4 Celtics who could be entering their final playoff run in Boston

The Boston Celtics came into the season with nonexistent expectations. Jayson Tatum was presumed out for the year with a torn Achilles. The Celtics traded away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. This was supposed to be a gap year.

Instead, Jaylen Brown took his game to new heights and will receive fringe MVP votes as a result. The Celtics were second in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating; only the Pistons finished with a better record in the East. Boston is the odds-on favorite to win the conference and advance to the NBA Finals. It's one of the great stories in recent history and a major credit to Joe Mazzulla, Brad Stevens and the Celtics brass.

That said, expectations will be much different next season — and Boston should aggressively pursue upgrades in the summer accordingly. These Celtics might be playing their last postseason basketball in Beantown:

Nikola Vucevic

Nikola Vucevic arrived on an expiring contract at the deadline, settling into a bench role for a Boston team that desperately needed reinforcements down low. The results through 17 games have been mixed. Vucevic's 2-point efficiency has waned considerably and his defense is a point of weaknesses, especially when factoring in the unique demands of postseason basketball. That said, he can still space the floor, distribute from the elbow and punish mismatches on the block.

Vooch happens to be the only upcoming Celtics free agent without a club option. He could theoretically return on a veteran minimum or mid-level exception type of deal, but the Celtics' No. 1 priority this summer — whether it's through the draft or free agency — will probably be finding a more dependable defensive anchor to rotate in with Neemias Queta.

Plenty of teams will still be interested in Vucevic as a complementary floor-spacer and play-finisher, but the Celtics' identity does not fully align with his strengths. He might get more money elsewhere, even if it's marginal. Boston made a reasonable win-now gamble at the deadline, but big picture-wise, the trade exception the Vucevic deal created may ultimately help more than Vucevic's on-court contributions.

Jordan Walsh

Jordan Walsh came on strong down the stretch as a useful bench cog for the Celtics, supplying frenetic defense (1.9 STL%, 1.3 BLK%) and efficient inside-out scoring (73 percent at the rim, 38.4 percent on 3s). Walsh is not a creator in the least, but he's a rangy, explosive athlete who understands how to cut, relocate and make himself available for easy finishes.

That said, there's some long-term overlap between Walsh and 2025 first-round pick Hugo González — two defense-first, low-volume shooting wings who are ultimately limited in their utility. González has a much higher ceiling with his slashing and, frankly, his psychotic competitive edge. That could put Walsh on the chopping block as Boston looks for upgrades.

Walsh has a $2.4 million team option for next season, which Boston almost certainly picks up. Whether the Celtics actually keep him on the roster or float Walsh to prospective suitors, however, remains to be seen. He's one of the more valuable fringe bench pieces. If the Celtics want to clear a roster spot or just add depth on the wing, it's easy enough to reroute Walsh for a second-round pick or two after his breakthrough campaign.

Sam Hauser

Boston only just inked Sam Hauser to a four-year, $45 million contract that runs through the 2028-29 season, which is great value. He started 49 of 78 appearances this season and hit 39.3 percent of his 3s on high volume. His shot-making dynamism is a great complement to Boston's foundation of slashing wings.

That said, if the Celtics want to push for upgrades this offseason, there are only so many movable contracts of actual heft — and Hauser could end up as the foundation of an ambitious trade package as a result. Boston has no reason to press for a Hauser trade. There is not an ounce of internal pressure or necessity here. But the Celtics have four players under contract for more than $10 million annually next season. The others are Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. Hauser is the only real salary filler if the Celtics decide to get frisky.

It helps that Baylor Scheierman, who started 20 games this season, can seamlessly plug into the very same role. Boston could trade Scheierman instead in an alternate universe, but Hauser's contract is important if the Celtics are aiming for a quality player who is compensated as such. Scheierman is also three years younger and cheaper, so Hauser becomes more "expendable" by default.

Jaylen Brown

This almost certainly won't happen, okay? Jaylen Brown will receive fourth- and fifth-place MVP votes this year. He kept the Celtics afloat in Tatum's absence. He did more than keep them afloat, really. His development as a creator and a generative engine over the years should earn him major, major credit. It's one of the best stories of the 2025-26 season.

Tatum is back now, however, and Boston could theoretically hunt big game in the offseason. The Athletic's Sam Amick recently speculated on SiriusXM that the Celtics could look at Giannis Antetokounmpo if Boston gets bounced in the second round:

If the Celtics do seriously consider a Giannis trade — totally valid, as Giannis is a generational superstar and future Hall of Famer — it would almost certainly be Brown, not Tatum, on the block. The Achilles injury and subsequent slow reintegration could skew fans' perspective a bit, but Tatum is and will always be the more valuable Jay. You could also lump Derrick White into a conversation like this, especially after a down shooting year, but if Giannis is the target, Brown will need to be the cornerstone of any competitive package.

That said, there is risk baked into trading for Giannis at this point. He's older and mired in his own injury concerns. Brown and Tatum also won a championship together; that duo is practically joined at the hip. The idea of Boston panicking after an early exit in what was still, in execution, a gap year with the Tatum injury feels a bit far-fetched.

So yes, Brown could wind up in trade rumors this summer. Crazier things have happened. At the end of the day, however, expect Boston to look at upgrades around its stars, not over its stars.

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