2017-18: 55-27 (2nd in the East, lost in the conference finals)
Draft picks: 27
Signed for next season ($107.4m): Gordon Hayward, Al Horford, Kyrie Irving, Jaysun Tatum, Marcus Morris, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Guerschon Yabusele, Semi Ojeleye, Abdel Nader, Daniel Theis
This summer's free agents: Greg Monroe, Marcus Smart, Aron Baynes, Shane Larkin, Jonathon Gibson, Kadeem Allen, Jabari Bird,
I don't see any reason to bring back Greg Monroe. I think they're gonna have to let go of Smart (ouch, that hurts). Baynes and Larkin were nice players for the Celtics, I assume they'd like to bring them back, not sure how they fit in the cap. I don't know who Gibson is. Allen and Bird are on 2-way contracts.
#27 pick? Huh, no top 5 picks this year? They'll be bringing back/welcoming in Gordon Hayward next year so the loss of Marcus Smart should be made up in house. But at #27 they could use a dirty work guy, a gritty gutty smashing bastard of a goon. Is that Grayson Allen (Duke)? Could be.
The Celtics lost their big free agent signing Hayward like two minutes into the season and then lost their top scorer and prized trade addition Kyrie Irving going into the playoffs, but still managed to get within one game of the NBA Finals. The cult of Coach Stevens grows and the team vibe the Celtics displayed in the playoffs (especially when dispatching the talented Sixers) was enviable and impressive. Getting full seasons out of Hayward and Kyrie and knowing what they've got in Jaysun Tatum makes the Celtics the odds-on choice to win the East next year. I expect the Celtics to take it easy this summer focusing on shoring up the end of the roster by bringing back Baynes and Larkin. But then again....wouldn't be surprised to see them package Jaylen Brown and Marcus Morris and the #29 pick to snag #5 from the Mavs; if Doncic is still at #5 on draft night (I don't think he will be), expect the Celtics to be among those putting together packages for the Mavs to consider.
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