Celtics’ Offseason Work Earns Intriguing One-Word Review

The Boston Celtics were one of the busiest teams across the NBA over the offseason, and as a result, they will enter the 2025-26 campaign with a squad that looks much different than the one we saw the last time they took the court.

Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were both traded, while Luke Kornet (and likely Al Horford) departed in free agency. Perhaps the biggest loss, though, is Jayson Tatum, who will miss the majority of the season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon.

A big reason for these moves is the threat of the second apron of the NBA’s new salary cap. With the Celtics unlikely to contend for a title this season thanks to Tatum’s injury, the front office decided to reset their salary cap and avoid some serious penalties.

All 30 teams are adjusting to the league’s new salary cap, with Boston being the first team to truly feel the impact of the second apron. With that in mind, Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report recently described the Celtics’ offseason as “ominous,” particularly when it comes to what it means for the rest of the league.

“No, not every squad faces the possibility of a payroll and tax bill climbing over $500 million,” Hughes wrote. “But all 30 teams are subject to the same restrictions of the apron era. Any organization that builds a roster good enough to contend is on notice: A selloff is closer than you think.”

As time goes on, more and more contenders are going to have to follow Boston’s blueprint for handling the salary cap. It was certainly tough to see the team move on from several key players, but that’s what needs to be done to survive in the NBA nowadays.

The hope is that, once Tatum returns and is fully healthy, the Celtics will be able to build their roster back up around him. They still have several talented pieces in place, and while it likely won’t yield a title or even a playoff appearance this year, there’s no doubt Boston’s offseason strategy will help the team in the long run.