The Boston Celtics will have plenty of holes on their roster to fill this offseason and not much money to work with.
This is going to make Brad Stevens earn his paycheck. He and the rest of the front office are likely going to have to piece through some of the less expensive players entering free agency to find diamonds in the rough if they want to make any meaningful additions not via trade.
With new ownership coming in, it remains to be seen just how willing they are going to be to spend big from Day 1. If financial restraints on Stevens are made, we could see a much different-looking roster once the 2025-26 season tips off.
Celtics Urged to Pursue Jae'Sean Tate or Taurean Prince in Free Agency
Fans are already preparing for that possibility, and Brian Robb of MassLive.com recently provided a pair of names he would consider if Boston were limited to signing players for the minimum.
"Realistically, if Boston is only working with the veteran’s minimum for signings, I’d look out for a guy like Jae’Sean Tate or Taurean Prince to see if they have to settle for those type of deals."
While neither name is going to pop off the page, both have proven during their time in the NBA that they can contribute if placed in the right role. Between the two, there are 15 seasons of NBA experience to make conclusions from when discussing whether either would be a beneficial fit in Boston.
Of the two, Prince has been a more consistent producer throughout his professional career. The former Baylor Bears standout owns career averages of 9.9 points per game while shooting 43% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc. Those are the skills you want to find in a player on a minimum salary.
Fans will see many other players linked to Boston in the coming weeks. We'll have to wait and see what type of magic Stevens and the Celtics' brain trust can work. However, the Celtics will likely not be in a place where they can be picky about the moves they make.