3 Celtics Playing Their Final Postseason in Boston

As the 2023-24 NBA campaign ends, there's no denying who the league's best team is: the Boston Celtics. Joe Mazzulla's squad has been at the top of the standings since the regular season began and is now poised to go on a deep playoff run as the Celtics aim to end their 16-year championship drought.

But regardless of how long the postseason experience lasts, not everyone has a guaranteed future in Beantown. The NBA offseason is right around the corner, bringing a lot of player movement due to trades, free agency, and retirement. In other words, the upcoming postseason could be several Celtics' last with the franchise.

Here are three Celtics who are likely playing their final postseason in Boston.

1. Al Horford, C/PF

Even though Al Horford has played for four teams throughout his 17 years in the league, the Celtics are becoming the main team that he's associated with. After all, the former Florida Gator has played six of the last eight seasons in a Boston jersey. Having said that, his time in Beantown could be coming to an end.

Horford isn't getting any younger as he approaches his 38th birthday in June. Even though he's still been decent in a supporting role this season, we can't ignore the fact that Father Time is undefeated and he's now at the stage of his career where any campaign could potentially be his last.

The Celtics going on an NBA Championship run could further convince Horford to retire. The veteran center has accomplished a lot in his career — five All-Star appearances on top of All-NBA and All-Defensive team nods — but the Larry O'Brien Trophy has always eluded him. If Boston winds up ending its title drought, no one would blame Horford for retiring on a high note.

At the end of the day, Horford is still under contract for one more season, so he might not be ready to call it quits just yet. Nevertheless, anything can change throughout the coming months and Celtics fans shouldn't be surprised if this is Horford's final playoff run.