The Celtics’ Offseason Preview

With the Boston Celtics season coming to an end last week, it’s time to focus on the offseason. Unlike last year, it is expected a fairly quiet offseason. After all, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward are returning to a team that game one game away from the NBA Finals. That being said, Danny Ainge is always a busy man so here are some things to look out for.

5 Resigning Aron Baynes- Baynes’ 1st season with the Celtics was a pretty successful one as a started a majority of the season. He provided a presence in the middle and allowed Al Horford to play more of his natural position at power forward. He’s only signed a one year deal but he came at a cheep price. He’s not a must to bring back, but he’d be a welcome addition back.

4 Kawhi Leonard’s Availability- No one thought Kyrie Irving was gonna be on the trading block last year and yet here we are. So you can’t put anything past Danny Ainge when it comes to trading for big pieces. If the Spurs get serious about moving Kawhi, you better believe Boston will be on the other line.

3 Kyrie Irving’s/Gordon Hayward’s Recoveries- Like I said earlier, the reason I don’t expect a lot of movement from the Celtics is because of these two. If Kyrie and Gordon come back fully healthy next year, Boston is a clear favorite to win the Finals. But that is a big IF and it will be worth keeping an eye on.

2 Trading Up In The Draft- If the Celtics are going to make a trade, this is the more likely option. With Kyrie and Gordon coming back, some Celtics won’t nearly have the same amount of playing time. The main player that will affect is Terry Rozier. If you can package Terry Rozier, the 27th pick, and another pick; you should get a top 10 pick. A player Boston has been connected to that will be in the top 10 is Mo Bamba (video above) from Texas. He would add more size and balance to the Celtics if they decide to go that route.

1 Resigning Marcus Smart- Without a doubt, this is the biggest story of the offseason for the Celtics. Marcus Smart is a restricted free agent and its anyone’s guess if he will be back. It’s all about money because the Celtics are going to be very expensive in a few years and Smart could be on the chopping block if he gets too expensive. Smart is a very important member of the Celtics, but he’s not irreplaceable.

Steve Santoro (SVS_1993)