The 2022-23 season ended in heartbreak for the Boston Celtics. On their home court, Boston's quest for a championship ended in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, where the Miami Heat won in seven games. Just one year later, the Celtics have hoisted the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy on the parquet, capturing their first title in over 15 years and their 18th in team history, a new NBA record.
Major offseason moves took the C's from contending to dominating, and they showed it in the playoffs. Boston disposed of the Heat in five games, eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, swept the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, and then prevailed in five games against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals.
One championship is sweet, but the Celtics are surely hungry for more. Could even more titles be in store as their attention swiftly turns to the 2024-25 season?
What's next for the Celtics?
Although the 2023-24 NBA season just wrapped up, it's never too early to start thinking about the Celtics' future.
It took 15 years for the Celtics to capture banner No. 18, yet there's a chance a 19th banner could arrive a lot sooner. Celtics star Jaylen Brown just received the richest contract in league history last summer. This upcoming July, Tatum becomes eligible for an even larger supermax extension worth upwards of $315 million over five years.
Tatum and Brown are at the heart of everything the Celtics do. It helps that neither star is over 27 years old. With youth on their side, the C's have a prime opportunity to run it back with the dynamic duo that's carried them to championship glory.
“It's an honor to wear this jersey,” Tatum said during his media availability on Thursday afternoon. “It's an honor to follow in the footsteps of some of the best players ever. Being a part of Celtics history entails that you've got to win a championship. Every kid growing up playing basketball dreams about being in the Finals, dreams about winning a championship. I'm no different than anybody else.”
Just because Tatum accomplished that dream doesn't mean he isn't hungry for more. When the five-time All-Star was asked what it's like to be part of one of the most dominant teams in franchise history, he had some jokes for reporters.
“That would be really cool. But you know, you guys will probably say we didn't play anybody to get here. So we'll just have to do it again next year,” the Celtics leader said with a smile before leaving the press room.
Although Tatum was poking fun at the media during this encounter on Thursday, it also shows that another title isn't out of the question for Boston, especially given its current roster.
Examining Celtics roster entering 2024-25 season
Veteran guard Jrue Holiday signed a four-year, $135 million extension right before the 2024 playoffs began. With his age, a deal like that could mean he's in Beantown for the rest of his career. Winning follows Holiday, which is great news for the Celtics and their defense.
Fellow 2024 NBA All-Defensive member Derrick White doesn't have a hefty extension like Holiday, but he's reportedly interested in one this summer. Making the money work is tough with the luxury tax restrictions of the new CBA. However, the best cure to money woes in the NBA is winning, as players might be more eager to agree to team-friendly deals if they think they can stay on top of the league and contend for more championships.
And last, but certainly not least, Kristaps Porzingis was the key to Boston's success all year. The Latvian big man dealt with injury issues throughout the season, and he even missed multiple contests in the NBA Finals. Despite these concerns, Porzingis still has another year left on his contract with the Celtics. After being the team's third-leading scorer during the regular season, he will enter next season as one of their focal points, next to Tatum and Brown. The rim protection and offensive versatility Porzingis adds to the lineup is something the Celtics have not had in a center since 2008 NBA champion Kevin Garnett.
Joe Mazzulla's brilliance with Celtics
Managing the team is Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, who really stepped into his own this year. While this was technically Mazzulla's second season at the helm, this was his first year with a coaching staff that he picked out himself.
“Joe has been great,” Brown stated on Thursday. “Even though we weren't making any excuses, but him inheriting that position, it was a little bit more of uncertainty about what we were doing going forward … Now I feel like he's gotten his feet under him a little bit more, even the start of this year. He's been excellent. He's been organized. He seems like he's been a lot more comfortable, and it's showed in our team.”
Since the Celtics have a few key guys under contract and are likely planning to re-sign a couple more, their talented roster could look nearly identical next year. That would put Boston right back at the apex of the Eastern Conference and make them a championship contender once more.
Of course, other teams across the league will aim for major additions in the offseason to counter the C's. The Philadelphia 76ers, one of Boston's oldest rivals, will have the second-most cap space heading into the offseason. To keep pace with the Celtics, it is possible that the Sixers will spend major cash on another star around franchise pillars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Regardless, the Celtics will still have their championship window open during the 2024-25 season and beyond. Having the experience, depth, and contractual flexibility that they have, the Celtics are primed for more greatness. After experiencing their first taste of basketball immortality, Boston is only going to have one thing on their mind:
Repeat.
This was a historic season for the Celtics. Greatness means championships. Nothing else.
Following their NBA Finals victory, Boston has gone from being the hunters to now becoming public enemy number one. As challenging as it is to win one championship, the Celtics now begin an even harder test to try and recapture championship glory.
And for a historic franchise like the Celtics, greatness means championships and nothing else.
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