been a player that’s been intriguing to us.”

Eddie’s arrival in Boston will give the Celtics an opportunity to decide whether their interest will stop at or surpass ‘intrigue.’ The front office will be able to take a long look at him through the weekend at the very least.

“We’re going to watch and evaluate him before training camp ends,” said Ainge. “He obviously won’t learn our stuff that quick… we’ll put him through some workouts after practice and just evaluate him over the next couple of days.”

Boston’s plan tosses Eddie in a unique situation. He’ll be thrown into the fire with a group of guys who have been bonding together for the better part of a month. He’s the stranger in the group, and he needs to find a way to fit in. Jared Sullinger, who has known Eddie since high school, gave the rookie some advice as to how to make that happen.

“You’ve just got to understand that it’s a job and you’ve got to want these guys to communicate with you,” Sullinger said of his message to Eddie. “When I say ‘want,’ that means you’ve got to come in and bust your ass every day. You’ve got to know the offense. You’ve got to know the defensive schemes. You’ve got to be in the gym to show everybody that you want to be here.”

Sullinger is a great source when it comes to gathering information about Eddie. The two played against each other in the AAU circuit and also attended multiple Nike camps together.

When asked to give a quick scouting report on Eddie, Sullinger replied, “He’s a good shooter, good slasher, and he’s a great defender.”

It’s no wonder why the Celtics are adding to their roster when everyone else is doing the opposite. They’ve found a way to get a free look at a talented prospect they’ve had their eyes on for quite some time.