Let's face it: the Boston Celtics are not a dynasty. Definitely not in the typical sense, and probably not even in the way that Tim Duncan's Spurs were. No coach will ever hit the hot streak of tactical genius that Pop did throughout the first two decades of the 21st century, and we've seen enough evidence that the 2020's will be a decade defined by parity. The age of dynasties is dead, at least for now.
So, where does that leave teams?
For the most part, those few teams that are deemed as true championship contenders year-to-year know who they're building around. Jokic's Nuggets will always be a methodical, ball-movement-based team with him as a hub. Steph's will always be fast, dangerous microwaves. OKC and Minnesota thrive off of the energy, defense, and point generation of their crafty and athletic (respectively) 2-guards. The Pacers will be the fastest team in the league, and the Knicks gritty. You know the drill.
But among the blue chip contenders in the NBA, the Celtics are unique. They don't have an identity -- and up until now, they haven't necessarily needed to decide on one. Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens have built and drafted an absolute juggernaut of balanced talent and seemingly immortal veterans (looking at you, Al Horford), and as long as the Celtics built their team around the wonder twins of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the East would always run through Boston. That is, until it hasn't.
After a disappointing finish to the 2025 season, a season in which the Celtics ran roughshod over most of the league, we have reached a turning point in Boston's elite roster construction. Al Horford is up for renewal, and will be asking for more money than his age would deem prudent. Kristaps Porziņģis is now on an expensive, expiring contract.
More expensive is the basically $60 million total due to Jrue Holiday and Derrick White over the rest of the decade. And scariest of all might be the contract of Jayson Tatum himself, whose yearly salary jumps $20 million going into 2025-26. Even if Boston isn't worried about the absolute hammer coming down on them in luxury taxes, clocking over $50 million above the salary cap maximum basically nixes any plans that they had to beef up the roster in any meaningful way, especially without a trade.
You could point anywhere at Boston's core and find a way to make moves. Kristaps and Holiday are the first two that most would point to as potential outs as older, very expensive players. But these reasons are the same ones that would make any potential suitor hesitate -- leaving Jaylen Brown as the next most likely option.
Boston is now officially at a crossroads with itself.
Like it or not, Jayson Tatum is the face of the Boston Celtics. The NBA reported that his jersey was the most sold in the league for 2025 after Steph, LeBron, and Luka's new Lakers threads. He's Boston's prime representative in the All-Star Game, repped them in the 2024 USA Olympic Team, and has made 5 All-NBA rosters. For most players, that plus the 2024 Championship secures them all-time legendary status. But why does it feel that way for Tatum?
Here's where we get to the '...or not'. Tatum's accolades speak for themselves. But the basketball silence around him speaks louder. He was Boston's sole representative on Team USA fresh off of an NBA Champion. And yet he rode the bench for Steve Kerr. Not to mention that he, Boston's consensus best player, did not win Finals MVP. That award went to Jaylen Brown instead.
Which leaves Boston with a painful decision ahead. Brown is a proven winner, a potential All-Star that, it could be arguably said, is being held back by his situation in Boston. The Celtics do run a clean offense for the most part, but it has largely devolved into a 'your turn, my turn' mess under heavy duress between Brown and Tatum. Teams would jump to have a potential 1B, on their roster, and that might be selling Brown short with how much his game has grown to match his heart and athleticism. And on Boston's end, shedding Brown's salary would certainly give them both breathing room and draft capital renewal in one shot. It's either that or gut the rest of your roster for subpar deals.
All that to say, however, is that the Celtics don't really have any good moves in front of them -- at least none that are not absolutely terrifying. The Boston Jay's are an era into themselves, and changing out of an era is no small thing for an NBA team. And while Tatum is the Celtics' golden child, First Take's Nick Wright was not out of bounds in calling him the 'Kobe Bryant of Paul George's'. Tatum disappears into the crowd, has a history of it, actually.
Brown, in at least my estimation, is the heart of Boston. Sports Illustrated's Matt Levine reports that Brown has doubled down on his outreach into the Boston community even as trade rumors start to swirl. It would be heartbreaking for Boston fans to see Jaylen Brown in another jersey, and I'm not saying that dealing him would end anything but poorly for the Celtics.
But it might be necessary. And it wouldn't be surprising.