The Celtics are in a tough place. Their championship aspirations have closed for the 2025 and (most likely) 2026 campaigns. They have a bloated salary cap and are missing their top-5 MVP candidate for a majority of the 2025-26 season. So where can Brad Stevens look to reinforce the core of Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Payton Pritchard? They should revisit the "ghosts of first-rounders past" and look for bargains. Let the bargain hunting begin.
1. Guerschon Yabusele
Let's start with familiar territory. "Yabu" was a Celtic once upon a time. A first-rounder in 2016, Yabusele was too raw to crack the lineup, and the Celtics were just embarking on that "Jays" era. Expectations were high, and Yabusele was not going to be afforded the minutes to properly develop.
Yabusele went overseas and developed, and had a really strong showing in the Olympics before joining the Sixers. He was a valuable addition, and it would be expected that multiple teams would be in pursuit. If he is looking for a reunion, the Celtics should be open to it.
2. Cam Reddish
Reddish never quite lived up to his potential but has the ability to get "hot". Reddish is someone who needs to be on the floor to get in a rhythm. As his minutes have dwindled, so has his shooting percentages. With Tatum sidelined, the Celtics have 36 or so minutes a game to fill. Sam Hauser can certainly step in for some, but having another person to fit in the forward rotation could help.
3. Ben Simmons
"The Enigma". This offseason will be filled with workout videos, a reconfigured shooting release, and hype coming from the Ben Simmons camp. None of that will change once he steps into real competition. So why bother? Simmons is still an elite defender, and Joe Mazzulla values that. On the offensive side of the court, the Celtics would be playing 4 on 5, but on the defensive side, Simmons can feel like an extra defender.
4. Doug McDermott
McDermott has shifted into a spot contributor role, but one that the Celtics should explore with his shooting ability and their reliance on three-point shooting. McDermott isn't instant offense, but when he's on the floor, he has to be respected, helping the Celtics with floor spacing. In a limited rotation role, McDermott fits the Celtics' profile.
5. Harrison Barnes
Viewed through the right prism, Harrison Barnes is a poor man's Jayson Tatum. Offensively, Barnes has never carried the same load, but has been efficient in similar ways to Tatum. The argument falls short on the defensive side of the ball. Mazzulla may be able to extract that out of Barnes though. Nothing will replace Tatum, but Barnes is a facsimile of a facsimile of a facsimile. For the 2025 season, that may be the most the Celtics can hope for.