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7 hours ago
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The Boston Celtics have had a disappointing offseason, retooling the roster amid financial constraints following Jayson Tatum’s torn right Achilles tendon, which he sustained during the club’s second-round playoff loss to the Knicks.
The Celtics traded away two key pieces from their 2024 championship team in June, sending Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers and Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. Al Horford is also expected to depart in free agency.
Facing a $500 million-plus tax bill, Boston entered cost-cutting mode to maneuver under the second apron. Using one word to sum up the team’s summer, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report called the offseason a “bummer” for Boston.
“Maybe the second-apron and repeater-tax reckoning was always coming,” Hughes wrote. “But it still stings a little extra that Tatum’s injury made the path the only one available.”
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The Celtics will now lean on Jaylen Brown and Derrick White to carry the team to the playoffs, with hopes that Tatum can return in time for a postseason push. However, their lack of frontcourt options and overall depth is expected to prevent them from making a serious run in the Eastern Conference.
The club did acquire Anfernee Simons in the Holiday trade, but he’s on an expiring contract, and rumors have swirled about the team potentially rerouting him before the 2025-26 campaign.
Boston managed to trim salary and get younger in the process, though a once-stacked roster now appears to be in limbo after four consecutive seasons with at least 50 regular-season wins.
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