The juxtaposition wasn’t misplaced on Brad Stevens as he sat at a podium early Thursday afternoon on the Auerbach Center.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals was roughly eight hours away. But as an alternative of on the point of head to TD Garden for it, the president of basketball operations was taking questions on a failed Celtics season.
“We were 48 minutes away from doing our pregame shootaround press conference today in the Finals,” Stevens mentioned. “So there was a lot that went right and we can’t lose sight of that. But we also are always going to be thinking about how to best move it forward and pursue what we’re all trying to pursue.”
The sometimes mild-mannered Stevens, expectedly, wasn’t overreacting to a season that fell in need of expectations. Certainly, lots went proper for the Celtics this season as they completed on the doorstep of the NBA Finals. But there may be definitely work to be accomplished this summer season because the Celtics proceed pursuing a championship.
Will there be main adjustments for this staff? Likely not. But there may be loads to guage and retool for a championship-level roster to raised place it for a championship subsequent season and a few key inquiries to reply for now and the longer term as this franchise strikes ahead. A take a look at a number of the urgent storylines going through the Celtics this summer season:
1. How will the teaching workers look?
This is probably going the place the largest Celtics shakeup can be. It’s no secret that Joe Mazzulla was thrown into the deep finish and struggled at occasions in his first season as a head coach. The C’s stay assured in him being the chief of this group shifting ahead however they know he wants extra help, too.
Mazzulla’s teaching workers was depleted this season after Ime Udoka was dismissed, Will Hardy left, and the mid-season departure of Damon Stoudamire. The lack of veteran assistance on the bench gave the impression to be expensive throughout important moments of the playoffs. That can be addressed this offseason, as Stevens mentioned the C’s will pursue a veteran assistant, and Mazzulla could have full say on that alternative. It might be extra relying on different departures. With a full season of head teaching expertise beneath Mazzulla’s belt – to not point out a full summer season to plan – and a fortified teaching workers, the Celtics must be in a lot better form coaching-wise subsequent season.
“Joe’s experience now, you could probably measure in dog years, right?” Stevens mentioned. “Because now he’s been in three Eastern Conference Finals and a Finals. And he’s been now the top coach all through a type of runs. I imply, that’s an expertise in and of itself. I attempted to organize him for what it was going to really feel like after every sport win or lose. And I understand how that feels for these guys. That’s one of many explanation why I at all times discuss how a lot I respect Jaylen (Brown) and Jayson (Tatum) as a result of the identical factor, proper? After each sport that doesn’t go your manner, they’re going to be dissected. And the additional you go, the extra it’s.
“And so you know that you could have a great regular season and when you’re playing when no one else is playing, everyone is watching. So the more that we can, again, be there to support.”
2. How does the Celtics’ future look if Jaylen Brown accepts a supermax extension?
Reading between the traces of Stevens’ presser, it appears seemingly the Celtics will provide the supermax extension to Jaylen Brown after July 1. Brown, recent off the Celtics’ Game 7 loss, was not sure what to anticipate with the extension however it could be gorgeous if he rejected the five-year, roughly $295 million extension if it’s supplied. No different staff can provide him almost that a lot if he opts to hit unrestricted free company subsequent summer season.
If the Celtics and Brown do agree on the extension, key selections concerning the franchise’s future will come into focus. It’s anticipated that Jayson Tatum will obtain a supermax extension that’s price roughly $318 million when he’s eligible subsequent summer season. That would imply that greater than $600 million can be dedicated to Boston’s two stars. And, assuming the league’s new collective bargaining settlement turns into official quickly, that will ultimately create challenges for Stevens to construct a championship roster round them, given new wage cap restrictions.
Those more durable selections would come down the road, although. There are nonetheless two extra seasons earlier than each Tatum and Brown’s extensions would think about on the identical time – and accordingly take up almost 70 % of the wage cap – which buys Stevens time to evaluate a Celtics future led by Tatum and Brown, who may definitely make them a title by then.
“Every team’s going to have to make tough decisions every year, right?” Stevens mentioned. “But at the end of the day, we love our foundation, we love our core and that’s really our focus and priority.”
3. Will Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard be again?
The futures of the Celtics’ 2019 and 2020 first-round picks in Boston are definitely murky because the offseason begins. It’s arduous to foretell Grant Williams, who’s a restricted free agent this summer season, and what his worth could also be after falling out of the Celtics’ rotation throughout the second half of the season earlier than re-emerging within the playoffs and showcasing his capability as a priceless 3-and-D participant throughout the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Celtics can match any provide that Williams receives this summer season, however it’s unclear how a lot the ahead will command after such a turbulent season. The C’s definitely worth Williams’ position as a flexible wing off the bench, however how far would they go to retain him?
“He is a good player who was on a really deep team,” Stevens mentioned. “And with that, with the addition of (Malcolm) Brogdon last year, that was going to require that guys that had gotten a little bit more opportunity weren’t going to get as much. And that obviously hit a few of our players, Payton (Pritchard) included, and Grant was another one of them. But everybody around the league knows that Grant can add value to a winning team. We know that.”
Pritchard is an attention-grabbing case. The guard nonetheless has one season remaining on his rookie contract, however he was vocal this season about his need for a much bigger position after being buried within the backcourt behind Marcus Smart, Derrick White and Brogdon. Pritchard remained skilled all through a difficult scenario and carried out nicely when given the chance. He’s beloved by his teammates and the Celtics like him as a participant.
But if they bring about again the identical backcourt, it appears seemingly they’d discover a commerce with Prtichard this summer season to do proper by him in his profession as he seeks a second contract.
“Everybody loves basketball. It’s a hard job. You get paid a lot to handle those situations, but I really feel for a guy like him because there are guys that work at it and there’s guys that are obsessed with it,” Stevens mentioned. “He’s obsessive about it. That’s sort of his character. He works at it. He’s a extremely good participant. As I’ve instructed him many occasions this yr, all people is aware of you’re a extremely good participant, not solely on this constructing however across the league. They perceive your circumstances that we now have Derrick White, that we now have Marcus Smart, that we now have Malcolm Brogdon. That within the playoffs, you solely go seven or eight deep in a variety of circumstances.
“But we don’t know how that’s all gonna shake itself out moving forward. I’m a big Payton fan, I believe in him, and everybody here does and we’ll see how everything shakes itself out again. But he’s a good player.”
4. How will the Celtics fortify frontcourt and remainder of roster?
After taking part in in simply 35 video games within the common season, Robert Williams stayed wholesome and didn’t miss a playoff sport. He was key to turning the second spherical round when he was reinserted into the beginning lineup and he confirmed flashes of what made him so good final season.
“He’s a huge part of our opportunity to be great,” Stevens mentioned. “I think that’s obvious.”
Going ahead, although, the Celtics may have so as to add some extra dependable reinforcements to their frontcourt. Al Horford had an excellent season, however he’s not getting any youthful. He turned 37 on Saturday and after resting on the second night time of again to backs all season, he carried out exceptionally nicely towards Joel Embiid and the 76ers within the second spherical however appeared to expire of fuel within the East finals. Robert Williams did play each playoff sport however has an harm historical past. Can the Celtics rely on him to be obtainable?
Luke Kornet was a serviceable backup huge throughout the common season however didn’t crack the rotation within the playoffs. Danilo Gallinari is ready to return subsequent season after lacking 2022-23 with a torn ACL however he turns 35 in August and the Celtics may stand to get some youth of their frontcourt each for the longer term and to assist spell Horford and Williams.
The Celtics may gain advantage from including a participant who can present some toughness – each mentally and bodily – after they suffered from lapses of focus and depth all through the playoffs, one thing they know they should tackle. The Celtics maintain the No. 35 decide on this month’s draft, and perhaps they’ll use that in a commerce package deal to usher in one other high quality bench participant. Either manner, Stevens has no scarcity of choices to make as he fills out the roster and evaluates methods he can convey the Celtics excessive subsequent season.
Source: www.bostonherald.com