Did the Celtics get better or worse this offseason?

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 DID BOSTON GET BETTER OR WORSE
THIS OFFSEASON?

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The Boston Celtics last season finished with just a .500 record at 36-36 for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. With injuries to Jaylen Brown towards the end of the season causing him to miss the first round of the playoffs against the second seed Brooklyn Nets. Marcus Smart--the teams best playmaker-- only played fifty-eight games out of the seventy-two. Now former Celtics guard Kemba Walker as has been the case as of  the past couple a seasons again was hit with the injury bug only playing forty-three games. Outside of the two all stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the roster needed more wing depth and for sure a good playmaker. 




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REPLACING KEMBA WITH DENNIS


The Boston Celtics acquired Dennis Schroder on August 10th on a steal of a deal of only $5.9Million for one year. While it is currently "roast Dennis Schroder hour" since he declined a 4yr/$84M dollar deal with the Lakers to now sign for the Celtics for cheap, this is still a good move for both sides. As for Dennis, he is only twenty seven years old. It's not like he is some old veteran that does not have a chance to get another bag in another offseason. He has this one year deal to prove to himself and to the Celtics or another NBA team he is worth more money than the $5.9M he signed for. Just the previous season before playing with the Lakers Schroder averaged 18.9 points per game and four assists per game with the Oklahoma City Thunder as the sixth man. Also shooting a career best thirty eight percent from three on five attempts per contest. The point is, yes Schroder may have 'fumbled a bag' with the Lakers but he is no slouch. He will get paid after this upcoming season if he plays up to the ability I know he can. Whether he starts for this Celtics team or is a sixth man I think Boston will be a good opportunity for him to prove himself. Now, if he can he be better than Kemba Walker is questionable but what he does offer for Boston is someone they can count on to at least be more healthy. And at this point the impact difference between the two will not be that significant. 


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BRINGING BACK AL HORFORD


 Bringing back veteran center Al Horford is huge for everyone on the Boston Celtics. While it could stunt the growth of 'Time Lord' aka twenty-three year old Robert Williams, the Celtics get themselves a great defender, playmaker, passer, and solid shooter. Al has never been a guy to stuff the stat sheet but his impact is always felt. At age thirty-five he can still be very valuable. Already being a great locker room guy and veteran also previously playing with the two Celtics stars Tatum and Brown the chemistry will be immediately there. Horford's biggest asset for the Celtics could be his passing especially at his current age.  Playmaking has always been a need for Boston and Al definitely will help that issue a solid bit. Horford will also be a good pick and pop partner for Tatum, Brown, or Schroder. We've all seen Horford in a Celtics uniform before, his impact and play for them will be nothing new.



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LOSING THE KEMBA-ROZIER TRADE




On July 6th, 2019, the Boston Celtics officially made the sign in trade for Kemba Walker giving up just Terry Rozier. The Celtics and Kemba also agreed on a 4yr/$141Million dollar extension that summer. At that time, it actually seemed like a steal for Boston to get the three time all star at the time for just Terry Rozier. But with Kemba officially off the team now, looking back it is no doubt Rozier as of right now is a safer bet to be healthy and is better. Understandably injuries are a major factor into Rozier being better than Kemba, but no doubt that contract extension looked very questionable time after time Kemba got injured. Rozier this past season averaged 20 points per contest along with almost 4 assists per game shooting almost thirty nine percent from three on eight attempts per game. Rozier also played 69 out of the 72 total games. Nice. The last time Kemba played close to a full season was just two seasons ago in 2019, playing all 82. In retrospect the Celtics have gotten off Walker's contract in exchange for Al Horford.



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GETTING JOSH RICHARDSON FOR NOTHING

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As for the rest of free agency for the Celtics, they acquired Josh Richardson from the Mavericks and Kris Dunn and Bruno Fernando in a three team trade giving up Tristan Thompson. The Celtics gave up Moses Brown--acquired from the Horford trade-- to get twenty-seven year old Josh Richardson. While Jrich was falling out of the Mavericks rotation he could get a chance to rejuvenate himself in Boston. At his least he will be a good defender for them with some off the dribble and cutting potential. His best could be a above average 3&D guy who can score and shot create and defend a couple positions. Also getting a great defensive backup point guard and Kriss Dunn and solid backup center Bruno Fernado in a three team trade giving up veteran championship center Tristan Thompson. Kriss Dunn will provide some great defense and solid playmaking off the bench for Boston. As for Bruno, with Boston having Horford and Robert Williams I can not imagine Bruno getting much into the rotation.  





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LOSING EVAN FOURNIER FOR NOTHING

At the trade deadline the Celtics acquired Evan Fournier from the Orlando Magic for essentially nothing, only giving up two second rounders. In the sixteen games Fournier played for them he averaged 13 points per game on around forty-five percent from the field, adjusting to playing with stars like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The Celtics knew at the time in getting him Fournier was on an expiring contract and was seeking a payday. There were a lot of sign and trades this offseason, and nba record for an offseason at that as well. Even Fournier was not one of them for Boston. As on August 2nd, Fournier agreed to a 4yr/$78M dollar deal with a team option after the third year with the New York Knicks. Fournier is a good wing scorer, and could have potentially filled the Gordon Hayward role the Celtics were missing, or at least some of it. A sign in trade would have most likely been what the Celtics wished for with Fournier leaving, but that was not the result.





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HIRING IME UDOKA


With Danny Ainge stepping down and former coach Brad Stevens taking over his job as GM, the Celtics needed to find a adequate coach for this Celtics team. 



Brad Stevens did just that in hiring highly respected and former Nets assistant Ime Udoka. Udoka is known for being under the 'Greg Popovich tree'. Udoka got the opportunity to coach Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart in the 2019 Fiba World Cup. He is also a former player, playing for the Lakers, Blazers, Kings, Spurs, and Knicks. He spent seven seasons under Popovich then went on to coach under Brett Brown and then under Steve Nash for the Brooklyn Nets. 





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PROJECTION FOR NEXT YEAR

The offseason for Boston this season was relatively simple and nothing major. Creating some cap flexibility for the future to possibly extend the young core and build on it. Letting go Tristan Thompson, Evan Fournier, Kemba Walker, and Semi Ojeleye. To be replaced with Al Horford, Josh Richardson, Dennis Schroder, and Bruno Fernando. Giving them a new starting lineup possibly of Dennis, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Horford at the five. With a relatively solid bench of players like Payton Pritchard, Josh Richardson, Aaron Nesmith who has been hot in summer league, Robert Williams, and Grant Williams. Romeo Langford can be thrown into the rotation as well. Boston being a seven seed last year, they did not make any huge blockbuster moves but they could have also just be banking on more development and getting a guy like Dennis for nothing and bringing back Horford. In comparison to other teams, just going off on paper the Chicago Bulls obviously had a better offseason and could be better. Teams like Brooklyn, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, New York, and the defending champs Milwaukee as most likely locks to be better next season. They could potentially have a better year than New York but we will have to see. The eastern conference just like last year could not be a big difference from like the four seed to the eight seed. Which means every game will count to avoid the play in tournament. I think this current Celtics team will for sure be in the playoffs. With Tatum being just twenty three and Brown being twenty-four obviously their championship window does not need to be now, but Boston should be doing their best to not have either star getting disgruntled. Celtics have had their fair share of stars leaving.

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