- The Boston Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals
- The Celtics will have a new starting lineup next season
- Will Kristaps Porzingis mesh with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown?
The Boston Celtics had yet another terrific regular season in 2022-23. They went 57-25 and were the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Celtics defeated the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2023 postseason and the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fourth time in the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown era, which began in 2017-18.
However, the Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the conference finals in seven games. Miami beat Boston in Game 7 by a whopping 19 points at the TD Garden, and that was the final time Marcus Smart and Grant Williams would wear Celtics jerseys.
Boston’s front office decided to change things by trading Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies and Williams to the Dallas Mavericks and acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards this offseason. The Celtics’ roster changes mean second-year head coach Joe Mazzulla will have a new starting lineup next season.
Point Guards
Starter: Derrick White
Reserve: Malcolm Brogdon
Derrick White will be the Celtics’ starting point guard next season, according to Mazzulla. Boston’s head coach revealed this tidbit on July 31.
White appeared in all 82 games last season for the Celtics. He averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting 46.2% from the field, 38.1% from beyond the arc, and 87.5% from the free-throw line.
White finished the 2023 playoffs with averages of 13.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He hit the game-winning shot in Game 6 versus the Heat at the buzzer to force a Game 7. White, who began his career with the San Antonio Spurs, made the 2022-23 All-Defensive second team.
Malcolm Brogdon, who won the 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year Award, will be asked to lead the Celtics’ bench once again next season.
Shooting Guards
Starter: Jaylen Brown
Reserve: Payton Pritchard
Jaylen Brown signed a five-year, $304 million supermax extension with the Celtics this summer. It’s the richest deal in NBA history.
Brown averaged 26.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 2022-23 while shooting 49.1% from the field, 33.5% from 3, and 76.5% from the free-throw line. He was eligible to sign a designated veteran extension because he made an All-NBA team last season.
The 26-year-old Brown is slated to make $52.3 million when his new contract kicks in during the 2024-25 season and $69.1 million in 2028-29, the final year of the deal. He was not eligible for a no-trade clause because he signed an extension.
The Celtics have had a lot of success with Brown, making the playoffs every season and reaching the NBA Finals in 2022. Boston drafted Brown with the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft out of California. It will be interesting to see if the Celtics can win a title with Brown.
Small Forwards
Starter: Jayson Tatum
Reserve: Sam Hauser
Jayson Tatum is one of the top players in the NBA. He averaged 30.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists last season in 74 games while shooting 46.6% from the floor, 35.0% from beyond the arc and 85.4% from the free-throw line.
The 25-year-old Tatum has made four All-Star teams and three All-NBA teams with the Celtics. The Duke product has career averages of 22.5 points, 7.0 boards and 3.3 assists in 439 games with Boston. He will likely make the Hall of Fame one day.
Tatum could be eligible for a $338 million extension next summer, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN. The Celtics lost to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals in six games despite having a 2-1 lead in the series. Some people around the NBA don’t believe Boston can win a championship with Tatum and Brown leading the way. It will be fascinating to see if Tatum and Brown can prove their naysayers wrong.
Power Forwards
Starter: Kristaps Porzingis
Reserve: Oshae Brissett
The Celtics acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Wizards in a three-team trade with the Grizzlies. Although Boston had to part ways with Smart, the team did trade for a player who leads the NBA in active games with three-plus 3-pointers and three-plus blocks, per StatMuse.
Most games with 3+ threes and 3+ blocks, among active players:
36 – Kristaps Porzingis
36 – Kevin Durant
32 – Brook Lopez
31 – Myles Turner
Only players with over 20 such games. pic.twitter.com/Zi1ZVyE9Hn
— StatMuse (@statmuse) July 3, 2023
Porzingis averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks for the Wizards in 2022-23. He shot 49.8% overall, 38.5% from beyond the arc and 85.1% from the free-throw line. The All-Star forward has career averages of 19.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks with the New York Knicks, Mavericks and Wizards.
There should be more driving lanes for Tatum and Brown next season since Porzingis can space the floor with his shooting skills. When Porzingis goes beyond the 3-point line, he will bring his defender with him, which will create more room in the paint for Tatum and Brown to attack.
An anonymous member of the Celtics told Keith Smith of Spotrac that the franchise traded Smart and Williams and acquired Porzingis to “become a different kind of team.” It will be intriguing to see how Porzingis meshes with Tatum and Brown.
Centers
Starter: Al Horford
Reserves: Robert Williams III, Luke Kornet
Al Horford turned 37 this offseason. He’s played in 1,013 games in the regular season and 167 playoff games but doesn’t have a championship to show for it. It would certainly be great for Horford to win a title before he retires from the NBA.
A Florida product, Horford averaged 9.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists for the Celtics last season while shooting 47.6% overall, 44.6% from 3, and 71.4% from the free-throw line. The five-time All-Star recorded seven double-doubles and the Celtics were 44-19 when the veteran played.
Horford is past his prime, but the former Atlanta Hawks star can still rebound and shoot at a high level, and when he needs a breather, Robert Williams III can come in and provide impact minutes. The Texas A&M product put up 8.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last season.
