The Boston Celtics probably aren’t going to win the championship this year. Without Jayson Tatum, that was always going to be unlikely, and after they lost a ton of depth this summer, it became nearly impossible. But this season is where the next championship could be won, as they have a chance to find important depth.
If the Celtics want to win with Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White as their core three players, they need to prioritize finding solid depth around them. And more importantly, they need to find cheap depth so they can stay away from the apron penalties they intentionally avoided this summer (with trades and a lack of free agency re-signings).
This season is their tryout period.
Celtics are making the most of their gap year
Boston traded Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis (and let Al Horford and Luke Kornet walk in free agency) in order to duck the second apron. If they pay for a bunch of high-quality depth, they will simply find themselves in a similar position to the one they were in this summer.
So, in order to avoid that, finding solid bench pieces on cheap contracts will be crucial for the Celtics. This year, they have plenty of guys playing real minutes who could be the answer to that problem.
Neemias Queta, Baylor Scheierman, Josh Minott, Luka Garza, Jordan Walsh, and Hugo Gonzalez all fall under that category. Each of them has the chance to end up being an important piece for Boston down the line.
Queta has been Boston’s starting center this year, and he’s exceeded all expectations. He still has a team option for next season, but after that, if the Celtics can re-sign him on a cheap(ish) deal, it would be a huge win.
Scheierman has been completely underrated this year, contributing on both ends of the court. His full-court defense and efficient shooting have been crucial, and he’s still on his rookie contract.
Minott and Garza both inked minimum contracts with the Celtics, both of which are two-year deals. Minott has a team option in his second year, while Garza’s contract is guaranteed for both seasons.
Walsh has finally broken out as a legitimate defensive piece for Boston this year, and like Scheierman, he’s still on his rookie contract.
The same can be said for Gonzalez, who is a rookie this season but is already finding himself close to Joe Mazzulla’s circle of trust.
Boston is well on its way to finding solid, cheap rotation pieces for the next title team it attempts to construct. And it’s all happening this season.