The Boston Celtics are in a more profound “win-now” mode than any team in the NBA. Sure, LeBron James’ career is winding down, and thus, the Los Angeles Lakers’ championship window could be as well.
But the “king” has a ring. Boston hasn’t hung a banner in more than a decade and a half. “Titletown” is beginning to seem an unfit title for Beantown since the Red Sox and Patriots don’t seem intent on helping the cause anytime soon and the Bruins are in the C’s boat of not finishing when close to the finish line.
The Celtics are once again the odds-on title favorite heading into the 2023-24 season, and typically, teams that have the best odds two years in a row that don’t finish the job tend to have wholesale changes in the offseason; or even sooner at the trade deadline.
Who could be on the chopping block in that case?
These 4 players may be playing their final season with the Boston Celtics during the 2023-24 season
Payton Pritchard
This one is straightforward. Payton Pritchard asked out of Boston ahead of the 2023 trade deadline and then reiterated his desire to have a bigger role elsewhere ahead of this past offseason.
While the guard rotation was cut down with the trade of Marcus Smart, Derrick White is now in line for the majority of the point guard minutes with Malcolm Brogdon behind him. Pritchard may still not get what he wants this season.
The key to any small-scale splash, Pritchard feels like a logical trade piece for the Celtics ahead of the deadline. If he’s still around past that, it’s hard seeing Boston extend his contract in restricted free agency.
Maybe Boston will make this blurb obsolete with a deal ahead of the extension deadline for 2024 restricted free agents this October. That doesn’t feel all that likely right now, though.
Robert Williams III
The Time Lord has not been healthy for the majority of his Boston Celtics career, and while his contract is cost-controlled for several more years, the juice might not be worth the squeeze for a veteran who may not be present during the most important postseason moments due to injury.
Just two seasons ago, Robert Williams III was part of the best lineup in the NBA in several statistical categories. Under Joe Mazzulla, though, he has been downgraded in priority, having been moved to the bench.
Things may only get worse with Kristaps Porzingis entering the rotation. If Mazzulla goes small with his lineup with a five-out arrangement, Williams wouldn’t even be the first big off the bench; sitting behind Al Horford in what may be the penultimate year of his career.
If Williams is demoted that much, his salary is a valuable potential trade chip the Cs could use to match salaries or even gain draft capital with. Since Smart is gone, there’s no possibility the Smart-Jaylen Brown-Jayson Tatum-Horford-Williams quintet could save the Time Lord in 2023-24.
Malcolm Brogdon
Malcolm Brogdon was nearly traded by the Boston Celtics front office, and that has driven head coach Joe Mazzulla to have to do some damage control between the franchise and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year.
“There is a healing process, there is a listening process and to see where we are at and where we have to get to,” Mazzulla told reporters on July 26 (h/t Bobby Manning). “We’ve had some conversations as an organization but at the same time, we understand that’s the situation that it was and as the healing process goes on, we will move forward as well as you can.”
Having to heal a relationship that has only been one year long and was beneficial for both parties until one of them made it clear the other is expendable doesn’t sound like the makings of a long-term relationship.
If Brogdon feels slighted by a shooting guard, Derrick White, taking over the starting job even with Smart traded, it feels like this partnership could be done before the 2024 trade deadline.
Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis’ foot issues, which were fully revealed after his Boston Celtics contract extension was signed, have changed the narrative surrounding the seven-foot-three stretch big’s arrival with the franchise. Beforehand, he was seen as the final piece of a championship puzzle.
Now? Porzingis is someone some are calling to trade. Interestingly enough, that was the first thought some had after the Brogdon trade; similarly in the boat of being a potential goner if the “win-now” label doesn’t suit the on-court product.
To be fair, the Latvian hasn’t played a minute with the Celtics yet. His versatility could open doors for Brown and Tatum we were all previously unaware existed.
It’s just hard for fans to trust him after the similar offseason injury woes Danilo Gallinari suffered in 2022.
Porzingis should still be one of the top three or four contributors to the team out of the gate, but if the team isn’t winning, fans will turn on him quickly due to Smart being who it took to land the big man. No one else represents the turning of the page from the 2022 Eastern Conference Championship core as Porzingis does.
Boston Celtics were unaware of marquee offseason addition’s injury before trade
The Boston Celtics were reportedly unaware of their marquee offseason addition's foot injury before they traded a fan-favorite for him.