The Boston Celtics’ offseason is officially here, with tough decisions across the board, following an ugly game 7 loss at home.
Jaylen Brown is due for an extension
Brown has consistently been the second best player on the team behind Jayson Tatum. Despite that, he’s received criticism for his inconsistent play in the postseason. Brown had a dominant regular season, though, receiving second-team All-NBA honors this year. While that’s great news for Brown, it makes things more difficult for the Celtics. He now qualifies for the highly coveted supermax extension, meaning the Celtics could give him up to a five-year, $295 million extension that would kick in following the 2023-24 season. Not signing him could put them in a tough position given how difficult it can be to acquire a talent of Brown’s level. This extension will put a lot of pressure on Brad Stevens to build a roster with less cap space. Regardless, expect Boston to be willing to offer the extension and bring him back for the long term (as long as he even wants to stay).
Head Coach Joe Mazzulla
Mazzulla might be the biggest talking point of the Celtics’ offseason. After Boston fell down 3-0 to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, Boston fans and media were calling for him to be fired. Since coming back in the series and forcing a game seven, the feeling has changed slightly. Mazzulla is in his first year as an NBA head coach after being thrown into the role following Ime Udoka‘s surprising firing. Mazzulla is the third coach in three years for the Celtics, which could be the biggest issue they’re facing. Young superstars have dealt with multiple different voices, resulting in major lack of consistency. Despite all that, Mazzulla agreed to a three-year extension in February, so expect him to be back at least for another year. He’ll be able to have a full offseason grooming his group for a crucial 2023-24 campaign.
Free agents
The Celtics surprisingly don’t have many tough free agent decisions. Grant Williams is a restricted free agent, meaning any team can offer him, but Boston can keep him with a matching offer. Earlier in the season, reports of contract talks fizzled, as the two sides couldn’t come close to a deal. Williams reportedly wanted $20 million per year in an extension. It’d be shocking if any other teams are willing to offer him that this summer. They’d be fine without him but would need to look for potential replacements, nonetheless. The Celtics might look for big man depth this offseason, as Horford continues to age well past his prime. They’ll need to add a role piece to complement Rob Williams going forward. Another veteran presence may benefit Boston as well.
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