Celtics Long Term Strategy

[slightly biased bias fan]

I am very curious what Brad Stevens and the rest of the Celtics front office have planned to theoretically become NBA champions again in 2026-27.

Obviously going forward, the team will have their planned core of Tatum, Brown & White. But what gets the team over the line compared to last season? They will not have any significant cap room to sign a major free agent in 2026 and no real tradable assets outside of the core three.

[Goldstar88]

Brad better start drafting better. That?s for sure.

[slightly biased bias fan]

Brad better start drafting better. That?s for sure.

Even if Stevens does draft better, rookies do not win you championships. That is what perplexes me so much.

The Celtics will be too strong to have a shot at a top 3 pick in next years draft, not enough cap flexibility to sign a star free agent and not enough expendable assets to trade for another star role player like Jrue Holiday.

[slightly biased bias fan]

I do not see how the Celtics could make a play for Giannis next season either.

Besides Jaylen Brown, Stevens does not have much more to offer Milwaukee due to the Celtics owing a 2028 first round swap to San Antonio & their 2029 first to Portland.

[Neurotic Guy]

I do not see how the Celtics could make a play for Giannis next season either.

Besides Jaylen Brown, Stevens does not have much more to offer Milwaukee due to the Celtics owing a 2028 first round swap to San Antonio & their 2029 first to Portland.

In reference to your post above this one, you are correct about the challenge and the dismal reality but I do have faith in CBS and I think he is going to find a way to field a contender after this season.

I completely agree that JB doesn?t provide ammunition to get Giannis unless the Bucks have an immediate answer for how to land a top ten player. Getting future considerations plus JB from the Cs does nothing for the Bucks who will either be all in trading for the future or all in trading for the present.  Celtics don?t give them either.

[Goldstar88]

Brad better start drafting better. That?s for sure.

Even if Stevens does draft better, rookies do not win you championships. That is what perplexes me so much.

The Celtics will be too strong to have a shot at a top 3 pick in next years draft, not enough cap flexibility to sign a star free agent and not enough expendable assets to trade for another star role player like Jrue Holiday.

I?m not just talking about next year. The thread title is Celtics long term strategy. In general, he needs to draft better. Look at the haul Memphis just got for Desmond Bane who was taken 30th overall. He was a rotation player as a rookie and was averaging 18ppg his second year. D-White was taken 29th overall. He was a rotation player by year 2, averaging 10pts/4reb/4ast. The Celtics have their core with JT, JB and White. With the new CBA it will be crucial to find pieces in the draft to build the roster. Also gives you trade chips.

[Vermont Green]

I agree that this is a tough question.  There is no clear plan or path other than put the best team you can around Tatum, Brown, and White, without going over the second apron and see how it goes in 2026-27.   Teams that have both stars and a stable of good players on rookie contracts have an advantage for now but all teams are going to be in the same position soon enough.  I like our core 3.  This core 3 will be better than most if not all other core 3s.  That is a good place to start.

Step 1 of the plan, as I see it is get the salary back under control.  That is what has been going on.  I see step 2 as seeing what we have in Simons.  Is he part of the core moving forward or just trade bait?  If trade bait (which I see as more likely) how can we maximize the return from him.  Step 3 is the 2026 first round pick.  Use it?  Trade it?  In either case, we can't miss on that.  Need to get a good player out of it either way.  Step 4, 5, 6 and so on is to assess the other current players and see if any of them can be part of the core moving forward.

Then, based on all that, see how it goes in 2026-27.  If you don't like how it looks in 2026-27, then you start thinking about things like trading Brown and so on.  That would be my plan anyway.