For the longest time in the NBA, the key to success at the highest level has been loading up on elite talent and star power, but we’ve seen a dramatic shift over the last few years. The Celtics have been at the forefront of this change, and it was best exemplified when they traded Jaylen Brown to create optionality.
Some of that coveted optionality is what has allowed Boston to extend its own players and keep their roster intact as much as possible in a way that’s sustainable going forward. We’ve already seen them extend Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, and Ron Harper Jr. this offseason, and Payton Pritchard will be eligible in October.
We’ll see more of the same in the coming years with other key role players like Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and more. While the Celtics may have lost an elite but overqualified second option in Brown, they now have a roster with 14 players who can all contribute.
Stevens has built one of the deepest rosters in the NBA
Brad Stevens understands what’s happening in the league, and the moves he has made prove that. He emphasized those values in a recent interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio. He was discussing the Brown trade and how it left the roster, but he threw in a very meaningful tidbit at the end of his comment that’s worth reading into.
“Huge kudos to the players and their work ethic, and a huge kudos to our coaching staff and our player development staff. It built a really deep group. And that’s what you need to be to win in this day and age. We think that’s really important.”
These comments may not seem like much, but this is a perfect example of Stevens saying the quiet part out loud. If they moved forward with Brown, they would have had 70% of the salary cap tied up in two players and would have been forced to gut the roster and sacrifice all the depth they’ve built.
Celtics roster build is sustainable going forward
Brad and company figured the team would be better off redistributing some of that money and usage going forward. They’ve done an impeccable job on the margins and built a roster that’s not only deep, but incredibly versatile at every position. Joe Mazzulla has a lto fo pieces to play with, and he should be able to solve just about any puzzle he faces this season.
The Celtics should also be able to keep this group together going forward, as they’ve extended a lot of their own players on team-friendly deals to keep them in Boston. That shouldn’t change any time soon, and they should have a major advantage when it comes to depth for years to come.
That’s not the be-all, end-all in the NBA, but it has become more important than ever. Weaknesses and liabilities are targeted and attacked more than ever, and flawed players become impossible to trust in the playoffs. Stevens has built a roster that can limit those liabilities and attack the opposition’s, and that should give the Celtics a great chance to win against anyone.
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