Celtics' Complete 2023-24 Season Preview and Predictions
The Boston Celtics weren't an obvious candidate to make major noise during the 2023 NBA offseason, but they cranked up their activity volume anyway.
Despite making three trips to the conference finals in four years—or maybe because of the inability to punctuate any of those trips with a title—the Shamrocks made some major changes to the roster around Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon were all traded away, while Grant Williams bounced in free agency. Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday were brought onboard, perhaps giving Boston more top-level talent only without as much depth behind it.
Were these moves the final steps on the Shamrocks' championship path? Or will something still deny Boston its first title since 2008?
Offseason Recap
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For better or worse, this was an offseason to remember for the Celtics.
Smart was the team's longest-tenured player, emotional leader and primary playmaker, not to mention one of the best defenders on the planet. Brogdon was the squad's No. 3 scorer last season and the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year. Robert Williams III was this club's interior anchor. Grant Williams was often its preferred option to defend elite frontcourt players.
Boston lost a ton this offseason, but it also added a pair of potential difference-makers in Holiday and Porziņģis. Holiday is sort of a souped-up blend of Smart and Brogdon, pairing elite defense with plenty of scoring and table-setting. Porziņģis can now anchor this defense while juicing the offense with three-level scoring.
Beyond the marquee additions, the Celtics added defense-first prospect Jordan Walsh at the draft while adding frontcourt energizer Oshae Brissett in free agency. Boston also gave partially or non-guaranteed deals to Dalano Banton, Svi Mykhailiuk, Wenyen Gabriel and Lamar Stevens.
Biggest Question
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Boston has had one the best—if not the very best—rosters in this league for the past few seasons. It has also seen a lot of those talented players give possessions away with poor decision-making and some ghastly turnovers.
Half-court execution in major moments hasn't exactly been this team's calling card. Did the Celtics do enough this summer to fix those late-game blunders?
Holiday is a capable shot-creator but not quite a high-end one. Derrick White can look the part of an impact passer, but he has never been a team's primary ball-handler before. Tatum has perpetually improved his playmaking, but he still looks to score first (as he should). Brown has yet to prove he can be even an average facilitator.
Maybe the Celtics will have so much talent and such optimal spacing that this won't be a concern. Perhaps there's a by-committee approach that gives Boston all it needs in the execution department. Still, this team has been tough to trust in have-to-have-them moments, and it will probably continue to be so until it can prove otherwise.
Prediction
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The Celtics remain in the league's inner circle of contenders. This offseason arguably only strengthened its spot.
Now, Boston could have more potential pitfalls after sacrificing as much depth as it did. This starting frontcourt looks rock-solid on paper, but Porziņģis has had his share of injury issues and 37-year-old Al Horford is...well, 37 years old. Should either miss time, Boston's options (particularly its non-small-ball options) aren't great.
If this team stays healthy, though, it could be incredible. A top six featuring the Jays, Holiday, Porziņģis, White and Horford is about as good as it gets. If you want to predict a title run for this team, there are plenty of reasons to feel that way.
Still, it won't be easy escaping the East, and whoever wins the West will be a formidable opponent, so while the Celtics' championship chances look good, it's still more likely than not they'll come up just short again.
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