How could Celtics avoid dismantling their millionaire Roster?

Bobby Marks, an expert in NBA management, analyzes the priorities and summer needs of Boston Celtics.

With the 2025 NBA playoffs Already here and the order of the established lottery, we focus on how each team eliminated should address the low season, including the draft, free agency and transfers.

What displayed contenders are a single agreement to aspire to the title? What franchises have important decisions about the draft and the transferring ahead? How quickly can the teams in reconstruction of the League progress?

We analyze the possible movements of each franchise, including an analysis of the state of the workforce, finance, the priorities of the directive, the candidates to extend their contract, the needs of the team and the future assets of the Draft.

Clue: ETO = early termination option | P = Player option | R = Restricted | T = Team option

Eliminated in conference semifinals

Template status:

Almost a year ago, the Celtics obtained the 18th franchise championship. Now, the indelible image of Jayson Tatum Suffering on the Madison Square Garden court is a cruel reminder of how fast the fortune can change. Tatum Achilles tendon breaks overwhelms what was already a summer of uncertainty in Boston. Although the current template remains a playoff team even with the Tatum lesion (they averaged more than 8.7 points per 100 possessions this season when Tatum was not on the court), maintaining this team intact under the current collective agreement is a dilemma for the new group of owners, led by Bill Chisholm.

It is projected that the Celtics at least double their payroll of $ 240 million this season and, as a result, they are again in the second row.

“It is not about the luxury tax, but about basketball sanctions. The new collective agreement was designed by the League to prevent the teams from going crazy,” said the current owner, WyC Grousbeck, to Weei in March.

Basketball sanctions include the inability of:

Add contracts sent in an exchange;
Use more than 100% of the exception of exchanged player;
Send cash;
Use a pre -existing exchange exception;
Sign a player released with a salary of at least $ 14.1 million.

But the most shocking restriction for a team is the impossibility of redeeming its first round selection within seven years if the team ends the season in the APRON. For example, Celtics cannot exchange their first round of 2032 and face a scenario in which 2033 is not exchangeable if they end next season at the APRON. Those same restrictions forced the The clippers and the Denver Nuggets to allow Paul George and Kentavious Caldwell-Poperespectively, they were in the free agency. The difference in Boston is that 12 players have a contract next season, which means that cost reduction will have to come from an exchange.

Pre -season finance:

Building a championship template has a record cost. Including its first round selection, Boston will begin the preseason with $ 231 million in salary and a fiscal fine of $ 263 million. For every $ 3 million spent on a player, it will cost $ 25 million in additional fiscal fines. There are $ 22 million more than in the second round.

Main priority of management:

There are three scenarios for Brad Stevens, president of Basketball Operations of the Celtics.

The first and most unlikely is to leave this template intact and then make changes closer to the deadline of transfer. Boston will add two Top-32 selections to a template that has 12 players under contract next season. The conservative approach must be taken with caution, considering that no team in February can absorb $ 25 million in salary without returning contracts.

The second option is to cut costs, but also keep the base in place (Tatum, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown) to compete next season, but also with an eye on the future. Keep in mind that Tatum, Brown and White have a contract at least until the 2028-29 season.

The way in which the Celtics carry out that plan could depend on a combination of transferring to Kristaps porzingis, Sam Hauser and possibly a Jrue Holiday. When transferring the contract of $ 30.7 million of Porzingis, which expires, Boston would fall below the second apron. The only team that can face the Porzingis salary and not return to a player is Brooklyn, but there is also the option to transfer Porzingis and recover $ 22 million dollars in contracts. While this does not reduce Boston to the Second Division, the salary reduction process would begin. Porzingis played 42 games this season, its least amount since 2020-21.

Transaging Hauser does not reduce Boston to the Second Division, but he does save $ 80 million in fines for luxury taxes next season. Hauser is entering the first year of an extension of four years for $ 44 million that signed last July. He has triggered over 40% in triples in his four seasons with the Celtics.

The third option is for Boston to take a sabbatical year, readjust the squad around Tatum and White and focus on the 2026-27 season. Despite its financial situation, Boston still retains its first round selection in 2026.

This scenario would require crossing Brown for a draft selections, young players and contracts about to win. Brown has four years left and $ 236 million contracts.

Candidate to follow for an extension:

Considering their future financial commitments, Celtics are not expected to be active this low season in terms of extensions. Porzingis, Horford and Jordan Walsh are eligible.

Team needs:

Depth in the front line. There could be a huge gap in the front line if the Celtics lose Horford or Luke Kornet in the free agency, added to the long absence of Tatum. Boston had an average of +19.7 points per 100 possessions when Horford and Kornet shared the court this season.

Draft assets:

The Celtics have five first round selections for the next seven years. But as its first round of 2032 is frozen and owes a first round selection in 2029, the maximum they can exchange is one (2026 or 2027). They are allowed to exchange first selections in 2026, 2027, 2030 and 2031. BOSTON has five second round selections available.