The 2024-2025 Boston Celtics season resulted in catastrophic style. The Celtics misplaced to the New York Knicks within the second spherical, a sentence that didn’t really feel throughout the realm of prospects after we started the playoffs. And as if a second spherical loss to the Knicks wasn’t excruciating sufficient, Celtics followers had been handled to a poop-flavored cherry on high coming within the type of Jayson Tatum rupturing his Achilles.
As Jaylen Brown tell us after the conclusion of the Knicks collection, “I used to be taught that there’s life after demise. So we’ll prepare for no matter’s subsequent.”
Within the wake of the Celtics’ season ending, I used to be reminded of the 2018-2019 Golden State Warriors. The Warriors entered these playoffs chasing historical past, and left those self same playoffs dealing with the potential finish of an period.
The query is, can Tatum and the Celtics safe their model of Golden State’s 2022 NBA championship?
Going into the 2018-2019 season, the Golden State Warriors had been chasing the elusive three-peat, one thing that hasn’t been finished for the reason that Kobe and Shaq Lakers. Sadly, Kevin Durant ruptured his Achilles in Sport 5 of the NBA Finals, and Klay Thompson tore his ACL in Sport 6 (then subsequently ruptured his Achilles a yr later) — an apparent parallel to Jayson Tatum happening together with his personal Achilles rupture in Sport 4 of the collection in opposition to the Knicks. The clear distinction for the Warriors was that they nonetheless had their franchise icon, Steph Curry, intact for the next season. Then they misplaced Steph to a damaged hand simply 4 video games into the next season. This was the top of the Warriors as we knew them, and the start of their pursuit of one other championship.
Just like the 2025 Boston Celtics, the 2019 Golden State Warriors had been confronted with important roster choices after the painful exists within the earlier playoffs. Kevin Durant departed in a sign-and-trade for D’Angelo Russell. He was then flipped for Andrew Wiggins on the subsequent commerce deadline. Andre Igoudala noticed the writing on the wall and left for the Miami Warmth.
I had forgotten the Celtics had the distinct pleasure of being on the incorrect facet of Iguodala chasing rings in two separate postseasons. I had apparently suppressed the reminiscence of Iguodala being a key piece of the Miami Warmth staff that took down the Celtics within the 2020 Jap Convention Finals. I digress.
So, of the highest 5 minute earners for the 18-19 Warriors: Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Draymond Inexperienced, Steph Curry, and Andre Iguodala, solely Steph and Draymond had been on the opening night time roster. After which Steph Curry broke his hand 4 video games into the season. This led to the Warriors successful simply 15 video games and securing the second general decide within the 2020 draft. Which landed them the crown jewel of the draft, James Wiseman.
Jayson Tatum’s Achilles harm has spawned the concept of a possible “stealth tank” season for the 2025-2026 Boston Celtics. It’s not laborious to see a path to a top-10 decide for the Celtics. Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzingis get moved for 50 cents on the greenback, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White are load managed, and JD Davison runs the second unit for a season. For a Celtics staff that can discover it laborious to accumulate expertise at a reduction, a top-10 decide is actually attractive. Simply take a look at what Cason Wallace is doing for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
However what’s attention-grabbing and stunning concerning the Warriors’ path again to competition is that not one of the excessive draft picks they made of their down years helped them win the 2022 title. James Wiseman is on his third staff. Jonathan Kuminga, who they drafted with the decide they acquired within the D’Angelo Russell for Andrew Wiggins commerce, wasn’t an enormous issue, and neither was Moses Moody, who they chose 14th general. Sarcastically, the one younger man who helped them win the title was Jordan Poole, who the Warriors drafted twenty eighth general within the 2019 draft.
If the Warriors missed on their bridge yr draft picks, how did they finagle their method again into competition? The plain is that Steph Curry was nonetheless Steph Curry at age 33. For the Celtics to win one other title, it should require Jayson Tatum returning to his pre-injury kind. The Warriors traded for the beforehand talked about Andrew Wiggins, drafted Jordan Poole, signed Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr, and Nemanja Bjelica to veteran minimal contracts, and signed Gary Payton II to a two-way contract (which they later transformed to a full NBA contract). Briefly, the Golden State Warriors nailed the margins. Spectacular work from Bob Meyers.
Brad Stevens, you’re up subsequent.
After some extremely shrewd manoeuvering, the Warriors shaped a 10-man rotation of Steph Curry, Draymond Inexperienced, Klay Thompson, Kevon Looney, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Otto Porter Jr, Gary Payton II, Andrew Iguodala, and Nemanja Bjelica. It is a rotation that, sadly, took down the Boston Celtics within the 2022 NBA Finals — simply three seasons after the obvious finish of the Warriors dynasty.
Since getting into the function of President of Basketball Operations for the Boston Celtics, it has been house run after house run for Stevens. The Kemba Walker for Al Horford commerce. Genius. The Romeo Langford, Josh Richardson, and a 2028 decide swap for Derrick White commerce. A masterstroke.
Subsequent, emulating a model of the 2022 Warriors. This shall be Brad Stevens’ largest check but. The muse of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White will, basketball gods keen, stay in place. These three core items make up the Celtics’ model of the Steph, Draymond, Wiggins trio. I don’t suppose it’s outlandish to suppose that Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet can replicate the impression of submit ACL/Achilles harm Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney. Pritchard is coming off a profession yr the place he was the league’s most potent weapon off the bench, and Luke Kornet reinvented himself as an offensive hub that may mash you on the offensive glass.
The final couple of seasons in Washington make it simple to neglect that Jordan Poole was an essential piece of that Warriors staff. Poole established himself as a 3rd “splash bro”, taking part in 27 minutes an evening and pouring in 17 factors per recreation on 65% true capturing on their run to the title. The Warriors drafted this brash guard at twenty eighth general three seasons earlier. The draft was proper at the start fell aside within the 2019 NBA Finals. Not dissimilar to how the Boston Celtics drafted a spunky wing out of Creighton with the thirtieth general decide within the 2024 NBA draft. In the event you squint, you may envision Baylor Scheierman hitting half-court daggers within the NBA Finals.
Sam Hauser can be our Otto Porter Jr. on this state of affairs. Hauser has already confirmed he generally is a seventh man on a championship staff, after he had a superb collection in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks on the way in which to Banner 18. I’m hopeful that Hauser continues to be round for the subsequent iteration of the Celtics. If he’s not a casualty of the brand new CBA, then he brings our rotation to seven gamers. I
haven’t talked about Al Horford. Al shall be roughly 104 years outdated by the point the Celtics are able to contend once more. I gained’t be shocked if Al continues to be taking part in, as a result of he’s blessed with one of the best genetics an individual can have, however that might simply be a pleasant shock.
Subsequent, it’s time for Brad to search out his Iguodala, Gary Payton II, and Nemanja Bjelicas of the world. This doesn’t have to return within the type of veteran minimal contracts, however a bonus the 2026-2027 Celtics will possible have is the provide of taking part in time to potential free brokers. One thing they may not provide in the previous couple of seasons. Which is why the Celtics haven’t introduced in any of the prized veteran minimal guys like Gary Trent Jr, Derrick Jones Jr, or Malik Beasley. On high of getting a bonus within the veteran’s minimal free agent market, Brad Stevens and the Celtics personal all of their draft picks till 2028 (which is a swap with the Spurs), which is spectacular in itself. The truth that Brad Stevens was in a position to construct a staff as proficient and deep because the staff over the previous two seasons, whereas nonetheless having the draft capital he has accessible, is a few tidy enterprise. The Celtics’ draft decide place is in stark distinction with a staff just like the Milwaukee Bucks, who don’t personal any of their draft picks till the 2031 draft. Hitting on a few of these draft picks may very well be the important thing to unlocking Banner 19. The Celtics personal the twenty eighth and thirty second general picks within the upcoming draft. It could be nice if these picks each was rotation gamers. Realistically, getting one rotation participant with these two picks can be an enormous win, however why not dream a bit?
Going into subsequent season, the Celtics may have a pleasant assortment of rotation participant lottery tickets. Let’s take a second to admire these tickets, we could? The 2 2025 draft picks. We now have the aforementioned Spunky Scheierman. Subsequent up is Jordan Walsh. The thirty eighth general decide within the 2023 draft. Walsh is but to point out us something that might lead us to imagine he can assist us on our journey in the direction of Banner 19. Nonetheless, he simply turned 21, they haven’t drawn the lottery balls for him simply but.
Quite a bit might want to go proper for the Celtics to safe one other title within the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown period. However the path is obvious. Depend on the franchise cornerstones, hit on a few draft picks, and entice prized low-cost free brokers to affix us on our quest to stay the winningest franchise within the NBA. This plan needs to be simple sufficient to execute when you may have Brad Stevens operating the present.
