This year’s Boston Celtics squad looks almost identical to the one that won the 2024 NBA Championship. Brad Stevens did a phenomenal job of bringing back the same team, ensuring that Joe Mazzulla didn’t lose any pieces of the magical puzzle that he used to bring Boston its 18th championship.
However, that may not be the case next year. As the Celtics’ roster crunch inches closer and closer because of their absurdly high payroll, Boston may not be able to bring some guys back for another season. They already traded Jaden Springer at the deadline to save some money, and more cuts could be coming this summer.
Boston only has 27 games left this regular season, so here are three players who have the rest of the year to prove that they deserve to stay.
Xavier Tillman
After the preseason, it looked like Xavier Tillman was going to be a staple of the Celtics’ rotation this season. But ever since then, he’s been completely unable to earn a spot in the everyday lineup.
Tillman has struggled with his three-point shot, often choosing to drive close-outs instead of shoot, which goes against the ideals of Mazzulla’s offense.
He’s also been moving around awkwardly, and there’s a chance he may be battling injuries, as his defense hasn’t looked quite as effective this season.
Tillman still has one year left on his contract, but if the Celtics don’t see him as a part of their future, they could simply trade him away and dump his contract.
Neemias Queta
Similarly to Tillman, Neemias Queta ‘s rotational role hasn’t been quite what many expected it to be heading into the season. He’s earned far more opportunities than Tillman, but he’s only up to 14.3 minutes per game.
Queta is on a multi-year deal, but next year is non-guaranteed, and the final season is a team option, meaning Boston could part ways with him if they see fit.
At just 25 years old, it doesn’t seem like the Celtics would just want to get rid of Queta, but a solid performance throughout the rest of the season would make them even more comfortable keeping him on his current developmental track.
Torrey Craig
This is a bit of a weird one, as Torrey Craig has only suited up in one game for the Celtics so far. They inked him to a contract after the deadline, and at 34 years old, he’s likely entering the final years of his NBA career.
However, he has the exact tool set that the Celtics should be eager to pair with their current core—a defensive-minded forward who can shoot the three-ball.
If Craig plays well enough during the remainder of the year, perhaps Boston will be willing to sign him to another veteran minimum contract for next season.