2026-27 Celtics Off Season Discussion

[celticinorlando]

If Brad is watching the knicks blaze their way to the NBA title, he has to see this current Celtics roster has zero chance to beat them next season in a playoff series. At some point, knicks and cavs will have to shed salary but for next year Boston cannot win the East.

Roster needs to be significantly better to compete with them. Queata and Garza as your centers is not going to get it done. Hauser as starter is not going to get it done.

Having first or second year guys off the bench that are going to be counted on is not going to get it done. I like Baylor and Hugo but both of those guys have to take massive steps forward to bolster the bench. Not sure Harper is anything but a practice body. That leaves PP as your only legit bench option.

Brad running it back as is just will be another first or second round exit.

[No Nickname]

If Brad is watching the knicks blaze their way to the NBA title, he has to see this current Celtics roster has zero chance to beat them next season in a playoff series. At some point, knicks and cavs will have to shed salary but for next year Boston cannot win the East.

Roster needs to be significantly better to compete with them. Queata and Garza as your centers is not going to get it done. Hauser as starter is not going to get it done.

Having first or second year guys off the bench that are going to be counted on is not going to get it done. I like Baylor and Hugo but both of those guys have to take massive steps forward to bolster the bench. Not sure Harper is anything but a practice body. That leaves PP as your only legit bench option.

Brad running it back as is just will be another first or second round exit.

I keep reading folks talking up Baylor.  Is it just me, or does his defense seem like an extreme weakness?

Hauser's defense seems to be 3x better. 

[Roy H.]

If Brad is watching the knicks blaze their way to the NBA title, he has to see this current Celtics roster has zero chance to beat them next season in a playoff series. At some point, knicks and cavs will have to shed salary but for next year Boston cannot win the East.

Roster needs to be significantly better to compete with them. Queata and Garza as your centers is not going to get it done. Hauser as starter is not going to get it done.

Having first or second year guys off the bench that are going to be counted on is not going to get it done. I like Baylor and Hugo but both of those guys have to take massive steps forward to bolster the bench. Not sure Harper is anything but a practice body. That leaves PP as your only legit bench option.

Brad running it back as is just will be another first or second round exit.

I keep reading folks talking up Baylor.  Is it just me, or does his defense seem like an extreme weakness?

Hauser's defense seems to be 3x better.

I thought Scheierman's defense during the regular season was a pleasant surprise.  It was consistently above average.

The playoffs were a different story.  Hauser also struggled defensively in the playoffs though.

[Goldstar88]

If Brad is watching the knicks blaze their way to the NBA title, he has to see this current Celtics roster has zero chance to beat them next season in a playoff series. At some point, knicks and cavs will have to shed salary but for next year Boston cannot win the East.

Roster needs to be significantly better to compete with them. Queata and Garza as your centers is not going to get it done. Hauser as starter is not going to get it done.

Having first or second year guys off the bench that are going to be counted on is not going to get it done. I like Baylor and Hugo but both of those guys have to take massive steps forward to bolster the bench. Not sure Harper is anything but a practice body. That leaves PP as your only legit bench option.

Brad running it back as is just will be another first or second round exit.

I keep reading folks talking up Baylor.  Is it just me, or does his defense seem like an extreme weakness?

Hauser's defense seems to be 3x better.

Completely agree. Baylor is not a good defender. He was a turnstile in the playoffs. I?d take Ron Harper Jr over him.

[Who]

If Brad is watching the knicks blaze their way to the NBA title, he has to see this current Celtics roster has zero chance to beat them next season in a playoff series. At some point, knicks and cavs will have to shed salary but for next year Boston cannot win the East.

Roster needs to be significantly better to compete with them. Queata and Garza as your centers is not going to get it done. Hauser as starter is not going to get it done.

Having first or second year guys off the bench that are going to be counted on is not going to get it done. I like Baylor and Hugo but both of those guys have to take massive steps forward to bolster the bench. Not sure Harper is anything but a practice body. That leaves PP as your only legit bench option.

Brad running it back as is just will be another first or second round exit.

I keep reading folks talking up Baylor.  Is it just me, or does his defense seem like an extreme weakness?

Hauser's defense seems to be 3x better.

I thought Scheierman's defense during the regular season was a pleasant surprise.  It was consistently above average.

The playoffs were a different story.  Hauser also struggled defensively in the playoffs though.

I don't like Hauser's defense as a SG. He is not quick enough. He is sufficient at SF though. I prefer Hauser's D at SF (close to average) than Baylor's at SG (below average). They are about the same at SG (both below average). I don't like Hauser as the 5th starter because he isn't quick enough to defend guards. He could make an okay 5th starter for someone else if he was allowed to play his actual position.

I don't think much of Baylor. He looks like a career 10-15mpg backup. Small chance he is more than that. Limited defender. Limited offensive player. He scares me whenever he tries to shoot off the dribble. Less is more type of player.

[nickagneta]

I would be okay moving on from Jordan Walsh and Sam Hauser if it clears up enough money to use the trade exception or MLE on a quality starting center while staying sane on the apron/tax area for the team. Scheierman and Hugo are good cheap young talent that should continue developing and give the team 90% or more of what Hauser and Walsh give this team.

Also, I think this team could use a good PG. Whether it to come off the bench and move Pritchard into a starting role or to pair with the new starting center, Tatum, Brown and White in the starting lineup. Then have Queta, Pritchard, Scheierman, Hugo, Garza, Harper and Williams be the bench while developing the draft pick.

[Celtics4ever]

I don't think much of Baylor. He looks like a career 10-15mpg backup. Small chance he is more than that. Limited defender. Limited offensive player. He scares me whenever he tries to shoot off the dribble. Less is more type of player.

What do you think of his passing?   I think he has good court vision.   I think he has improved every year.   Some of the change of pace, stuff he does to create space and draw fouls is very good as well.   I do think he is streaky shooter, but he has a decent basketball IQ.    Athletically, in some ways he is limited and this is what causes him problems on D.   Can he fix that?  Usually only marginally.   But he compensates some with his basketball IQ.

I think the big question management has is can he replace Hauser?   If they think he can then Hauser will likely be moved.

Most of our bench guys were not prepared for the physicality of the playoffs.  Heck, even our starters struggled.
As  I said, in another post, we need to get physically tougher and mentally tougher across the board.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Not sure if this has been posted, but apparently Brown listed his Boston home for sale mid-last week.

[Celtics2021]

Not sure if this has been posted, but apparently Brown listed his Boston home for sale mid-last week.

It has, and it is not correct.  He posted a Boston penthouse he has not used in several years for sale.  He last posted it for sale immediately after we won the title, it did not sell then, and he rented it out.  He has a different condo in Boston and a mansion in Wellesley that he uses to live in.  Neither of those have been publicly listed.

[SparzWizard]

According to Marc Stein, the expectation around the league is that Vučević will not return to the Boston Celtics next season

Maybe they shouldn't have traded Simons away for a 16-game subpar rental 

[Celtics2021]

According to Marc Stein, the expectation around the league is that Vučević will not return to the Boston Celtics next season

Maybe they shouldn't have traded Simons away for a 16-game subpar rental 

Perhaps, but as Simons wound up missing most of the post-break season re-aggravating an injury he suffered in training camp, I do not think we can say for certain it mattered what they did.  Getting out from the tax and getting a $27.6 million TPE will hopefully be long-term wins in terms of roster construction on sustainability.

But I am glad to hear the league expects the Celtics to go a different direction, because more Vooch would not be the answer.  There are worse off-season options than bringing back Simons.

[Roy H.]

According to Marc Stein, the expectation around the league is that Vučević will not return to the Boston Celtics next season

Maybe they shouldn't have traded Simons away for a 16-game subpar rental 

Perhaps, but as Simons wound up missing most of the post-break season re-aggravating an injury he suffered in training camp, I do not think we can say for certain it mattered what they did.  Getting out from the tax and getting a $27.6 million TPE will hopefully be long-term wins in terms of roster construction on sustainability.

But I am glad to hear the league expects the Celtics to go a different direction, because more Vooch would not be the answer.  There are worse off-season options than bringing back Simons.

'
Joe and Vuc clearly weren't a good fit, which is too bad.  I doubt the Celtics want him back, and I'm pretty sure that Vuc has no desire to come back unless he was paid significantly more than anywhere else.

Vucevic *should* be a perfect fit in our offense with his skills in both the high- and low-post and his excellent passing.  Instead, he was relegated to spot-up shooting, similarly to Horford.  The difference, of course, is that Al still defended at a high level, and Vucevic did not.

[Phantom255x]

Vucevic was a DNP in Game 7. That just about sums it up

It's also why Brad needs to actually identify another capable big man to pair with Queta. The Luka Garza-types are cute in the regular season and are fine as 3rd/4th bigs, but they are gonna need to beef up the frontcourt if they want to contend with these teams who feature capable duos or a superstar at the position.