What Is The Plan?

[celticinorlando]

Get through this season. Get under the cap BS. Cut the deadweight and go after the title in 2026.

[Moranis]

Contend for a title! 

As I stated in the "How Many Games" thread, they won 53 in 16-17 which was JB's rookie year.  Go back and have gander at that team and you'll wonder how they won that many.  JB is now years wiser; and they have White and Simons.  While their bigs aren't great, I see Garza separating himself from that pack to become the guy.  This team will be ready to roll by the time JT returns!

as I said in that thread and will say again here, you are significantly downplaying that team.  It wasn't gping to win the title but it absolutely was a deep well constructed team and those teams often win a lot of games. 

[slightly biased bias fan]

Get through this season. Get under the cap BS. Cut the deadweight and go after the title in 2026.

How though?

I hope I am not come across as rude, I am just bereft of ideas how this team gets close to a title again in their current iteration.

The Celtics have 145.7 million invested in 3 players for the 2026 season. The cap is projected to be 165 million, which leaves only 19.3 million left for the rest of the roster (before going into the luxury tax again).

Porzingis is the only quality centre in the 2026 free agents class. If Atlanta does go deep into the playoffs, why would he leave a great situation? They have elite young talent and Okongwu allows Porzingis the opportunity to rest when necessary.

[Birdman]

Tatum, Brown & White huge contracts really gotta hurt this team by getting good players instead of bench players?would they take a pay cut to help get better players? Probably not

[Vermont Green]

In my opinion, BOS will not be as far behind the top teams in 2026-27 as people seem to fear.   For OKC, their big 3 will be:

Shai
Williams
Holmgren

Is that really all that different than:

Tatum
Brown
White

Right now, OKC has more depth but they are going to start to feel the second apron squeeze just like every other team.  Jalen Williams gets paid in 2026-27, they may not be able to keep Hartenstein, for example, or some of their other depth pieces.

Who else are people afraid of out west?  Houston?  Can Durant make it through a season?  Nuggets?  Lakers?  Clippers?  I don't see any of these teams as necessarily ahead of BOS.  An injury here or there and it could completely change the pecking order of these teams.  And many of those teams are relying on old players.

The move that BOS can make is to trade Simons and this season's pick for a vet big.  Maybe a 4th starter level player.  Or maybe Simons plays well enough to be a solid 4th starter and all you need is a 5th starter level big.  The bench can be Pritchard, Hauser, Queta, Boucher, Minott, maybe Gonzalez is ready by 2026-27.  I don't see it as necessarily taking all that much to put BOS right there.

[Moranis]

In my opinion, BOS will not be as far behind the top teams in 2026-27 as people seem to fear.   For OKC, their big 3 will be:

Shai
Williams
Holmgren

Is that really all that different than:

Tatum
Brown
White

Right now, OKC has more depth but they are going to start to feel the second apron squeeze just like every other team.  Jalen Williams gets paid in 2026-27, they may not be able to keep Hartenstein, for example, or some of their other depth pieces.

Who else are people afraid of out west?  Houston?  Can Durant make it through a season?  Nuggets?  Lakers?  Clippers?  I don't see any of these teams as necessarily ahead of BOS.  An injury here or there and it could completely change the pecking order of these teams.  And many of those teams are relying on old players.

The move that BOS can make is to trade Simons and this season's pick for a vet big.  Maybe a 4th starter level player.  Or maybe Simons plays well enough to be a solid 4th starter and all you need is a 5th starter level big.  The bench can be Pritchard, Hauser, Queta, Boucher, Minott, maybe Gonzalez is ready by 2026-27.  I don't see it as necessarily taking all that much to put BOS right there.

Yes. OKC is a lot different. Not only are they better players st each spot, they are far less repetitive in position and skill set.  They are also younger and with much better complimentary pieces and better future assets. 

[Vermont Green]

Tatum, Brown & White huge contracts really gotta hurt this team by getting good players instead of bench players?would they take a pay cut to help get better players? Probably not

I don't think they take a pay cut but I also don't think their contracts hurt as much as it seems.  Here are some top team and what they are paying their top 2 and top 3 players in 2026/27:

CLE   $100M/142M
DEN   $109M/141M
NYK   $99.5M/$137M
GSW  $117M/$145M
BOS   $115M/$145M

OKC   $82.5M/$112M

OKC clearly has an advantage for a couple more seasons but most of the other top teams are in the same situation as BOS.  We are high on our top 2 but our top 2 are both really good.  If you look at the top 3, there is not that much difference and I would put our top 3 with any other top 3.  I agree that BOS is feeling this the most right now, we had to peel off Holiday, Porzingis, and Horford.

[SparzWizard]

In my opinion, BOS will not be as far behind the top teams in 2026-27 as people seem to fear.   For OKC, their big 3 will be:

Shai
Williams
Holmgren

Is that really all that different than:

Tatum
Brown
White

Right now, OKC has more depth but they are going to start to feel the second apron squeeze just like every other team.  Jalen Williams gets paid in 2026-27, they may not be able to keep Hartenstein, for example, or some of their other depth pieces.

Who else are people afraid of out west?  Houston?  Can Durant make it through a season?  Nuggets?  Lakers?  Clippers?  I don't see any of these teams as necessarily ahead of BOS.  An injury here or there and it could completely change the pecking order of these teams.  And many of those teams are relying on old players.

The move that BOS can make is to trade Simons and this season's pick for a vet big.  Maybe a 4th starter level player.  Or maybe Simons plays well enough to be a solid 4th starter and all you need is a 5th starter level big.  The bench can be Pritchard, Hauser, Queta, Boucher, Minott, maybe Gonzalez is ready by 2026-27.  I don't see it as necessarily taking all that much to put BOS right there.

Maybe not far behind, but this team needs to get their head in together because they can't hold onto two 20-point leads at home to the inferior Knicks. I'll worry about the Celtics and the Eastern Conference teams first before OKC and the likes from the West.

And also we need to find reliable replacements for Jrue, Kristaps, Horford, and a backup big (to fill in Kornet's void).

[jambr380]

Get through this season. Get under the cap BS. Cut the deadweight and go after the title in 2026.

How though?

I hope I am not come across as rude, I am just bereft of ideas how this team gets close to a title again in their current iteration.

The Celtics have 145.7 million invested in 3 players for the 2026 season. The cap is projected to be 165 million, which leaves only 19.3 million left for the rest of the roster (before going into the luxury tax again).

Porzingis is the only quality centre in the 2026 free agents class. If Atlanta does go deep into the playoffs, why would he leave a great situation? They have elite young talent and Okongwu allows Porzingis the opportunity to rest when necessary.

The Celtics will still have the $22.5M TPE from the Porzingis trade and they should have access to the $14.1M MLE - as long as they stay below the tax. In addition, they'll either have the ability to re-sign Simons if he works out or will have another decent player that they've always trade him for.

There are still cap logistics to figure out (like not being able to use the full non-taxpayer MLE if we go into the tax), but we do have avenues to improve. Oh, and there's Tatum

[Donoghus]

Eastern Conference will be right there for the taking in 2026-27.  Tread water now, do some minor to moderate roster tinkering, stay healthy and they're right there.

This thing doesn't need to be blown up.

[Vermont Green]

In my opinion, BOS will not be as far behind the top teams in 2026-27 as people seem to fear.   For OKC, their big 3 will be:

Shai
Williams
Holmgren

Is that really all that different than:

Tatum
Brown
White

Right now, OKC has more depth but they are going to start to feel the second apron squeeze just like every other team.  Jalen Williams gets paid in 2026-27, they may not be able to keep Hartenstein, for example, or some of their other depth pieces.

Who else are people afraid of out west?  Houston?  Can Durant make it through a season?  Nuggets?  Lakers?  Clippers?  I don't see any of these teams as necessarily ahead of BOS.  An injury here or there and it could completely change the pecking order of these teams.  And many of those teams are relying on old players.

The move that BOS can make is to trade Simons and this season's pick for a vet big.  Maybe a 4th starter level player.  Or maybe Simons plays well enough to be a solid 4th starter and all you need is a 5th starter level big.  The bench can be Pritchard, Hauser, Queta, Boucher, Minott, maybe Gonzalez is ready by 2026-27.  I don't see it as necessarily taking all that much to put BOS right there.

Maybe not far behind, but this team needs to get their head in together because they can't hold onto two 20-point leads at home to the inferior Knicks. I'll worry about the Celtics and the Eastern Conference teams first before OKC and the likes from the West.

And also we need to find reliable replacements for Jrue, Kristaps, Horford, and a backup big (to fill in Kornet's void).

I agree, if they play like they did vs. NYK, they are not going anywhere, no matter who they get to add to the mix.

[slightly biased bias fan]

That is what I was trying to get across, that this season is going to be a complete waste. A weakened Philly, missing Paul George and a hobbled Embiid still won over the Celtics.

Unless the Celtics get insanely lucky like Dallas, they will not be getting a high lottery pick. Washington, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, Utah, Sacramento, Portland, Phoenix & New Orleans all have weaker rosters than the Celtics.

Do not forget that Tatum wants to be back by the second half of this season too.

Mazzulla is too competitive to blood the youngsters. There were no minutes tonight for Hugo Gonzales, Scheierman, Walsh, Shulga or Williams.

[Goldstar88]

That is what I was trying to get across, that this season is going to be a complete waste. A weakened Philly, missing Paul George and a hobbled Embiid still won over the Celtics.

Unless the Celtics get insanely lucky like Dallas, they will not be getting a high lottery pick. Washington, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, Utah, Sacramento, Portland, Phoenix & New Orleans all have weaker rosters than the Celtics.

Do not forget that Tatum wants to be back by the second half on this season too.

Mazzulla is too competitive to blood the youngsters. There were no minutes tonight for Hugo Gonzales, Scheierman, Walsh, Shulga or Williams.

?Lucky? like Dallas. 

[slamtheking]

That is what I was trying to get across, that this season is going to be a complete waste. A weakened Philly, missing Paul George and a hobbled Embiid still won over the Celtics.

Unless the Celtics get insanely lucky like Dallas, they will not be getting a high lottery pick. Washington, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, Utah, Sacramento, Portland, Phoenix & New Orleans all have weaker rosters than the Celtics.

Do not forget that Tatum wants to be back by the second half of this season too.

Mazzulla is too competitive to blood the youngsters. There were no minutes tonight for Hugo Gonzales, Scheierman, Walsh, Shulga or Williams.

that remains to be seen.  the C's front court is the worst in the league.  don't be surprised to see the C's in the lottery

[slightly biased bias fan]

That is what I was trying to get across, that this season is going to be a complete waste. A weakened Philly, missing Paul George and a hobbled Embiid still won over the Celtics.

Unless the Celtics get insanely lucky like Dallas, they will not be getting a high lottery pick. Washington, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Chicago, Utah, Sacramento, Portland, Phoenix & New Orleans all have weaker rosters than the Celtics.

Do not forget that Tatum wants to be back by the second half of this season too.

Mazzulla is too competitive to blood the youngsters. There were no minutes tonight for Hugo Gonzales, Scheierman, Walsh, Shulga or Williams.

that remains to be seen.  the C's front court is the worst in the league.  don't be surprised to see the C's in the lottery

Tatum is dead set on coming back as soon as possible, that will add wins.

Other teams that under perform early in the season will tank, the Celtics front office and Mazzulla will not.