Celtics Players with Most at Stake During 2023-24 NBA Season

The Boston Celtics will have plenty on the line during the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season.

That's due in no small part to their recent run of success that has included a lot of postseason series wins, but no titles. It's bigger than that, though. Between their summer swap sending out Marcus Smart and bringing back Kristaps Porziņģis and their historic investment in Jaylen Brown, they've made more than a few championship-or-bust type of transactions.

That's the macro look at this squad, but what happens when you narrow the focus to specific players on the roster? Well, do that and you'll find the following three players will have more at stake this season than anyone else in the locker room.

Malcolm Brogdon

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MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 23: Malcolm Brogdon #13 of the Boston Celtics controls the ball ahead of Duncan Robinson #55 of the Miami Heat during the first quarter in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals at Kaseya Center on May 23, 2023 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Before Boston sent Smart packing this summer, it first tried to use Brogdon as the primary money-matcher in a Porziņģis trade. And even after that trade fell through, a subsequent report suggested that Brogdon's days with the Shamrocks might still be numbered.

Much of this talk seemingly stems from his ongoing availability issues. The 30-year-old hasn't eclipsed the 70-game mark since his rookie season of 2016-17 and has missed double-digit games every campaign since.

He's still rock-solid when he plays, but 60-ish games of non-spectacular play probably isn't worth the $22.5 million he's set to collect this season and next, per Spotrac. And if this trend continues, it might get in the way of his ever fetching another big-dollar deal again.

He has to prove he can be a reliable, consistent contributor for a championship-chasing club. If he can't send that message to someone—the Celtics or any other interested suitor—then his future earnings will probably never approach the level he presumably hopes they'll be.

Payton Pritchard

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BOSTON, MA - APRIL 9: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics during the second half against the Atlanta Hawks at TD Garden on April 9, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

Ever since he exceeded expectations as a rookie in 2020-21, Pritchard has been patiently—and sometimes impatiently—awaited his chance to prove he belongs in an NBA rotation.

Well, Smart's subtraction sounded opportunity's knock for the sweet-shooting point guard. Pritchard has an apparent path to consistent playing time, though that's not the same as being guaranteed of a regular role.

When The Athletic's Jay King took a stab at building Boston's 2023-24 rotation earlier this offseason, Pritchard was once again the odd-man out, as Brogdon, Derrick White and a handful of wings devoured the backcourt minutes.

"I just prioritized more size and athleticism," King wrote of Pritchard's omission. "The Celtics should give Derrick White more minutes now that Smart's gone. They can get away with a guard rotation of just White and Malcolm Brogdon if they give the rest of the perimeter bench minutes to Sam Hauser and Oshae Brissett. I'm not entirely sure the Celtics would have enough ball handling the way I set everything up, but Pritchard doesn't actually run the offense very often anyway."

If Pritchard can't lock down a rotation role now, then his upcoming venture into 2024 restricted free agency looks murky at best. The only way to get clarity on that front is by forcing his way onto the floor and convincing this coaching staff to keep him out there.

Derrick White

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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 29: Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics dribbles during the second quarter /amm in game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on May 29, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Boston's summer blockbuster sent two clear messages about the feelings of this franchise. The first was an obvious desire for more size, as even NBA players rarely come bigger than the 7'3", 240-pound Porziņģis.

The other was a belief in White's ability to serve as this squad's primary point guard.

It could have been a smart wager to make, as he has long made his presence felt as a two-way playmaker. But it's still a leap of faith, since White has never shouldered this level of offensive responsibility. His career-high usage percentage is only 22.4, or slightly less than what Brogdon handled as Boston's sixth man last season (22.8), per Basketball-Reference.

If White backs up the Celtics' belief, then this season gets a lot simpler, and his future with the franchise could extend well beyond his current contract's expiration in 2024-25. But if this winds up being more than he can handle, you have to wonder what that means for the rest of his Celtics' tenure and the kind of coin he'll collect on his next deal.