Despite losing Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster trade this summer, most fans and pundits remain high on the Boston Celtics in the upcoming campaign. The franchise has definitely earned the benefit of doubt as one of the winningest teams in this decade with a championship to show for it, but all the hype they are getting seems a tad misplaced.
The biggest argument for the Celtics remaining strong title contenders is the fact that Jayson Tatum is expected to be fully healthy next season with a more well-rounded and balanced supporting cast around him. Having Paul George, who is basically Brown’s replacement, also gives them a battle-tested, two-way forward.
But that prognosis assumes the absolute best-case scenario for the Celtics next season. It does not take into account the fact that they are basically operating with a lesser margin of error.
Tatum looked good in his limited stint last season, but there is no telling is he still has that durability to be able to lead the Celtics on a nightly basis. Even if he is good to go, their coaching staff will have to exercise a world of caution with him given how debilitating his Achilles tear was.
Losing Brown will also affect them despite the resistance of the advanced stats enthusiasts. He was an MVP candidate last season for good reason, and not having him rids them of someone who can get them out of a funk and put pressure on defenses from all three scoring levels. It seems like people keep forgetting that he was the Finals MVP just a couple of years ago.
George, while still an effective two-way forward, is no longer as reliable as Brown was as a scorer or table-setter. His defense can still be elite in spurts, but it is worth noting that he is injury-prone in his own right.
For those reasons, the Celtics brass should not approach the season with an air of absolute comfort, but one with guarded confidence. While they have all the tools to still compete for East supremacy, they still lost an elite cog this summer. That will require everyone else to step up, lest they might see their footing get much shakier than expected.