Julian Phillips is selected by the Celtics at the 2023 NBA draftDavid Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics are NBA champions once again. While they remain the talk of the league for now, the Celtics are highly unlikely to generate headlines during the 2024 offseason.
When the NBA draft opens on Wednesday, the Celtics will sit at the bottom of the draft order. Trading up or down in the draft remains a possibility, but fans can’t expect Boston to flip draft capital for more contributors.
The Celtics are already projected to be over the second luxury-tax apron. Therefore, they will be prevented from aggregating contracts to trade for a single player, sending out cash in trades, using trade exceptions from previous years, or taking back more salary than they send in a trade.
The Celtics hold the 30th and 54th overall selections and expect to use their selections over the next two days.
“I anticipate picking a couple picks,” general manager Brad Stevens said, per Justin Leger of NBC Sports Boston. “Whether they’re on roster or two-way, and investing in young players. If they come in and crack our rotation, then they’re really good. And that’ll be a good thing, too.”
It will indeed be difficult for a rookie to crack Boston’s lineup this season. The entire core—which includes Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday—is under contract for the 2024-25 season. The list of unrestricted free agents is limited to Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Xavier Tillman and Luke Kornet.
Forward Oshae Brissett will also hit the market after reportedly declining his player option:
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Oshae Brissett is declining his $2.5M player option with the Boston Celtics for the 2024-25 season, a league source told @spotrac.
Brissett will now be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Boston may still bring back Brissett on a new deal and may look to retain Tillman and Kornet for center depth.
“The Celtics prioritize flexibility, so they probably like the idea of bringing back both Kornet and Tillman to give themselves the option to play different ways,” Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe wrote.
The Celtics have Bird rights with both Tillman and Kornet, meaning they won’t face the same cap restrictions as with external free agents.
If Boston’s primary focus is on retaining depth in free agency, the draft may be its only chance to add injury insurance ahead of the coming season. This is why Stevens must be careful to maximize value with his draft selections.
The Celtics have a talented and deep roster, but injuries could quickly change the situation—just ask the New York Knicks. While Stevens isn’t likely to uncover a future star late in the draft, he could still land a prospect who could contribute early if needed.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, for example, recently mocked Marquette’s Tyler Kolek to the Celtics at No. 30.
Kolek is a smaller player at 6’1″ but could still draw first-round interest, “particularly from playoff teams that will see a guard who can instantly provide pick-and-roll offense, spot-up shooting and toughness,” according to Wasserman.
Wasserman mocked Connecticut’s Tristan Newton to Boston at No. 54.
“Newton should
draw second-round interest and two-way offers from teams who see a Swiss
Army knife guard who can make plays for teammates, knock down shots and
adapt to different roles and situations,” he wrote.
A prospect like Creighton forward Baylor Scheierman—the 30th-ranked player on Wasserman’s latest draft board—could make sense if Brissett isn’t back. Center prospects like Dayton’s DaRon Holmes II or UCLA’s Adam Bona would be logical if Boston isn’t eager to retain Tillman and/or Kornet.
Boston can afford to take a best-player-available approach while still drafting with the upcoming season in mind. That’s the plan Stevens must execute during the draft because the Celtics have proven that their championship window is wide open.
