Despite losing in the 2022 NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics enter the new season with renewed optimism and a new roster. With that comes expectations, primarily due to the city they play in and what has transpired over the offseason.
Recently, the franchise said goodbye to Hall of Famer and icon Bill Russell, whose #6 will live on forever in Boston and the NBA, given how the number was retired leaguewide. Furthermore, the Celtics enter this season with a leader’s legacy in their hearts.
If Mr. Russell were around today, he would want nothing more than to see his team raise the trophy and pass the Lakers for the most titles by an NBA franchise with 18. They came close last year, only for Golden State to swipe the trophy at TD Garden in six games.
As such, Boston looked to improve their roster in the offseason. For many, it involves a significant trade or signing of a big-time player to swing the pendulum of power in their favor, and the Celtics didn’t exactly do that. They revamped the team but did so quietly instead of using conventional wisdom and making headlines.
The Boston Celtics revamped their roster without gutting their nucleus, hoping to make another championship run.
However, while most of the bench players from last year’s Boston Celtics roster are gone, the core nucleus of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown remains intact. There will be plenty of new faces for the team, but several notables will still be around. Last year’s team was talented but didn’t have enough firepower to close the deal in the NBA Finals.
As such, moves had to be made, and that required moving on from many who suited up for the team last season. Thankfully, at least for Boston, they didn’t lose Tatum or Brown in a Kevin Durant kind of deal, as that would have been very risky and could have jeopardized the team down the line.
Now that we have the background, let’s take a look at what the Celtics did this offseason that allowed them to still be in the race for a championship. First up, the smaller decisions that allow them to still have a good level of depth that didn’t necessarily require breaking the bank.
Boston Celtics #3: Signing Danilo Gallinari and Luke Kornet
In case anyone doesn’t read Twitter or online papers, Danilo Gallinari made it very clear that he joined the Boston Celtics to win a championship. Meanwhile, the Luke Kornet story? That’s mostly Brad Stevens saying he believes Kornet can be a helpful addition in terms of having a bigger presence on the court.
Danilo Gallinari says that winning a championship is "a constant, constant thought that I have every day."
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) July 12, 2022
He adds that after joining the Celtics, "It’s that time for me."
Brad Stevens said the Celtics are “really high” on Luke Kornet and think he can step right into minutes and “help us win” when necessary. Said they will still likely add another center.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) July 12, 2022
Given that Boston is struggling with the cap right now and eventual decisions are coming down the line regarding how they will pay their players, it’s better to take advantage of the current situation and make the most of it. That means adding Gallinari and Kornet were the right moves for this team.
Last season, Gallinari averaged 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds. He shot 43.4% from the field, 38.1% from 3-point territory, and hit 90.4% of his free throws. That’s good in terms of scoring, and despite his limited defensive efficiency, he will likely be needed as a scorer when the game gets tight. The lack of scoring in critical situations was evident for Boston against Golden State’s Hall of Famers.
In the case of Kornet, it’s also a minimal deal. Additionally, it’s a low-risk, right-reward kind of situation. Last year, Kornet shot 48.1% from the field and hit 66.7% of his free throws. But are those numbers so low? Maybe, but realistically speaking, he’s being added as a more significant body to help strengthen the Celtics’ defense. There is still more work to be done, but given what Boston did, as highlighted by our next offseason move, they needed someone with experience.
Speaking of that next off-season move, here it is. A move that sounded big on paper given the quantity but wasn’t necessarily as blockbuster as many people made it out to be.
Boston Celtics #2: The Celtics trade the bench for sharpshooter Malcolm Brogdon.
Didn’t this article say the Celtics got better without gutting their nucleus? Yes, it did. But how can trading five players and one draft pick for Malcolm Brogdon not be considered that? Well, pay attention here, if you will.
The players that were sent away, Aaron Nesmith, Daniel Theis, Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, and Juwan Morgan, didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard during their time in Boston, nor did they play big minutes. They were mostly there to fill out the bench, and Boston will likely find players to replace them on the free agent market without breaking too much of a sweat.
Moreover, none of them had as much of an impact on the team as Brogdon will. 19.1 points on average last season with the Pacers, along with 5.9 assists and 5.1 rebounds. It’s not great, but certainly not bad either. It’s actually quite good, and if they had had Brogdon on their roster last year, there’s a good chance the Celtics could have forced the series to seven games or even pulled off the upset.
Now that the transactions are complete, let’s take a look at the top. The main reason why the Boston Celtics improved during the offseason. Although you might know what it is, just read on.
Boston Celtics #1: Boston kept Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Robert Williams together.
When you think of the Boston Celtics, Tatum and Brown come to mind as the top duo. But in reality, Boston has a three-headed arsenal in Tatum, Brown, and Williams. The good news is that all three will be back together again. None of them are moving on in a trade as previously speculated over the summer, which bodes well for the upcoming season.
For a team looking to get back to the finals and redeem themselves from a loss, it’s best to keep the players that helped get you there. However, with how Tatum played, he has much to do to win back the fanbase. Until that series, even if he struggled, Tatum was attacking the basket at every opportunity, and fans, while not so pleased when he missed, gave Tatum credit for his effort, that is again, until the finals.
Brown and Williams had strong performances against Golden State, which should bode well for them this season. Keeping them together with Grant Williams, Derrick White, and the ever-so-loved Marcus Smart, combined with the new additions, including rookie draft pick JD Davison, there is no reason to discount this team moving forward, especially given how motivated they are to prove that last year’s run was no fluke, but a sign of what’s to come.