How far can the Boston Celtics realistically go after major downgrades?

The Boston Celtics face an uncertain future as sweeping offseason changes reshape the roster. Once firmly in the championship conversation, they have endured notable setbacks over the summer, casting doubts over how far they could realistically go after such major downgrades.

With Jayson Tatum sidelined for the rest of the season, the Celtics appear to be focusing on becoming a playoff team at best. They will lean heavily on Jaylen Brown, with Derrick White and Sam Hauser expected to shoulder key supporting roles. The departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Jrue Holiday signal a shift in direction as Boston appears focused on the future.

They flipped Holiday for Anfernee Simons, swapped Porzingis for Georges Niang, then moved Niang to the Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr. Each deal also brought in a future second-round pick, underscoring a roster reset that has all the signs of a rebuild. The Celtics also added free agent Chris Boucher to bolster the front court, while continuing to reduce their wage bill.

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The new-look Boston team should feature Anfernee Simmons at the point, Derrick White at the two and Sam Hauser at the three, while Jaylen Brown and Chris Boucher complete the frontcourt. Although the team boasts a talented roster, with Pritchard and Luis Jr. on the bench, it's far from its 2024 title-winning team.

With limited competition in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics should still secure a playoff spot. However, teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks will fancy their chances, especially with Boston and Indiana set to be without key players for much of the season.

The Boston Celtics continue to focus on balancing their books after the recent Georges Niang trade

The Boston Celtics entered the offseason carrying one of the largest tax bills in NBA history, an eye-watering $540 million in combined payroll and luxury tax penalties. By moving on from Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, they cut that figure nearly in half, bringing it down to a more manageable $280 million.

They further slashed the figure on Tuesday after trading Georges Niang to the Utah Jazz, as highlighted by NBA salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan on X (formerly Twitter).

"The Boston Celtics reduce their payroll and luxury tax by a total of $50 million by trading Georges Niang. They’re now just $1.7 million above the first apron and $9.4 million above the luxury tax line. They also create an $8.2 million trade exception," Gozlan reported.

The Boston Celtics are executing one of the most notable financial pivots in the NBA. With Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown locked into long-term deals, the franchise is focused on balancing its books while positioning itself for a major move in the seasons ahead.

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About the author

Arian Kashyap

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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