The Boston Celtics failed to land a superstar player once again this offseason. However, they did land a pair of players on a tier just below that could help elevate an already impressive core as the Celtics look to take another step forward in the Eastern Conference. Basketball fans in Boston are starting to get excited about their team’s potential and they have every reason to be optimistic about the franchise turning the corner as a true contender this season.
Offseason Changes
The Boston Celtics allowed Jared Sullinger and Evan Turner to walk in free agency, once again focusing on trying to land a superstar player to help put them over the top. The issue with guys like Turner and Sullinger was that they weren’t consistent enough on a nightly basis and Boston couldn’t rely on them in the long haul.
Boston didn’t land Russell Westbrook or Kevin Durant, but it did bring in a star center in Al Horford and a promising rookie in third-overall pick Jaylen Brown. Horford will provide an immediate upgrade at the center position and he’s a solid two-way player that should fit what they need. Meanwhile, Brown will push Jae Crowder for playing time on the wing. The Boston Celtics also brought in Gerald Green to give them some added depth and experience on the bench and remember that they had two other first-round picks. Altogether, this young roster accumulated a lot of quality assets.
Strengths
Brad Stevens has done a tremendous job in a short amount of time in Boston, transforming his team in to a cohesive unit that has made the most out of its talent. Isaiah Thomas has developed in to an All-Star and the addition of Horford should provide the perfect compliment to his perimeter shooting. Horford improves the Celtics’ interior presence at both ends of the floor as a strong mid-range shooter that can rebound and defend the basket. Meanwhile, the perimeter defense is solid with Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart and Crowder while Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko should be even more effective in reserve roles. Boston is one of the best fast-break teams in the NBA and the potential is there for them to add to their already impressive core at some point in the season.
Weaknesses
The most notable issue with this team remains the lack of superstar power. After missing out on Westbrook and Durant in the offseason and even Kevin Love in the season before, the Boston Celtics clearly lacked that one foundational piece to build around. That’s affecting their identity. Thomas emerged as the Celtics’ best go-to option in clutch situations but can they compete for a championship running their offense through him?
The Boston Celtics also have to figure out their roles. There is a lot of talent on the team but how does every piece fit in to make a puzzle? For Boston to truly be a contender, they need to sort out who else is going to be a nightly contributor other than Horford and Thomas.
It would certainly help if they had another pure scorer to help take some pressure off of their point guard. Boston could also use at least one more outside shooter to help improve its overall ability to hit the three-ball on a more consistent basis. Green’s addition should help provide some veteran experience but this is still a very young team with half of the roster at 25-years-old or younger.
Outlook
The expectation is that Boston will continue its upward trend with the opportunity to contend with the Toronto Raptors for top spot in the Atlantic division. The fact that the Celtics still have a ton of cap space, draft picks and prospects hints that they could still make a big trade at some point with the potential to add another star player at some point. Even without a trade, Boston should have enough talent to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and perhaps even push the Cleveland Cavaliers for the best regular season record on that side of the bracket.
Prediction: 1st in Atlantic division; 2nd in Eastern Conference
