A homer's take on a team he really can't figure out.
Notable Additions/Subtractions:
Additions: Al Horford (2yrs remaining, $27m guaranteed this year), Josh Richardson (recently signed 2yr/$24m extension ), Dennis Schroder (1yr/5.9m contract)
Subtractions: Kemba Walker (Knicks via the Thunder), Evan Fournier (Knicks), Tristan Thompson (Kings)
Last Season’s Record: 36-36 (7th in East), first round loss to Brooklyn
Projected First Two Rotations (2021-22):
Starters: M. Smart, J. Richardson, J. Brown, J. Tatum, R. Williams
Second Unit: D. Schroder, R. Langford, A. Nesmith, G. Williams, A. Horford.
So when I look at all the information given before I actually started this blog, I just feel really weird more than anything. When I look at those two rotations, I see a team that will be above average on the defensive end, at minimum, but offense outside of the Jays will not be easy to come by. And the East got better this off-season, once again, including the Knicks taking two formers of the Celtics, with the level of chip-on-their-shoulder-fuck-you-Boston remaining to be seen.
I look at the Atlantic Division specifically and kind of want to throw up not out of disgust, but just worry. We traded our first round pick this year in a draft where most of the players who came in with hype have lived up based on what we’ve seen in our small sample size. Is that my yearly Summer League hype train going off the rails? Obviously, but still, to come out of all of it with two years of Josh Richardson makes me curious about the timing for Brad Stevens and Ime Udoka.
In the vein of our contractual situations, despite the recent extensions, you can see some intent by the front office to gear up for next summer’s free agency crop. Depending on how he can settle into his role off the bench, they probably have one year of Schroder, which will free up an extra $6m. How we finish this season will determine what we pay Al in the following, which is confusing and annoying but is what it is. The partial guarantee being $14m isn’t horrendous, but I’d like to not pay $26.5m, which would then mean we don’t finish well this season, which makes my brain hurt and I’d like to go home.
Thankfully, regardless of what we do pay Horford, it’s less than the $73m+ remaining on Kemba’s deal. We also randomly have Kris Dunn, who may not even last the full season, and known defensive stalwart Enes Kanter returning, both of whom are on one year deals. It’s also the summer to extend Romeo Langford/Carsen Edwards/Grant Williams, all of which I can imagine will be thought of carefully when Brad and Ime are examining upcoming free agents.
All this being said of course, extending Josh Richardson and Marcus Smart makes me wonder if Bradley Beal is still the target, especially since Washington moving Westbrook made it fairly clear that he’s their golden boy.
So despite my drama, I do not think that the Boston Celtics will be an objectively bad basketball team. They’re going to make the playoffs, Tatum and Brown will both average 25+ppg, and we will be a good team on defense, or at least all signs are pointing that way. Rob Williams showed enough to earn himself a four-year extension last year in the playoffs, and Al is going to be a great mentor for him, especially on the defensive end.
I also haven’t mentioned Payton Pritchard yet, who will obviously see minutes, most likely in replacement of Langford/Nesmith in smaller lineups. He’s been a star this summer, including his 92 point pro-am game, even if Davion Mitchell made him look kind of bad in the Summer League final.
I’m looking forward to the season, and to continue to write about this team undoubtedly from a place of unbridled emotion. Anything is possible. Let’s fucking go.
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