The Boston Celtics absolutely need to make some changes this offseason. After another disappointing early playoff exit, it's become clear that this Celtics team isn't good enough to compete for a title as is.
But the answer is not to make some big splash by trading Jaylen Brown for Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kevin Durant, signing LeBron James, or anything along those lines.
Instead, Boston needs to take a page out of its own playbook that worked just a few years ago and make some notable changes around the margins to better support its core of Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Derrick White.
The Celtics need to pull off another 2023-type offseason
Let's rewind the clock a little bit. It's 2023, and the Celtics just lost to a No. 8 seed Miami Heat in Game 7 of the conference finals to continue their trend of disappointing playoff losses (six-game loss to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals after going up 2-1, losing in five games in the first round of the 2021 playoffs to the Brooklyn Nets, losing to the Heat in six games in the 2020 conference finals, and losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2019 playoffs).
It's clear that changes need to be made, with some even having the idea of breaking up the Tatum-Brown duo. Fortunately for Celtics fans, changes were made, but they were done with the idea of supporting the Jays, and not breaking them up.
Early in the 2023 offseason, Boston completed a three-team sign-and-trade with the Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies to acquire Kristaps Porzingis. And just before the start of that season, the team also acquired Jrue Holiday to replace Marcus Smart (who went to Memphis as part of the Porzingis deal) from the Portland Trail Blazers.
In one summer, the Celtics acquired a stretch big man who provided value in every area and was able to take pressure off of Tatum and Brown due to his post presence, and they also acquired a savvy, dependable guard who completely elevated their defense and brought that championship experience they needed.
And with their short-term outlook being a little murky, it's clear that the Celtics need to repeat history and make some moves to fill in the margins, not shake up their core.
Boston has some options to move the needle this summer
It makes no sense for the Celtics to break up their core (which won a title just two years ago), especially since any move they realistically might be able to make will drastically impact their long-term championship window in the worst kind of way.
Boston needs to commit to its guys at the top of the roster and get the right support around them. So how exactly can they do that?
It's clear that the Celtics have two huge needs: a center upgrade (preferably a stretch big) and another go-to shot creator. The team does have some options (such as signing Isaiah Hartenstein - not a stretch big but an elite defensive force- or CJ McCollum, trading for Myles Turner, and/or reuniting with players like Robert Williams III, Anfernee Simons, or even Porzingis himself).
Even though it might not seem like it at the moment, this Celtics team isn't far from competing for a championship again. They just need to make the right moves this offseason, and if there's one thing we have learned since Brad Stevens took over as their GM in 2021, it's that we just need to trust his process and believe he'll do exactly what the team needs him to do.
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