Joe Mazzulla has just revealed the addition of another incredible player to his team, further strengthening his team’s walls with this huge contract.
Both of the Boston Celtics‘ star forwards are still with the team. They should be with them for a very long time because Jaylen Brown signed the highest-paying NBA contract ever. However, over the past three months, Brown and Jayson Tatum’s supporting cast has undergone significant changes. Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, Marcus Smart, and Malcolm Brogdon are gone. Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have taken their places.
Based on statistics, the Celtics have been the best team in the league for the past four seasons. However, they haven’t been able to overcome a setback, and if they want to raise banner No. 18 in the TD Garden rafters, they’ll need to improve their margins.
What’s fresh?
The Celtics traded Smart in a deal that brought them Porzingis and significantly changed their rotation after a deal involving Brogdon fell through.
Oshae Brissett signed as a potential replacement for Grant Williams, who left for Dallas after being in and out of the playoff rotation.
In response to the Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard trade, the Celtics traded Brogdon, Robert Williams, and two first-round picks to Portland for Holiday on the eve of training camp.
What’s the limit for the Celtics?
Boston and Milwaukee ought to be regarded as the Eastern Conference’s joint favorites. The Celtics seem to have less depth, but they could be the superior team in a postseason series if they stay healthy and add one or two reliable players to their starting lineup. There is a championship ceiling.
One player who needs to jump
Brissett Oshae. The Celtics require more than six reliable players. Although Boston is thinner up front, particularly with Al Horford turning 37 this season, it is crucial that Payton Pritchard bounces back from some regression in his third season. The next player who can play at the four for the Cs after Tatum is Brissett, who has never played in the playoffs. He will need to make open shots and maintain his composure defensively.
Season-long Competition
East Group C is where the Celtics play. Here is a recap of the In-Season Tournament’s operation.
Future Free Agents
In 2024, the Celtics could have eight free agents:
Dalano Banton (choice of team).
Jodie Davison (two-way player) and Oshae Brissett (player option)
Sam Hauser (choice of team)
Luke Kornet-Svi Mykhailiuk
Neemias Queta, a bidirectional player
Jay Scrubb, a versatile player
Tatum’s care will need to begin next summer, as Brown has agreed to a five-year extension that will keep him under contract through the 2028–2029 campaign. Additionally, there shouldn’t be any hesitation in offering the 25-year-old (who turns 26 in March) a five-year designated veteran extension worth three-quarters of the salary cap. When additional rotation pieces become free agents in 2025, the choices will be more difficult.
The entire Boston roster is available here.
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Senior stats analyst John Schuhmann works for NBA.com. You can follow him on Twitter, send him an email, and access his archive here.
