Celtics masterfully achieving their top priority — and it's changing their future

It was supposed to be a gap year from title contention for the Boston Celtics. Whether that proves true no longer seems relevant. The organization told anyone willing to listen that it wasn't investing its energy into setting expectations for itself, especially in the form of limitations on what it could accomplish. Instead, it stayed true to what makes this a world-class franchise.

From top to bottom, there's a premium placed on culture. Not every hire works out as well as it could, but the Celtics don't bring in anyone who isn't a positive addition to the work environment. Everyone, regardless of role, contributes to winning in some fashion. It's important to enjoy the company taking that journey with you.

Their infrastructure helps people thrive. What they're accomplishing this season is a prime example.

The Celtics' neophytes are evolving

When the NBA announced a more punitive collective bargaining agreement [CBA], the league's original monarchy pushed its chips into the middle of the table. The Celtics wanted to act fast and boldly before those changes took full effect. That approach led to raising banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters.

There is no regret for the path they chose. However, now they must act responsibly and prioritize their future. The CBA played a leading role in shaping the current roster. It also makes it more important than ever to find contributors on team-friendly contracts.

After years of trotting out battle-tested veterans, Boston is now home to one of the NBA's most encouraging youth movements.

Josh Minott arrived after three years oscillating between the end of the Minnesota Timberwolves' bench and their G League. He's quickly showcasing impressive versatility at both ends of the floor.

The 23-year-old wing is knocking down threes at a 43.8 percent clip. Minott is effective on corner cuts and crashes, evidenced by ranking third on the team in offensive rebounds. He is grabbing 1.7 per game.

He also works well in the dunker spot and gives the Celtics another athletic wing to run the floor and help produce points in transition.

What he is doing on the other side of the ball might be more impressive. The six-foot-eight wing demonstrates impressive defensive versatility, cycling through roles and matchups.

By the time his night is done, Minott has probably guarded every position on the floor, with primary assignments ranging from the opposition's top perimeter player to effectively operating at center in small-ball lineups.

Then, there's Boston's traditional option to patrol the pivot. Neemias Queta is another individual success story on a roster filled with them. His growth is a feather in the cap of an elite player development program.

The fifth-year center has the fourth-highest on/off efficiency differential [+18.7] in the NBA, per Basketball University, via cleaningtheglass.com. He is evolving into one of the best screen setters in the league. Productive possessions tend to start with a well-set pick.

Queta is also a lob threat whose vertical spacing puts the defense in a bind and can create clean looks for his teammates. If he has a free roll to the rim, expect a dunk. If a defender rotates to tag him, an open shooter is waiting to capitalize.

Furthermore, the 26-year-old is an underrated passer. When Queta gets the ball while diving to the rim, despite his size, he maintains body control and doesn't treat the rock like a hot potato, firing it to the first teammate he locks eyes with. Instead, he finds who's open and reliably delivers kick-out passes on time and on target.

It also pays to have an athletic, seven-foot center protecting the basket. When Queta's there to protect the cylinder, opponents are shooting 11 percent worse around the rim, per databallr.com. He's also swatting 1.4 shots per game.

The Lisbon, Portugal native is a high-IQ player. He has still logged fewer than 2,000 career minutes. Yet he is quickly applying the lessons learned to continue his ascent at both ends of the floor. He has been a game-changer for the Celtics this season.

So has Jordan Walsh.

The third-year wing more closely resembles the defensive menace he was in college. He utilizes his seven-foot-two wingspan and impressive foot speed that gives him elite lateral mobility to hound whatever assignment Joe Mazzulla unleashes him on.

Walsh has made life unpleasant for players ranging from Tyrese Maxey to James Harden, Jaren Jackson Jr., Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Brunson, and Karl-Anthony Towns. That list highlights his defensive versatility.

After Austin Reaves went 0/3 with the former Arkansas Razorback defending him during the Celtics' 126-105 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, and getting one of his shots rejected by Walsh, the former said he could see Walsh becoming "one of the best defenders in the league for many years to come," per Bobby Manning of CLNS Media.

Offensively, he is validating what he told Hardwood Houdini at training camp about his "role player IQ" being the area he has grown the most. He's improving as a playmaker, evidenced by his ability to do so down the stretch in Boston's victory vs. the New York Knicks.

Walsh is also making more of an impact as a cutter and crashing the glass to create second-chance opportunities. That was also at the heart of how he helped the Celtics earn that win over their geographical rival.

And let's not forget, he's also knocking down 45.5 percent of the 1.7 threes he's hoisting.

Walsh's evolution is taking him from fighting for his future with the franchise to proving he can play a meaningful role in their return to championship contention.

Rookie Hugo Gonzalez is a defensive pitbull. Baylor Scheierman has transformed his body while gaining the understanding of each assignment needed to win with anticipation.

The former learned how to become a savvy cutter while developing within Real Madrid's infrastructure. The latter is a sharpshooter who's comfortable making plays for his teammates off the dribble.

Even Amari Williams earned rave reviews for stepping up when he received an opportunity to challenge himself against Jalen Duren in Neemias Queta's absence.

It's all part of a promising youth movement and a player development system helping Boston build its next sustainable title contender.

The Celtics' veterans are growing, too

The Celtics' roster is defined by players taking on new or added responsibilities. Jaylen Brown is finally getting his chance to showcase what he always believed he could accomplish with an opportunity like that.

The former Finals MVP has responded by averaging 29 points on nearly 50 percent shooting. He is also dishing out 4.9 assists per contest. It captures his ability to act as a rising tide that lifts all boats.

In Boston's recent victory vs. New York, Brown, who finished with 42 points, went from taking over the game as the scorer in the middle two frames to trusting his teammates when the Knicks started blitzing him in the fourth quarter.

It spoke to his desire to make the right read at all times and a balance he is still developing a feel for.

"I'm still growing, to be honest," Brown said of his maturation after that 123-117 win at TD Garden.

Payton Pritchard has now recaptured his rhythm as a shooter and has the sixth-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the NBA. He is proving he is not out of place in the starting lineup.

Derrick White grew accustomed to his offense primarily coming from working in tandem with Jayson Tatum. It took a while for water to find its level and him to return to his usual standards as a shooter, especially on catch-and-shoot opportunities. However, despite having to navigate those frustrations, he is averaging 17 points and 5.3 assists in the current campaign. Both would represent career-highs for a single season.

White is also grabbing 4.1 rebounds per game, swiping 1.5 steals, and swatting 1.2 shots. It's a testament to his all-around impact. It also reflects why the Celtics refused to part with him while undergoing a dramatic roster makeover in the summer.

Plus, Boston could have a valuable trade chip in Anfernee Simons. The veteran guard is working to find his footing as he adapts to going from the Portland Trail Blazers' primary option to his new team's sixth man.

Simons has changed his mindset. His preferred approach was to read how teams defend him before getting more aggressive later in the matchup. Now, he has to make an immediate impact when he comes off the bench. That means operating with that mindset and attacking from the moment his number's called.

Maybe that acclimation leads to Simons sticking around. If not, among the potential paths for the Celtics is including him in a package for Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac.

It's the type of aggressive swing that reminds this author of the trade for Derrick White. Acquiring Zubac, 28, and on a multi-year team-friendly deal, is a move that would help them contend for years to come.

However, no move matters more than getting Jayson Tatum back. As Dr. Kevin Stone, an orthopedic surgeon at The Stone Clinic and a leading expert in Achilles tendon repair, explained to this author, "There's nothing about an Achilles rupture that should prevent him from coming back better than he was before."

Tatum is attacking his rehab relentlessly to ensure that happens. As he explained to former NBA players Marcus and Markieff Morris in a recent appearance on their podcast, he is utilizing this time to learn more about his body and build a better version.

The last thing the Celtics would do is rush Tatum's return. He knows that won't happen until every box gets checked, and he is 100 percent healthy. From there, if he can resume his role and lead a sustainable championship contender, the franchise, at all levels, is doing its part to surround him with the people who can help Boston return to the NBA mountaintop.