NBA Contenders and Pretenders

PRETENDER: Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics have already outperformed expectations this season. Brad Stevens is a worthy Coach of the Year candidate, transforming a young roster into one of the leaders in the Eastern Conference. Avery Bradley and Isaiah Thomas have performed admirably as the team’s go-to scorers, Marcus Smart’s development has gone swimmingly, Jae Crowder remains Boston’s most complete player and a key wing defender, and Kelly Olynyk gives the team a valuable stretch big man.

It feels stupid just repeating the familiar refrain with the Celtics, but here it goes: The Boston Celtics are going to be really good … in 2016-17.

The Celtics have a ton of flexibility in the upcoming offseason, when they can attract a number of high profile free agents. They will have space for two maximum deals, and could use that space to chase both those max players this offseason. They have the pull of: a) a young, promising roster and a proven coach with a reputation for being a great “players’ coach”; b) a weak Eastern conference that has a dysfunctional contender (Cleveland) and a power vacuum beneath them; and c) a major market that tends to lionize its stars.

Kevin Durant is probably going to sign a one-year deal with the Thunder, enabling his maximum contract to go up as high as possible right as he becomes a free agent again; as much as Bill Simmons wants the opposite to be true, Durant is not becoming a Celtic in the summer. Maybe he will in the summer of ’17.

But otherwise, Atlanta Hawks center Al Horford, Charlotte Hornets’ center Al Jefferson or even Hassan Whiteside could find Boston an attractive location.

What that means for the Celtics is that for the time being, their job is to give their core playoff experience, maybe steal a series from the Raptors in the conference semis, and set up a free agent push next offseason. But this year, the likelihood of a Celtics playoff push is slim.

Next: Contender: Oklahoma City Thunder