Well, it's been a rough go of it for the Boston Celtics over the past month or so. It's clear they believed they had to make some changes this summer. Whether the fans like those changes or not, Boston's ready to approach what lies ahead, despite both the clear challenges ahead and the doubts surrounding them.
Oh, I'm sorry. I'm thinking of last summer, back when Boston drastically changed its roster. Not necessarily because they wanted to, but because they had to accommodate the NBA's restrictions. As for this year?
Well, it's been a rough go of it for the Boston Celtics over the past month or so. It's clear they believed they had to make some changes this summer. Whether the fans like those changes or not, Boston's ready to approach what lies ahead, despite both the clear challenges ahead and the doubts surrounding them.
Okay, so it's not the exact same situation, but the similarities are still pretty striking. Boston did what they did last summer because they knew the consequences of the CBA and wanted to avoid them. That's not exactly what happened this summer, but it's close enough. They traded Jaylen Brown because they didn't want to sign him to what would have been a cap-killing extension.
The last two summers have been a clear case of "hate the game, not the player" for Boston. They didn't create the situation; they're dealing with it the best they can. If it weren't for the CBA, it's likely Brown, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford would have remained in Boston, but the Celtics
The doubt should give Boston a chip on the shoulder
Many thought this past season would be a gap year with Jayson Tatum presumed out for the entire season. The Celtics took that to heart and wanted to prove everyone wrong. The playoffs were a disaster, but that doesn't take away from how impressive they fared without Tatum.
The circumstances may have changed, but the doubt remains the same on this team. Yet again, they will enter the season with something to prove, which should make them feel right at home. Better yet, indications are that they are happy with the moves they have made.
We won't be able to see their vision on the court for three more months, and those months will go at a snail's pace (especially in August), but the Celtics haven't just been here before in the face of doubt. They were just here last year.
Again, the postseason did not pan out too great for them, but when knowing how much skepticism after the damage was done around this time last year, doubt Boston at your own risk.
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