Celtics: What’s new, season prediction & 2024 free agents

The Boston Celtics still have their two star forwards. With Jaylen Brown having signed the richest NBA contract ever, they should have them for a long time. But Brown and Jayson Tatum’s supporting cast has changed dramatically in the last three months. Out are Malcolm Brogdon, Marcus Smart, Grant Williams and Robert Williams III. And in their place are Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.

The Celtics have been the league’s best team, statistically, over the last four seasons. But they haven’t been able to get over the hump, and they’ll need to be better in the margins if they’re going to bring banner No. 18 in the rafters of TD Garden.

What’s new?

After a trade involving Brogdon fell through, the Celtics traded Smart in a deal that brought them Porzingis and dramatically altered their rotation.

Grant Williams (who was in and out of the playoff rotation) left for Dallas, with Oshae Brissett signing as a possible replacement.

On the eve of training camp, the Celtics sent Brogdon and Robert Williams (along with two first-round picks) to Portland for Holiday, responding to the Milwaukee Bucks’ deal for Damian Lillard.

How far can the Celtics go?

Milwaukee and Boston should be considered co-favorites in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics appear to have less depth, but if they’re healthy and get one or two solid contributors beyond their top six, they could be the better team in a playoff series. The ceiling is a championship.

1 player that must take a leap

Oshae Brissett. The Celtics need more than six guys they can trust. It’s important that Payton Pritchard recovers from some regression in his third season, but Boston is thinner up front, especially with Al Horford now 37 years old. After Tatum, Brissett (who has no playoff experience) is the next guy who can give the Cs some minutes at the four, and they’ll need him to make open shots and hold his own defensively.

In-Season Tournament

The Celtics are in

East Group C. Here’s a refresher on how the In-Season Tournament works.free agents

Upcoming

The Celtics have eight potential free agents in 2024:

Dalano Banton (team option)

Oshae Brissett (player option)

JD Davison (two-way player)

Sam Hauser (team option)

Luke Kornet

Svi Mykhailiuk

Neemias Queta (two-way player)

Jay Scrubb (two-way player)

With Brown signed to a five-year extension that keeps him under contract through the 2028-29 season, next summer will be the time to take care of Tatum. And there shouldn’t be any hesitation to signing the 25-year-old (he’ll be 26 in March) to a designated veteran extension (35% of the salary cap) for the full five years. Tougher decisions will come in 2025 when other rotation pieces are free agents.