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Boston Celtics 2018 offseason preview: Just say no to LeBron James

By Ryan Feyre

BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics gestures in the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - MAY 27: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics gestures in the first half against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 27, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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After a surprisingly successful playoffs spearheaded by an up-and-coming roster, the Boston Celtics head into a pivotal summer offseason.

The NBA season continues long after the buzzer sounds in the closing game of the Finals (which in the case of this year, meant early). Free agency and the draft becomes the forefront of the sport all the way until August when training camp is around the corner. For the Boston Celtics, the 2018 postseason went much better than anyone could have expected.

Now, with a couple of months to kill, GM Danny Ainge must figure out what to do to keep this franchise thriving.

Play it conservative

Back in February, I wrote an article about Ainge’s tendencies when it comes to trading assets and keeping his squad afloat. Basically, I emphasized the GM’s knack for doing the little things in order to compete for a title now, while building for the future (i.e, signing Greg Monroe to a small deal).

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The same idea must apply for this summer as well. Ainge needs to weigh all of his options, specifically when it comes to Marcus Smart’s situation. I’ve already discussed his ludicrous statement about his supposed $12 million worth.

His proclamation comes after a horrid Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals, where he amassed four points on 1-10 shooting. Nonetheless, the backup guard definitely sparked a flame into the Celtics’ improbable run. Remember when the TD Garden was literally shaking in that Milwaukee Bucks series? Yeah, that was because of Smart re-entering the game from his hand injury. His tenacity on defense sets him a part from most ball hawkers in the league.

If Smart leaves, a void will definitely be felt right away. As of right now, Marcus is a restricted free agent, meaning Boston can match any offer put forth by other teams.

According to RotoWorld, the Boston Celtics negotiated a contract extension with Smart last offseason, but ultimately couldn’t finalize anything.

Regardless, if Boston and Smart can’t come to any conclusion, then they’ll have to let him walk.

Ainge also must stay conservative with Kyrie Irving. As of today, the superstar reportedly said that he refuses to talk about any contract extension with Boston, according to boston.com. He wants to solely focus on winning a championship, and redeeming himself after his season-ending injury prior to the 2018 playoffs.

The media will try to spin Irving’s sentiments in a negative manner. However, the point guard seems to have his priorities in the right place. His mind is on rings, not money, and that’s something to admire. Ainge should worry about his future when that time comes.

Currently, Irving has two years left on his Cleveland contract worth over $20 million a year until the 2019-2020 year. If Boston experiences two masterful playoff runs, there’s no reason he wouldn’t sign a long-term extension in the near future. Fans must worry about the present.

Please no LeBron

Multiple sources say that the Celtics have an outside shot at acquiring LeBron James. I hope not. Theoretically, Boston would need to sacrifice one of their budding stars (i.e. Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown) for a guy who Kyrie hates playing with. On top of that, he’s going to be 34, and regardless of his statistical achievements, the king is aging.

There’s no reason to stunt the growth of the young players either, as well as anger your superstar at the same time. Not to mention, why would any Celtics fan not want a guy who painfully beats them every season for eight years?

I’d rather see a world where the Boston Celtics finally defeat LeBron.

Stay the Course

All in all, Ainge and Stevens need to stay their course. Don’t do anything ridiculous in the draft, and stay away from the home run ball. With Gordon Hayward under contract for another few years, they  can’t add anything significant anyway.

All Boston needs to worry about is keeping their talented young core in tact. Tatum rejuvenated a fanbase with his exceptional performances and flashy style. The Boston Celtics were one game away from their first Finals appearance in almost a decade. It took a surreal LeBron performance to stop them.

Next: Boston Celtics 2017-18 retrospective: One game away from glory

Regardless of how poorly Game 7 played out, I see no reason to significantly change anything from last year

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