5 reasons why 2018-19 will define future of the Boston Celtics
By Bret Stuter
2. Restocking the roster
Each year, 30 NBA teams must address roster holes due to expiring contracts. In the 2018 offseason, the Celtics could lose the services of center Greg Monroe, point guard Marcus Smart, center Aron Baynes and point guard Shane Larkin. While these players may not seem significant to the casual fan, each played a key role in helping the Celtics to earn their fourth consecutive playoff berth.
The presence of Baynes, and later in the season joined by Monroe, helped the Celtics play very physically in the paint, while freeing up power forward Al Horford to assume a significant role with the team’s offense. In the loss of Kyrie Irving to injury, both Smart and Larkin stepped up to keep the backcourt fresh and productive.
Right now, the Celtics payroll projects at over $107 million. With the league cap set at $108 million, the Celtics will not have sacks of cash to hurl to attract new free agents. Barring some miracle, the Celtics will be hard pressed to sign a recognizable name this offseason.
The loss of Monroe, Smart, Baynes, and Larkin would not cripple the Celtics in 2018-19, but to be honest, to improve to compete for an NBA championship, they will need contributions from their entire roster. It is hard to imagine the team will be just as deep next season.