The three veteran signings and one trade the Celtics should make before the season.
Sign
1. Hassan Whiteside - Perfect plug and play for Williams III to start the season, plus great back up since Kornet is not an answer here.
2. LaMarcus Aldridge - Yes, you sign both the bigs here. Aldridge can play the center position and still play the power forward. He's a filler for Horford, gives us a veteran big to play through in the second unit.
3. Isaiah Thomas - Celtics sign him because the trade I'm suggesting. He gives you instant offence whenever you plug him in. He would be a great backup, fill in starter or just plug and play.
Trade
1. Payton Pritchard, 2024 2nd round pick to the Knicks for Cam Reddish. Cam Reddish gives us a 3&D player wanting to have some minutes since in NY he didn't get many. Here in Boston he could play a great filler off the bench and if starter like Brown or Tatum goes down, he could fill in the starting line up if needed.
This would be the roster the Celtics would have, the 15 dressed and 2 on two-way contracts.
Starting Five
Center - Robert Williams III
Power Forward - Al Horford
Small Forward - Jason Tatum
Shooting Guard - Jaylen Brown
Point Guard - Marcus Smart
Back up Five
Center - Hassan Whiteside
Power Forward - Grant Williams
Small Forward - Cam Reddish
Shooting Guard - Derrick White
Point Guard - Malcolm Brogdon
End of Bench
Center - Luke Kornet
Power Forward - LaMarcus Aldridge
Small Forward - Sam Hauser
Point Guard - Isaiah Thomas
I.R. - Shooting Guard - Danilo Gallinari (If comes back keep him, if not he's not needed when you bring in Reddish. He also gives you a trade piece to bring in someone if you want later in the year by attaching a pick at the deadline.)
Two-way Contracts
Center - Mfiondu Kabengele
Point Guard - JD Davison
Mind you this is just showing the roster with the four players the Celtics should add. These give them the most flexibility in creating rosters and also this combination makes it if a player or two go down, their is less of a production drop off.