The Boston Celtics just won the NBA Title and now rumors leading up to the championship are surfacing. From the sounds of it, general manager, Brad Stevens, turned down some massive names via trade that could have changed the course of Boston's title run this season.
Rumors indicate that Stevens turned down trades for five superstar talents, including Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Kevin Durant, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. If that's the case the Celtics could have had a completely different roster for the 2023-24 season.
“He was the man, sources said, who said no or decided not to pursue trades for Paul George (2017), Jimmy Butler (2018-19), Kawhi Leonard (2019) Anthony Davis (2019), and Kevin Durant (2022).”
That's quite the list of names. It's not known what the potential trade packages were. But if these rumors are true then it's rather impressive that Brad Stevens didn't pull the trigger on any of these possible deals. Especially considering the Celtics could have had a one of those five players teamed up with Jayson Tatum.
But in the in end it appears Brad Stevens made the right decision. The Celtics easily had one of, if not, the best roster in the NBA this season. Jayson Tatum is a true superstar while Jaylen Brown has become a fantastic No. 2 option on the team. Meanwhile, adding guys like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday turned out to pay off greatly, as both guys complimented Tatum and Brown well.
Can Brad Stevens build a repeat contender next season?
The Celtics are in line to be a problem for the league yet again in the 2024-25 season. It's expected the Celtics will give Jayson Tatum a huge contract this offseason. Additionally, most of the players on this years roster are due to return. If that's the case then Brad Stevens' job might be pretty easy moving forward.
With the team's core roster set, Stevens just has to make sure to fill in any possible holes that could occur this offseason. One name to keep an eye on is Derrick White, who could hit free agency. But if Brad Stevens can talk the star guard into staying in Boston, then that would be huge for the Celtics chances next season.
When it comes down to it, the Celtics don't have to make too many moves this offseason to remain on top of the Eastern Conference. But they must make sure to maintain a championship-caliber roster with the rest of the league now chasing after them. We should expect Brad Stevens to do what's necessary to keep this franchise in title contention.
Follow Us
Subscribe