The Boston Celtics have had a tumultuous offseason, to say the least. This got here after a exceptional turnaround to begin 2022, by which they tore by the common season and the playoffs, culminating in an NBA Finals look. They didn’t in the end win the championship, however issues look to be heading in the right direction after a few seasons of underachieving.
Then the offseason occurred. Issues began off fairly nicely; they traded a bag of peanuts for a precious rotation participant in Malcolm Brogdon and signed a helpful sharpshooting veteran ahead in Danilo Gallinari for the minimal. Each had been nice additions and helped the Boston Celtics get deeper.
What occurred to the Boston Celtics’ promising offseason?
Then issues began to get bizarre. Kevin Durant demanded a commerce from the Brooklyn Nets simply as Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown started questioning whether or not he was valued by followers.
After all, the Celtics then reportedly discussed trading Brown (subscription required) as part of a package deal for Durant.
That clearly didn’t occur, however that undoubtedly didn’t assist the staff’s relationship with Brown, who will likely be an unrestricted free agent in a few seasons. There’s nonetheless loads of time for the Celts to restore that relationship, nevertheless it didn’t assist the staff’s repute for treating their gamers as simply property.
If that had been the one unhealthy factor to occur to the Celtics, then the offseason would’ve nonetheless been thought-about a hit. Nevertheless, a number of weeks after signing Gallinari, he tore his ACL whereas taking part in in EuroBasket, negating the addition. Then, beginning middle Robert Williams was dominated out for as much as six weeks with a knee process, placing his availability to begin the season in query.
Factoring in Williams’ earlier well being points, that could be a priority, although it may additionally assist him keep wholesome subsequent season, to be decided on that. Now there’s the news that head coach Ime Udoka has been suspended for the complete season for violating staff coverage.
There’s clearly no good time by which to lose a coach for a season however dropping him simply earlier than coaching camp and the preseason is a very unhealthy time. Particularly now that gamers must reply awkward questions throughout media day. With the Udoka cloud probably hanging over the staff for all of subsequent season, it may affect the Celtics past on-court technique.
Udoka appeared to get essentially the most out of the staff’s expertise after they appeared to get stagnant beneath the earlier coach, Brad Stevens. With Udoka gone, will the Celtics not have the identical edge that they’d final season? It’s potential, probably even, and because it’s already exhausting sufficient to make it again to the NBA Finals, it undoubtedly places that into query.
They’re a greater staff than a 12 months in the past, so there’s that, however teaching issues, and swapping out Udoka for Joe Mazzulla may imply that the Celtics are a number of video games worse. Just a few video games worse means worse seeding and a tougher path again to the NBA Finals, in addition to probably not having residence courtroom in the event that they make it again.
In the end, regardless of a promising begin to the offseason for Boston, it’s rapidly devolved right into a nightmare. In reality, with no Udoka, a doubtlessly discontent star, and accidents to take care of, the Boston Celtics ought to now not be thought-about the favorites within the East.
