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Boston Celtics: Depth can become the biggest strength

By Joshua Bateman

BOSTON, MA - MAY 15: Jaylen Brown #7, Marcus Smart #36, and Terry Rozier #12 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 15: Jaylen Brown #7, Marcus Smart #36, and Terry Rozier #12 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2018 NBA Playoffs on May 15, 2018 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Boston Celtics should have the best depth in the NBA next season

Going into next season, the most exciting part of the Boston Celtics is their top level talent. With Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving joining Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford, the Celtics know they have one of the premier starting units in the NBA.

Even so, it continues to get harder and harder to win with just top talent in the NBA, because the competition is so absurd. You still need another edge to separate yourself, and the Celtics know they have an opportunity to get that with their depth.

These playoffs made it abundantly clear that the secondary talent on this team was underrated. When you think about how much better these young players can get, and the Celtics have something with their bench that no one else in the NBA has.

The Celtics have real starting level talent that will be coming off their bench, with incredible versatility and athleticism. The front court is hard to evaluate right now, because it is hard to tell if veterans Aaron Baynes and Marcus Morris will be prominent, or if the younger options will separate themselves.

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That being said, Terry Rozier made it clear that he is starting quality and with the improvement he showed this season, he can still become even more special. If Marcus Smart is brought back, you get one of the best defenders in the entire NBA, who is capable of defending five different positions.

Add on Daniel Theis, who would easily be the best third player off the bench in the entire NBA, and the Celtics have an eight man rotation that might give them the best top to bottom talent in the entire NBA.

You will never get better top talent than the Warriors, and LeBron James could create another super team depending where he goes. It might be impossible to have an actual advantage over that kind of top talent, but those also cannot compete with the kind of bench the Celtics can have.

Just having Tatum and Brown as fourth and fifth options is one of the most special situations in the NBA, and having those next three options give the Celtics an edge that is impossible to replicate without embracing young talent on rookie contracts like they have.

You also cannot rule out Danny Ainge doing even more to improve that front court. And, quite frankly, Baynes and Morris as ninth and tenth option would terrorize teams in the regular season.

The Celtics have put themselves in a position to have special young talent coming off the bench, and there may not be another team in the NBA capable of creating that kind of dynamic impact off their bench.

Next: Boston Celtics have to grow from improbable run

When you take into account what Brad Stevens is able to do with big rotations, and integrating many different players, the Celtics could be a different kind of monster that we have not seen from teams who rely entirely on top end talent.

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