Less than 12 months ago, the Boston Celtics were on top of the world after winning their record 18th NBA championship. Fast forward to today, and their season ended like a massacre at Madison Square Garden. The New York Knicks stunned the defending champions as they delivered the final blow in Game 6 to clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.
While the Cs looked lackluster and failed to close out games, injuries played a huge role. Especially Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury. In fact, the Boston superstar’s injury might have changed how the team sees the upcoming season.
The Celtics’ six-time All-Star forward tore his right Achilles tendon and had to undergo surgery. This ended his season and also cast a dark shadow over the next one. Keeping that in mind, Boston now faces the dilemma of making adjustments to their star-studded, expensive roster. To put it into perspective, the team would need to cough up around $500 million to cover their salary cap and luxury tax. Of course, they would have to cut off a player or two to alleviate their expenses.
So, what’s the next step for Boston? Letting go of one or two stars would certainly help them, as they hope that their depth would hold out. But, there’s more to it than just managing their expenses.
According to ESPN writer Tim Bontemps, the Celtics front office might have to do more than just letting go a few players and waiting for Tatum’s return. “I think you could make a credible argument that the right thing for Boston to do would be to trade all four of its starters this year in the next two months, and get a ton of young players and draftees.” Bontemps said on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoops Collective podcast.
“The argument is this. You’ve got Kristaps Porzingis, is going into the last year of his deal, who’s in his early 30s. You have got Jrue Holiday, who is in his mid-30s and is expensive. You’ve got Derrick White, who is 31, will be 33 when Jayson Tatum is ready to be in the playoffs again, and will never have higher value than he’s going to have now. And you could get an absolute metric ton for Jaylen Brown. And if you do those moves, you set yourself up to potentially be ready.” He added.
May 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics players watch from the bench during the end of the fourth quarter of game six in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The ESPN reporter suggested that the Celtics should be looking at the bigger picture. He pointed out that with the roster being this expensive, it’s structured to win now, something that won’t be possible without their star forward, Jayson Tatum.
Indeed, Bontemps has a valid point. By the time Tatum is healthy and ready to compete at a championship level, players such as Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis would be heading toward the latter stages of their careers. Moreover, trading them now would also help get Boston the most value out of their assets. At the same time, they will have a new core of stars ready to compete alongside JT by the time he recovers.
But will the Celtics front office think likewise? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, another worrying update has emerged for the franchise.
A confusing update about Jaylen Brown emerges amid rebuild talks
The Boston Celtics already face several questions heading into the offseason. They have been hard-hit by Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury, and they now face salary cap issues. To top it all off, Jaylen Brown also seems to be suffering from a serious injury. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Celtics star finished the season with a partially torn right meniscus. Brown had been playing through this injury from the last month of the regular season and the playoffs, including, of course, the terrible series against New York.
Jan 31, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) looks on against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
If you are not aware, Jaylen Brown has been taking pain injections in his knee since March, which might confuse many. But it seems this injury might be related to the lingering issue he faced through parts of the season. “I don’t make excuses,” he told reporters.
“Obviously, it’s tough the way we went out like tonight. But the way we finished the year, personally, the way I finished the year, persevering through some physical stuff that I was battling through, I’m proud of our group.” Even in defeat, the Boston star made sure he and his teammates kept their heads high.
However, despite Brown remaining optimistic, the Celtics are in hot water with concern for not just Brown, but Kristaps Porzingis and Jayson Tatum as well. This adds another question mark over the franchise’s future, as they also have to deal with the financial side of things. Nonetheless, it will be worth watching what decisions the Boston front office takes.
Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum and his teammate Jaylen Brown will have all their focus on recuperation.
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