The previous 48 hours have been troublesome for Celtics Nation, and that’s an understatement.
However with Jaylen Brown formally off to Philadelphia, consideration has already shifted to the following main domino nonetheless left to fall as free agent LeBron James weighs his choices after departing the Lakers. James, presently contemplating what might be his closing vacation spot earlier than retirement, hasn’t closed the door on many potential suitors so far.
That features the Celtics, based on James’ agent Wealthy Paul.
This offseason has seen stars equivalent to Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, LaMelo Ball, and Ja Morant traded, every from their respective homegrown organizations in a surprising first few days. And there are nonetheless extra to come back, with Paul unveiling these within the operating to signal James this offseason.
Boston, off a first-round playoff exit, lastly selected between the identical two paths it had weighed for years: both hold Jayson Tatum alongside Brown or break up them up. This time, they selected the latter, and what adopted was an instinctual response from a passionate fanbase that hadn’t thought of the actual risk of the Jays being damaged up till it lastly kicked in.
However that’s the fact {of professional} sports activities, and the Celtics — as particular as they’ve all the time been — aren’t any exception.
Brown is gone. It hasn’t even been per week for the reason that begin of free company, and the fourth of July fireworks haven’t popped off all through the town both. So probably the most unexpected consequence for a lot of followers continues to be very recent. For Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, who might want to reply for his determination in Monday’s upcoming press convention with majority proprietor Invoice Chisholm, there’s nonetheless loads of work to do.
Paul, talking with Max Kellerman on the Sport Over podcast, listed 10 groups James is alleged to be contemplating: the Warriors, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Spurs, Mavericks, Warmth, Knicks, Cavaliers, Sixers, and Celtics.
“Brad and Tatum,” Paul’s whiteboard learn.
Within the 2024 Paris Summer time Olympics, Tatum and James received a gold medal as teammates for Staff USA. That very same summer season, the 2 shared the pink carpet for the premiere of Netflix’s Beginning 5 docuseries, that includes each Tatum and James. Their relationship over time has survived the longstanding rivalry between LeBron and the town of Boston, which dates again to his debut stint with the Cavaliers — again when Tatum was in elementary college.
Throughout Tatum’s rookie season, he flushed an iconic postseason dunk in Sport 7 of the Japanese Convention Finals, introducing himself to the longer term Corridor of Famer with 4 championships to his title. Since then, Tatum and James have embraced one another with routine pleasant encounters throughout their regular-season run-ins as foes on the courtroom.
Boston, not like Golden State and Cleveland, can solely provide James the veteran minimal after utilizing their mid-level exception to signal Mitchell Robinson to a three-year, $47.4 million contract. Which means James must take a pay reduce to affix a Celtics crew presently that includes Tatum, Robinson, Derrick White, and Paul George.
Final season, James averaged 20.9 factors on 51.5 % capturing as a 41-year-old in his twenty third season. Most impressively, James did so whereas accepting a downgraded position because the third choice behind Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves in Los Angeles. So the willingness to take a backseat for the betterment of the crew, whereas remaining efficient, is a job James is able to accepting.
Whether or not James lands in Boston stays as much as him. If he does, it will mark one of many NBA’s most beautiful uniform switches ever — surpassing Michael Jordan’s closing two seasons with the Wizards by a rustic mile. It could additionally coincide with what’s already been an odd and uncomfortable offseason for Celtics followers, presently in retailer for a a lot, a lot completely different crew come October.
