The Boston Celtics made some big changes this offseason, but it might have been a mistake.
Since the beginning of the offseason, the Celtics have been in seemingly every rumor imaginable. After trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis leading up to the draft, it was clear that Boston was ready to undergo some serious changes this summer.
Add in the team losing Luke Kornet in free agency and Al Horford’s expected departure, and the Celtics are looking at a much different team next season. Of course, most of Boston’s moves were simply a financial decision.
As FanSided’s Ian Goodwillie pointed out, those financial moves were required because of the team’s massive star contracts, specifically, it was to keep Jayson Tatum around. The superstar tore his Achilles in the second round against the New York Knicks and is likely to miss all of next season, leaving Boston with a gap year before his return in 2026-27.
While everyone is expecting the Celtics to immediately ascend back into contention with Tatum’s star power back in the lineup, Goodwillie believes fans should be a bit more cautious about their expectations. As he explained, there is no guarantee that Tatum will be the same player upon his return from a career-altering injury, and Boston’s gutting of the roster could thrust him into a high-pressure situation the second he steps back on the floor.
While those are valid concerns, the other choice Boston had this offseason was to move on from Tatum, which obviously wasn’t going to happen. Although Tatum could be a shell of his former self and Boston could regret its decision to clean house, it’s worth the risk that a perennial All-NBA selection will be able to lead the team again once he’s healthy.