Celtics Reportedly Haven't Discussed 'Future Spending Changes' With NBA Agents
The Boston Celtics haven't sent any internal signals about trimming their payroll in future seasons, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
"The team hasn't had conversations with player agents about future spending changes, multiple sources said, and the strategy to keep the focus on the court has been purposeful," Windhorst reported Tuesday.
The franchise's somewhat murky future off the court is a stark contrast to the consistency it has enjoyed on the court.
A group led by Bill Chisholm agreed in March to purchase the team for $6.1 billion in a deal that could take multiple years to fully unfold.
The roster, meanwhile, will only get more expensive and thus more difficult to maintain under a restrictive collective bargaining agreement. By 2028-29, the Celtics will have $179.4 million committed to just four players: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Sam Hauser.
If the injury Tatum suffered in Monday's 121-113 loss to the New York Knicks is as serious as everyone fears, it could expedite a lot of the hard decisions that were already coming down the road.
Boston might be looking at an entire season without its best player. While other stars have successfully recovered from major Achilles injuries, there are no guarantees, either, about how Tatum will perform once he's healthy again.
The domino effect of that could be immediate, with Windhorst positing that "expensive consultants aren't needed to advise against spending $500 million on a roster that didn't return to the conference finals."
The Celtics aren't going to tear their roster down to the studs in the summer, even if Tatum's injury is the worst-case scenario. A minor reset, however, might be on the cards.
