Winning comes at a price, and the Boston Celtics learned that this offseason. However, if spending millions and eating luxury tax brings the C's one step closer to back-to-back titles, they're more than happy to open their wallets.
After winning the 2023-24 NBA championship in dominant fashion, Boston got back to work this summer. The front office emphasized retaining top-tier talent no matter the cost and returning some bench depth at a bargain. This plan of attack worked well, as the C's kept their homegrown stars and haven't lost any major pieces in free agency.
The offseason isn't over, yet the Green Team will likely stay quiet for now. In the meantime, let's look at the Celtics' signings this summer and grade them ahead of the 2024-25 NBA regular season.
Extending Jayson Tatum
Once June ended, taking care of five-time All-Star Jayson Tatum was the first order of business for the Celtics.
Fellow star and reigning NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown was already paid during the 2023 offseason, so now it was Tatum's turn to break the bank. The St. Louis native agreed to the largest supermax contract in league history at the beginning of July, earning him around $315 million over five years.
This gigantic deal could keep Tatum in green into his early 30s and extend Boston's championship window. The two-time Olympic gold medalist is a franchise cornerstone who showed he's more than capable of winning in the postseason. He's been to the playoffs in all seven seasons of his career and last year he became one of only six players in NBA history to lead his team in playoff points, rebounds, and assists en route to a championship.
With a resume like that, extending Tatum was a no-brainer for the Green Team. Plus, the 26-year-old has said he's not satisfied with one ring, which is the perfect mindset to have while playing for a championship contender in Beantown.
Grade: A
Extending Derrick White
Celtics guard Derrick White wasn't a free agent this offseason, but the Celtics didn't want to risk losing him in 2025. As a result, they gave him a hefty four-year, $125.9 million contract extension in early July.
While over $31 million annually seems like a lot for a player who's never been an All-Star, anybody following White's career knows this is a fair price. The 30-year-old had an incredible 2023-24 season, averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 assists, and a career-high 4.2 rebounds.
White's defense was equally stellar, as he posted a career-high 1.2 blocks per outing and was arguably the best shot-blocking guard in the NBA. That didn't change in the Paris Olympics, either. The first-time gold medalist averaged one block per game, an impressive rate that was only surpassed by one other member of Team USA: 6-foot-10 center Anthony Davis.
For a 6-foot-4, two-way guard, White checks nearly every box. He can connect from deep, guard a majority of NBA opponents, and stay availableāhe's missed just 16 regular season games in the last three seasons. With that reliability, an unselfish guy like White is worth the cost.
Grade: A
Re-signing Neemias Queta
Tatum and White were Boston's big splashes for the summer. But that doesn't mean the front office's smaller moves weren't also necessary.
The Celtics re-signed backup center Neemias Queta on a three-year, $7.18 million deal that's fully guaranteed in its first year. Although the Lisbon, Portugal native averaged just 11.9 minutes per game last season and spent most of his time in the G-League, he's shown flashes.
When he was still with the Sacramento Kings in 2023, he made the All-NBA G League First Team as well as the All-Defensive Team. In Boston, Queta fought his way onto the playoff roster after averaging 5.5 points and 4.4 rebounds with limited playing time.
Since starting center Kristaps Porzingis could be out for multiple months to begin the 2024-25 regular season, Queta should move up the depth chart. The 7-footer is athletic, young, and more experienced than the average reserve, making it a decent idea to keep him around in case Porzingis or another center goes down unexpectedly.
Grade: B+
Re-signing Xavier Tillman Sr.
Because the Celtics went all in on their current core, they were going to have to cut some corners eventually. Fortunately, center Xavier Tillman Sr. let the front office do just that.
He re-signed with Boston on a veteran minimum deal worth around $4.7 million over two years. This was quite the steal for the Celtics, as Tillman has loads of playoff experience and has proven himself as a defensive big man.
The 25-year-old arrived in Beantown at the trade deadline and decided to stick around following his first NBA title. Tillman averaged a career-low 13.7 minutes per outing through 20 games, yet stepped up whenever his name was called. That includes when he sank the most important shot of his career in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals:
The former Memphis Grizzly isn't exactly an offensive powerhouse, however, with scoring threats like Tatum, Brown, and White in the lineup, his defense is more essential for the Celtics. Getting him to stay for a very low price was another win for the front office.
Grade: A-
Re-signing Luke Kornet
Tillman wasn't the only Celtics big who agreed to rejoin the champions at a discount. To kick off free agency, center Luke Kornet re-signed on the league minimum for one year. That'll net him a little over $2 million next season.
Even though most 29-year-olds coming off the bench in the NBA are searching for more playing time in free agency, especially in the wake of a championship, Kornet is content with his role. The backup center typically enters games after Porzingis and veteran Al Horford, leading to sporadic minutes.
He still averaged 15.6 minutes per game last season (his most since the 2018-19 campaign) while shooting a career-high 70% from the field and an impeccable 90.7% from the charity stripe. At 7-foot-1, Kornet is a decent rim protector and an excellent lob threat on the other end of the floor. The Vanderbilt product doesn't have the youth of Queta or the defensive prowess of Tillman, yet there's no denying that he did his job for the C's during their fabled season.
Continuing to employ bench guys who understand their part on a championship-caliber team should prove beneficial for Boston.
Grade: B+
Extending Sam Hauser
After Tatum and White, sharp-shooter Sam Hauser might be the next Celtic who was the most deserving of a payday this summer.
The 26-year-old had humble beginnings, going undrafted in 2021 and signing with the C's on a two-way deal a few weeks later. From there, Hauser worked his way up to the Association and demonstrated that he was worth the wait, shooting an efficient 44.6% from the floor and 42.4% from 3-point range this season.
Shooting is a hot commodity in the NBA, so there are plenty of franchises that would've loved to scoop Hauser up in free agency. Rather than testing the waters, the Wisconsin native agreed to a four-year, $45 million extension to stay in green.
$45 million isn't a tiny figure, but given the asking price for other shooters, it's a solid deal for the Celtics.
For example, less than a year ago, Minnesota Timberwolves wing Joe Ingles was getting paid $11 million per year with the Orlando Magic. The 36-year-old is far from the prime of his career and hasn't shot better than 44% from the field since the 2020-21 season. Ingles is still a respectable role player, however, the fact that he was recently bringing in a similar amount of cash to Hauser is proof that Boston got great value on this deal.
Grade: A
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