Need more evidence the Boston Celtics are stacked with talent heading into the 2023-24 NBA season?
Well, it arrived this week in the form of NBArank, a list ESPN releases annually to highlight the top 100 players in the league.
ESPN’s player rankings for the 2023-24 season featured four Celtics standouts: Jayson Tatum (No. 6), Jaylen Brown (No. 19), Jrue Holiday (No. 26) and Kristaps Porzingis (No. 62).
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According to ESPN.com, the NBArank panel consisted of nearly 150 reporters, editors, producers and analysts. And they were asked to rank players based on their predicted contributions — quality and quantity — for the 2023-24 season only.
Tatum and Brown obviously are familiar faces in Boston, entering their seventh and eighth seasons, respectively, with the franchise. Tatum landed at No. 7 on ESPN’s list before last season, while Brown checked in at No. 22.
The Celtics again will lean heavily on the duo as they scratch and claw for Banner 18. But Boston shuffled its deck, to some extent, this offseason, most notably by acquiring Holiday and Porzingis.
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The Holiday trade more or less fell from the clouds after the Milwaukee Bucks traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers as part of a blockbuster for Damian Lillard. The Blazers flipped Holiday to the C’s for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams and two first-round draft picks.
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Holiday presumably will occupy the starting point guard spot vacated by Marcus Smart, whom the Celtics traded to the Memphis Grizzles as part of a three-team deal that brought Porzingis to Boston from the Washington Wizards. Holiday ranked No. 26 last season, as well, while Porzingis ranked No. 86.
Boston’s roster is more top heavy this season, with the Celtics sacrificing some depth to add more elite talent alongside Tatum and Brown. There could be times during the regular season when that becomes an issue, but Boston ultimately should be better equipped for the playoffs and another run to the NBA Finals thanks to Brad Stevens’ wheeling and dealing.
After all, Derrick White didn’t crack ESPN’s top 100 — which feels wrong — and Al Horford is more valuable to Boston than any rankings could reflect.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images
