After the conclusion of their chaotic and disappointing season, the Boston Celtics are facing some questions going into the summer of 2019.
Has Kyrie Irving played his last game for Boston?
Will Al Horford opt out and take a discount to win a ring?
Will Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown be traded?
It’s easy to say yes to all of these off the bat, just because of how gut-wrenching a second-round exit was for the team many had facing the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals later this month. Blowing up the team and losing arguably the four best players on the roster would be detrimental — possibly even an early deathblow — to the Brad Stevens era, which began in 2013.
I say this because, well… all of the rumors regarding this franchise have caused many who once praised it to now criticize it.
We’re talking about the Celtics: a team that has more championships than most teams have in just Finals appearances alone. Home to some of the most elite talents the game has ever seen, such as Larry Bird and Bill Russell–two of the 20 greatest of all-time on anyone’s list.
I mention all of this as a reminder: a reminder that the Celtics have always been a world-class franchise. So now the question begs: Celtics fans, is it time to panic?
No.
If Kyrie Irving leaves, the pieces are still there.
Yes, Irving is the most gifted point guard to don a Celtics uniform in decades but the foundation of this franchise won’t be going anywhere. Whether he chooses to leave or not, players Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier (a restricted free agent) are all 25 or younger. All four of those guys have given fans plenty to look forward to in the coming years, especially Brown and Tatum.
With Brown and Tatum, it began just minutes into the 2018 season. After Gordon Hayward’s season-ending injury, a second-year player in and a 19-year old slasher were forced to step up to the plate.
Brown responded by becoming one of the best two-way players on the roster. Tatum’s response was to be in the top-10 of three-point percentage for the majority of the season. Although they sometimes struggled this season, both of these exceptional basketball players were given less opportunity this past year compared to the 2018-19 season.
Smart, who was just named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team, has proven that he will — quite literally — put his body on the line just for the Celtics to have a chance to make a fastbreak layup. As the heart and soul of the Celtics, Smart has propelled them to overcome obstacles plenty of times before using his tough style of play. At 6-foot-4, Smart is able to guard anyone from the 1-3, something few of his coworkers in the NBA can argue. His presence on the court is always felt and it allows the Celtics defense to create stops and give themselves more offensive opportunities.
Letting a restricted free agent walk isn’t always easy, and letting Rozier walk would be no exception for the Celtics. Keep in mind, they can match any offer that a team gives Rozier.
In the situation Boston is in with Kyrie Irving right now, if he decides to opt out of his contract and play elsewhere, Rozier is a proven starting NBA point guard. His impact on the court after Irving’s knee surgery last April was visible during the playoffs, notably against the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round when he was matched up with Eric Bledsoe, an all-NBA defender himself this year.
With this in mind, it will be interesting to see how the Celtics approach Rozier’s contract situation come June 29th and if they’ll extend a qualifying offer to a player who was clearly disgruntled in the 2018-19 season.
The veteran players know their roles and utilize them well
So many of the Celtics’ pieces have been able to revive their careers after coming to Boston and working with Coach Stevens. A prime example of this: Marcus Morris.
This season, Morris set career-highs in both three-point shooting (37.5 percent) and rebounds (6.1 per game). Additionally, you could make the argument that he created shots for himself better than anyone except for Irving.
Earlier this month during the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Bucks, former head coach and Hall of Famer Hubie Brown labeled Morris as the Celtics most consistent player. After the rollercoaster season they had, given injuries and arguments (including the one between Morris and Brown), few would argue with that statement.
In the 75 games he played las season, Morris had 57 games scoring at least 10 points and 55 games with at least five rebound. He settled into his role and thrived in it, always seeming comfortable and never forcing shots, which is what he will continue to do in the coming seasons.
They have a REALLY good head coach.
Like it or not, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens is going to take the “best coach in the NBA” title when San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich retires… if he retires.
Until this year, Stevens had increased the Celtics’ win total from the previous season every year since he was hired in 2014. He took a 25 win team in his first year and then won 40 games in 2015, 48 in 2016, 50 and 55 over the next two seasons. This past year’s 49 win team was the worst he’d had in three years.
On top of that, his teams are consistently in the top-10 of both defense and offense every season, no matter the players. With many different players coming and going from the locker room, it’s never easy for a head coach to gel his team together; it takes hard work and patience to become a successful team in the world’s best league.
Yet, Stevens has done just that: consistently lead successful teams.
