Not as good as Milwaukee. Not as good as whatever team Durant ends up on. Maybe not as good as Miami or Philly depending on what they do.
In other words, why bother?
If Boston isn't upgrading a top 3 spot on the roster, then it is just treading water.
Not really. If we'd had a better bench last season, we win a title.
And if Middleton doesn't get hurt we lose to Milwaukee in the 2nd round. And if Herro and Butler don't get hurt, we may have lost to Miami (that one is much more questionable given Rob's injury as well).
Last year wasn't a fluke, but it also isn't an accurate depiction of how good Boston is. The same thing happened with Phoenix 2 seasons ago, where they make this run to the Finals based largely on injuries to opponents, and then run it back with some minor changes and end up losing in the 2nd round. Now Tatum is better than anyone on the Suns, but the Suns have a lot of solid talent and a lot of depth, but they aren't really a contender as they lack enough top end talent. Tatum can be great, but the reality is Brown and Smart are just not good enough as 2nd and 3rd options, unless Tatum is a clear top 3 to 5 player, which he is not.
I've been cautioning this sort of outlook for awhile i.e. thinking Boston is a true contender and acting like it rather than acting like Boston lost in the 2nd round (which is a far more reasonable view of the team). The offseason needs to be approached like Boston lost to Milwaukee, and under that approach, these moves don't move the needle. Boston will spend a ton of money on a team that will lose to Milwaukee, if not others.