The Boston Celtics had a busy summer. The franchise swung surprise trades for All-Stars Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, while also inking Jaylen Brown to a historic supermax contract extension. As such, this current team construction isn’t just set up for this postseason but for years to come. And according to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, there should be no doubt that the Celtics are one of the top contenders in the NBA this year.
In a recent visit to the Cedric Maxwell Celtics podcast, the long-time television personality outlined why Boston’s ambition should be admired and honored. Smith explained that, in extending Jaylen Brown, the team signaled that Brown and fellow All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum would be leading the franchise for the foreseeable future. The expectation shouldn’t just be to raise an 18th banner, but to compete at a high level for the next few seasons or even a decade.
Smith’s comments regarding Boston’s status as a contender come about 30 minutes into the interview, but you can hear his whole conversation with Maxwell and CLNS’s Josue Pavon on YouTube, courtesy of Celtics All Access on CLNS.
Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ
