Many fans are still struggling to grasp the reality that the Celtics willingly traded away Jaylen Brown, a player who just finished 6th in MVP voting, to create ‘optionality’ moving forward. And based on the history of the NBA, it is certainly an odd move on the surface. For years, this league has been about star power, putting a few elite talents together, and figuring out the rest.
But in recent years, that has completely changed. Now, it’s all about building out a deep roster without holes that can play in a variety of ways and can be sustained for years. Brad Stevens and the Celtics understand this better than anyone, and it’s a big part of how they’ve built the current roster.
Stevens knows new CBA demands a deep, versatile roster
In a recent Celtics All Access video, Behind the Banners, Stevens talked about the league’s new apron rules and explained how he realized that as the NBA eased in these rules, they’d have a short window with the group that won the 2024 title, and the last couple of years, they’ve been paying the piper and trying to build the next championship team in Boston.
“I think that ultimately it has created quite a challenge. And as that’s happened, the game has also changed. And with the game changing, you need more people that can play at a high level. You need a bench that’s deep. And so, those two things don’t necessarily go together. When you’re talkin about, okay, ‘You have to be under a threshold, and you need as many good players as humanly possible’. Right? So, you have to really be good around the role players. The guys that you think can continue to develop and grow, guys that are willing to play a role that might be older and more accomplished. And then, you just build the best team that you can.”
Brad doesn’t mention anyone by name, but it seems very clear who and what he’s referencing. The Celtics obviously really value the two-way depth they’ve built internally with guys like Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, and others. They were unwilling to blow it all up, even for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and in a way, they chose to keep extending these role players, rather than chewing up 35% of the salary cap on Jaylen Brown.
Furthermore, Brad speaks to fit, and when he mentions older, more accomplished players willing to play a role, it sure sounds like he’s talking about a guy like Paul George being able to step in and play a perfect complementary role next to Jayson Tatum, rather than the potentially awkward 1a/1b dilemma that was brewing with Tatum and Brown.
Celtics can contend for championship this season
On paper, this Celtics team may not look like a conventional championship team from past eras of the NBA, but this is a new league. Boston has a true superstar in Tatum; they’ve got supplementary star-level role players in George, Payton Pritchard, and Derrick White, and they have elite depth at every position with all of the young wings and a center trio of Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, and Luka Garza.
They might not have five All-Stars like the 2024 title squad, but they can legitimately go 12-deep with guys who know their roles and play them extremely well. All of the pieces fit together, and the puzzle is built in a way that it can stay together for a long time, while Brad also has the ability to enhance it if he sees the need.
I understand why optimism for this coming season may be a bit muted, and people see it as a bridge year after the Brown trade. But I have a feeling the front office is quite happy with the current roster, and fans may be in for a pleasant surprise.
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