The Boston Celtics are facing a reckoning this offseason, but it looks like they already know which players they intend to keep at all costs.
Neither Jayson Tatum nor Jaylen Brown will be on their way out of Boston this summer, ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported on Friday. The Celtics still reportedly view both players as part of the “foundation” of their team.
Additionally, Siegel notes that Boston guard Derrick White is viewed as “an essential core player” alongside Tatum and Brown. As a result, White reportedly isn’t seen as a player whom the Celtics will be forced to dump in a salary-saving move.
Indeed, both Tatum and Brown are a part of the longtime fabric in Boston and would not be easy to trade anyway since the former is in the middle of a five-year, $314 million deal and the latter is in the middle of a five-year, $285 million deal. Tatum will likely miss the vast majority of next season as well due to his Achilles tear, so the Celtics obviously would not be able to recoup anywhere close to fair trade value there.
White, the two-time All-Defensive selection, poses a more interesting question. He is on a more affordable four-year, $118 million contract and would probably be able to command a sizable return as one of the NBA’s premier 3-and-D role players. But as a 30-year-old who is integral to what the team does on both ends of the floor, it makes more sense for the Celtics to keep White around if possible.
That said, Boston needs to do something to save money this summer as they are facing the likelihood of an over $500 million tax bill next season for a roster that just lost in the second round of the playoffs and is also now down their best player in Tatum for the foreseeable future. As a result, Jrue Holiday (who is in the middle of a four-year, $134 million contract), Kristaps Porzingis (two years, $60 million), and Payton Pritchard (four years, $30 million) could be some of the pieces who are more likely to get moved by the Celtics this offseason instead.
