From the moment the Boston Celtics agreed to trade Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, expectations for the upcoming season took a nosedive. Brown came into the summer on the back of the best season of his career thus far and has proven himself a swing factor for the Celtics in the postseason. Nevertheless, Brad Stevens made a tough call as he bids to reset the repeater tax and position the Celtics for long-term success.
Despite losing Brown, the Celtics project to have a stronger roster than the one that finished second in the Eastern Conference last season. The addition of Mitchell Robinson has given Boston one of the best rebounding frontcourts in the NBA. Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell, both draft-night additions, will add much-needed
athleticism to the rotation. Then, there's Mike Conley and the veteran leadership his 20 years in the NBA will bring to the locker room.
There's no denying that the East has gotten deeper this summer. However, that doesn't mean the Celtics won't be a legitimate threat near the top of the standings. Under Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics have become an elite defensive unit, and their offensive system will consistently give them an edge. Therefore, writing the Celtics off before the season gets underway would likely be a mistake.
Adam Kaufman and Evan Valenti were joined by Dan Greenberg to discuss Boston's chances in the East during a recent episode of the "Celtics Beat" podcast. The trio explored whether Mazzulla's team can emerge as a two-way threat in the upcoming season, pointing to the talent on the roster, Boston's success at developing young players, and the success of Mazzulla's system in recent years.
You can watch the full discussion 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: The Boston Celtics can be a threat on both ends next season
