What’s next for Boston Celtics if they fail in the playoffs

The Boston Celtics have gigantic off-season questions

This article will not include Anthony Davis trade scenarios, or star free agent signing ideas. Long-shot ideas are not plans.

Saying “this season doesn’t matter, they’re just getting Anthony Davis anyway” doesn’t make you sound smart, it makes you sound like a Lakers fan. If they get Davis, or some other gigantic star, then this article is basically meaningless. The point here is to look at where the Boston Celtics are if the pie-in-the-sky dreams don’t come true.

Let’s look at where the Boston Celtics will be, commitment-wise, after this season, per Basketball-Reference.

• Gordon Hayward – $32,700,690 / $34,187,085
• Al Horford – $30,123,015 (player option)
• Kyrie Irving – (the money doesn’t matter, it’s a player option and he’s definitely opting out)
• Marcus Smart – $12,553,471 / $13,446,428 / $14,339,285
• Jayson Tatum – $7,830,000 / $9,897,120 (team option)
• Aron Baynes – $5,453,280 (player option)
• Jaylen Brown – $6,534,829
• Guerschon Yabusele – $3,117,240 / $4,781,846 (team option)
• Robert Williams – $1,937,520 / $2,029,920 (team option) / $3,661,976 (team option)
• Semi Ojeleye – $1,618,520 / $1,752,950 (team option)

Off the books:

• Kyrie Irving (after he turns down his option)
• Al Horford? (player option)
• Marcus Morris
• Aron Baynes? (player option)
• Terry Rozier
• Daniel Theis
• Brad Wanamaker

With a $109 million salary cap, they project to have $42,707,732 in space before bringing anyone back. if Horford and Baynes use their options, that goes down to $7,131,437.

Let’s talk about those two before we go any further.