For the second straight offseason, the Boston Celtics have undergone a summer of change, headlined by the decision to trade Jaylen Brown. Brad Stevens has spent the past two offseasons positioning the Celtics to avoid the repeater tax, which requires being outside of the luxury tax for consecutive seasons.
Despite the perceived talent drain, Boston defied expectations last season, finishing with the second seed in the Eastern Conference and seeing multiple players take a developmental leap. On paper, this year's roster looks much improved. Mitchell Robinson was signed in free agency, giving the Celtics the best offensive rebounding frontcourt in the Eastern Conference, if not the NBA. Mike Conley's addition will help fill the leadership void
left by Al Horford's departure in the summer of 2025.
Then, of course, there's the addition of Paul George as part of the Brown trade. George, 36, is expected to be a strong on-court fit next to Jayson Tatum and within Joe Mazzulla's possession-maxing system, as he can score off the catch or off the drive, while also playing elite defense across a range of positions.
With all the above in mind, the "How 'Bout Them Celtics?" podcast recently released a video where they explored whether the Celtics are being 'slept on' ahead of the new season. Hosts Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance broke down how Boston has improved its roster and where it could finish in a strengthened East.
You can watch the full podcast episode by clicking on the embedded video below.
Watch or listen to the "Celtics Chronicle" podcast on:
- YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS
- Spotify: https://bit.ly/4gCWSaX
- Apple: https://bit.ly/4wXHpaB
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Can the Boston Celtics defy expectations for a second season?
