2023-24 season: 64-18
Highlights of the season: Remember that 8-2 2nd quarter blitz in mid-November? Stop it! We actually won the game. If that’s not the highlight of the season, who knows what is?
Conclusion
Eternal glory. After losing to the aging Golden State Warriors in 2022, the Celtics are back in the Finals, finally winning the title they’ve been chasing for years. No more Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat standing in their way. No more Warriors. No more coming so close to winning it only to have it slip away at the end. They crossed the finish line and brought their 18th title home to Boston. It couldn’t have ended any better.
So what made the difference? First of all, the Celtics weren’t afraid to tinker with their roster, even as they accomplished the feat of making the Finals in 2022. They didn’t just sit around and rotate role players. They traded for Kristaps Porzingis. They traded for Jrue Holiday. They gave up Marcus Smart, who’s kind of a perennial Celtic. They gave up draft compensation to get there.
Ultimately, the Celtics doubled down on their unique philosophy of identifying and acquiring players who could play on both ends of the court while still working within the team’s strategy. They placed a premium on players who could make the extra pass on both ends and make the right reads, which ultimately led to a dominant Finals run.
One could even theorize that the blueprint the Celtics used to build this team is what ultimately allows them to remain relevant over the long term: Their willingness to make major changes as long as it fits their agenda suggests that the Celtics never stand still, even in the aftermath of a championship.
Boston must enter this offseason with the goal of beginning the process of finding long-term replacements for key players, and while Al Horford is 38 and may be with the team for a little while longer, the Celtics are well aware that they will need someone to replace him at some point.
Will they go the draft route and look for a young player they can eventually develop into a Horford-type player? Or will they look for an under-the-radar veteran who they think can fit into the team in a similar way? That remains to be seen. They could also retain Xavier Tillman Sr. and see if he’s up to the task.
The biggest need of the offseason
A versatile big man who can earn minutes at power forward and center, preferably someone who fits into the same timeline as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Draft Focus
Boston is one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and has a lot of options with the 30th pick. They could add scoring and playmaking with 6-foot-5 University of California guard Jaylon Tyson (19.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game) or add size on the perimeter with 6-foot-10 forward Bobbi Klintman, who played for the Cairns Taipans in Australia’s NBL. Kristen Peake
Draft picks: Numbers 30 and 54
Major free agents
Xavier Tillman (UFA)
Breakdown of the salary cap
The Celtics are currently projected to be just above the No. 2 apron, so it will be interesting to see if they make a concerted effort to get under there. They ultimately won’t have the money to spend and will be hamstrung by the tougher CBA that was put in place.
However, with their core members secured for next season and fresh from a title win, it is likely they would be happy to pay the money to keep the squad intact.
Goals for next season
Rule of thumb: When you win a championship, the goal is to defend it the following year, and the Celtics are no exception.
What moves the fantasy needle?
The Boston Celtics are finally hoisting their 18th championship banner after a dominating and unprecedented season. Their 16-3 playoff record was the 10th-best winning percentage in NBA playoff history, and their best regular season performance to date can’t be overlooked. Regardless of how they viewed their journey to get there, they performed at a high level and won the franchise’s first title since 2008. And they have no intention of relegating themselves to the shadows. The East is centered around Boston.
The Celtics’ starting lineup is a rare gem from a fantasy standpoint. Unlike many teams, their entire starting lineup has the potential to finish in the top 80 in fantasy. Tatum, a first-round pick every year, is a reliable choice due to his availability and top-tier production. Porzingis and Derrick White’s three-point shooting and defense elevate them into the third and fourth rounds. It may seem odd to give White that kind of respect, but he deserves it and will command a lot of money.
Brown, the NBA Finals MVP, is interesting in that he’s typically a fourth-round pick, but his free throw and turnover numbers make him a bit less valuable. He’s not shooting as much this year, and he’s surrounded by talent. Still, we should see even better of him after the best postseason of his career. Making an All-Defensive Team is his next goal, which is why I’d pick him earlier than usual.
Holiday has sacrificed the most in terms of production this season and I expect his draft capital to plummet. He remains an effective fantasy player with a strong assist, stock and three-point combination and strong shooting splits, and is available at an attractive price. Horford is reliable insurance for Porzingis, so he will likely retain some value again in the later rounds of the draft.
Boston has the perfect mix of youth, experience and star power that has put them at the top of the league. Dan Titus
