When I look at teams like the Pheonix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Utah Jazz, there's one common theme, they have great depth. They don't really have a "big 3" of superstars which nowadays every NBA seems to be chasing. While the Bucks do with Giannis being their superstar and then Jrue Holiday and Khris Middelton being stars, they still have great depth and rotation pieces around them. The roster isn't full of young, inexperienced young draft picks. You look at Pheonix, a superstar in Chris Paul, a budding star in Devin Booker, and then a roster full of guys who do everything else! Utah, great role players around Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.
I think we need to build a really good team around our budding superstar, Jayson Tatum, and star, Jaylen Brown. Don't think we need to or should give up a ton of stuff to go out and grab a Damian Lillard or Bradley Beal, who paired with Jayson Tatum and a scrub roster probably won't get you much further than a second-round exit.
Tatum, Brown, Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Evan Fournier (hopefully re-signed), a leap from Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard, an injury-free season from Rob Williams, an MLE and remaining Hayward TPE filler is enough of a roster to contend in the East, and make a surprising run to the finals depending on the leaps of our younger guys.
Below, I've kind of outlined some moves I'd like to see us make. Not sure, how realistic they could be, but don't think the asking or price ranges could be too far off.
OFFSEASON
Trade 1:
BOS sends Carsen Edwards, Jabari Parker, 2021 SRP (#45), 2023 SRP (via OKC, WASH, DAL, MIA) & 2023 SRP (via DAL, MIA or HOU) to ORL for 2021 SRP (#33)
Trade 2:
BOS sends Tristan Thompson, 2022 SRP & 2026 SRP to DEN for JaMychal Green
Draft
@ 33, Joe Wieskamp, F Iowa
Undrafted FA, Ariel Hukporti, C Germany
Free Agency:
MLE, Patty Mills, 2yr/$11.8m ($5.9m AVG/YR)
Veteran Minimum Contract, Wayne Ellington, 2yr/$4.6m ($2.3m AVG/YR)
Re-sign, Evan Fournier, 3yr/$53.2m ($17.2m AVG/YR)
Don't want to overpay on Fournier. I'm sure a team like the Knicks can come in and offer him $20m+ a season, but hopefully, he recognizes his chances of a deeper playoff run is with the Celtics and not the Knicks
Extend, Marcus Smart, 4 yr/$70m ($17.5m AVG/YR) - (kicks in next season)
Extend, Robert Williams, 4 yr/$50 ($12.5m AVG/YR) - (kicks in next season)
Disclaimer: Currently, I'm against extending Williams due to his injury history, etc., but if there's a chance we can keep him on a relatively team-friendly deal and we think he can stay healthy then I say let's go for it. However, I'd like to see how he plays first this season, see if he can give up a fully healthy 70 games at 25+ minutes a night. However, if he can do that, his price tag goes way up!
DEPTH
G Marcus Smart | Patty Mills | Payton Pritchard | Yam Madar
G Wayne Ellington | Aaron Nesmith | Romeo Langford
F Jaylen Brown | Evan Fournier (6th) | Joe Wieskamp
F Jayson Tatum | JaMychal Green | Grant Williams
C Al Horford | Rob Williams | Moses Brown | Ariel Hukporti
Why is Ellington in the starting lineup?
He started 31 games for the Pistons last season, averaging 9.6 pts per game on 44%|42%|80%. With the roster above you can come up with many different lineups. I'd start the season off will Ellington in the starting lineup and as the season goes along, maybe Nesmith improves and takes over the starting spot. Or we have the option of sliding Jaylen back down to the 2, Tatum to the 3, and throwing Green into the 4. Even if Ellington starts, I wouldn't expect more than 20 minutes max from her per night.
Big Al or Timelord
I think it's based on preference with these fans mock offseasons. We won't know what Udoka/Stevens are thinking until the season begins. I just put Horford with the starters right now because of Rob's injury history. I think Al starts but Rob will play more minutes and take over as full-time starter as the season goes along if he can show the ability to stay healthy.
A Good Mix
The above roster has a great mix of star players, a great supporting cast, veterans in Horford, Mills, Ellington, and Green, and still enough young guys to develop in Pritchard, Nesmith, Grant, Moses and Romeo, as well as Madar potentially on a 2-way deal.
PLAYOFF 8
G Smart
G Brown
F Tatum
F Green
C Williams
6th Fournier
7th Horford
8th Nesmith *(or Ellington | Langford)
This could all change as the season goes along. Could very well seeing Nesmith, Pritchard, Grant etc., working themselves into this rotation.
SALARY CAP
Jayson Tatum $28,203,500
Al Horford $27,000,000
Jaylen Brown $26,758,928
Evan Fournier $17,200,000
Marcus Smart $14,339,285
JaMychal Green$7,559,748
Patty Mills $5,900,000
Romeo Langford $3,804,360
Rob Williams $3,661,976
Aaron Nesmith $3,631,200
Grant Williams $2,617,800
Wayne Ellington $2,300,000
Payton Pritchard $2,137,440
Moses Brown $1,701,593
Joe Wieskamp $958,310
Total $147,774,140
We'd be roughly $9m over the cap.
A fully healthy season, I think the above roster can contend in the east, and possibly finish in the top 3. When you look at the Nets, their "big 3" seem to take time off whenever possible. Kyrie will be a drama queen and probably sit 20ish games? Looks like the injury bug is finally catching up to Harden. Embiid and the Sixers, whether they swap out Simmons for one of Beal or Lillard, I don't think it will really swing things for them. I still think we stay on par with them. The Bucks I still see finishing 1st or 2nd. The third spot is really up for grabs and I think if we can stay healthy, we can get the 3rd or even 2nd spot in the east next year!