This year’s NBA offseason was one of the wildest that the league has ever seen. The Damian Lillard trade saga came to a surprising end when he was flipped to the Bucks. The Phoenix Suns finally got a third superstar, landing Bradley Beal in a blockbuster trade with Washington. Even James Harden became disgruntled… again. 

Possibly the most intriguing facet of the offseason, however, was the Boston Celtics. Fresh off an embarrassing game 7 loss to the Miami Heat in which Boston was thoroughly dismantled by virtually unknown role players, General Manager Brad Stevens decided that enough was enough. Boston’s core of players, while talented, simply didn’t seem to have the ability to get over the hump and win an NBA championship.  

A shakeup was needed, and it was certainly accomplished as Stevens executed one of the most dramatic roster overhauls in recent memory. But just who are these new faces in green, and what do they bring to the table? Let’s check some of them out. 

Jrue Holiday, PG

 

Arguably Boston’s biggest trade of the offseason came just over a week ago, when the Celtics landed Holiday from the Portland Trail Blazers. Acquiring Holiday’s services certainly wasn’t cheap—it came at the cost of two team mainstays in guard Malcolm Brogdon and center Robert Williams III—but reception to the move has been almost universally positive. 

Holiday has been lauded throughout his NBA career as one of the most underrated players in the league. He’s best known for his smothering defensive abilities that have consistently landed him in the running for Defensive Player of the Year honors, and his prowess has earned him 5(!) All-Defensive team selections. 

However, Holiday isn’t just a stud defender. He has an underrated ability to score (he averaged 19 PPG in Milwaukee last season) and his 7.4 assists per game were the 9^th most in the NBA among qualified players.  

What Boston gets with Holiday is an elite pass-first guard who can score at a high level and plays arguably the best perimeter defense in the league on top of that. It’s also worth noting that Holiday, who will be replacing Marcus Smart as Boston’s top guard, plays a much more mistake-free game than Smart, who tended to get Boston in trouble with haphazard shooting sprees. Holiday is a player who is keenly aware of his strengths and weaknesses, and it’s a skill that’s going to help him maximize his potential in the City of Champions. 

Kristaps Porzingis, C

Boston’s other massive offseason move came in the form of Porzingis, who came over from Washington in a blockbuster deal that saw Marcus Smart, Danillo Gallinari, and Mike Muscala get sent off in exchange for the 7’3 center. 

Since he entered the league in 2015, Porzingis has been the subject of constant scrutiny. An oft-injured big man who hasn’t played north of 70 games since his rookie season, Porzingis is going to have a lot to prove in his first season on a true contender. While anxiety regarding Porzingis’ health is certainly present, he has the skills to make his trade worth Boston’s while. 

A rare center with the ability to shoot from any range, Porzingis’ ability to shoot despite his massive size is going to be an X factor for a Boston team that has lacked a true star at the center position since the days of Robert Parish. Porzingis has an ability to stretch the floor that few players in the NBA can rival. His shooting ability makes him a constant threat on the perimeter, but defenders must also be wary of his ability to get inside the paint and force the opposition to play physical. 

Another major factor in Porzingis’ favor is the fact that defenses won’t be able to focus on Porzingis as they may have back in his New York, Dallas, and Washington days. With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Holiday in the mix for Boston, Porzingis will be drawing a lot of matchups against players who are either too small or not skilled enough to guard him properly. While it’s difficult for a 7’3 giant to fly under the radar in the NBA, Porzingis is surrounded by more talent than ever in Boston, and defenses can no longer afford to make him a primary focus. If he can take advantages of his weaker matchups, Porzingis could be the player that makes Boston unstoppable. 

Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, SG

Mykhailiuk, or “Svi” as he’s known to those not acquainted with the Ukrainian language, is shaping up to be one of Boston’s more underrated offseason pickups. Mykhailiuk, who turned down a contract with Greek club Panathinaikos B.C. to sign with Boston, could play a key role off the bench for a Boston team that’s a bit lacking in backup wings.  

Mykhailiuk’s raw stats aren’t particularly impressive as he averaged just 7 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists with Charlotte last season, but his ability to shoot around the 40% range from three is an asset that Boston will desperately need off the bench this season. Getting more minutes off the bench could be beneficial for Mykhailiuk’s passing as well—it wouldn’t be surprising to see his assist numbers jump to around 4 per game. 

Mykhailiuk’s main weakness, however, is his defense. He’s never really been in a situation where he’s been truly tested on the defensive end, and it remains to be seen if he can keep up with the NBA’s better bench pieces. However, he’s a great breakout candidate for Boston who could quickly become a fan favorite if he can shoot at the same percentages he was averaging with the Hornets. Look for Mykhailiuk to make an instant impact off the bench this season as the city of Boston learns how to pronounce his name. 

Lamar Stevens, PF

 

Stevens is another one of Boston’s signings that’s going to fly under the radar this season. After spending his rookie season with a Cleveland team that used him off the bench in a primarily defensive role, Stevens has an opportunity to become a key contributor in Boston. 

Stevens isn’t a big offensive contributor, as he averaged a meager 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists last season, but he’s now in a situation where he isn’t going to be asked to do much more than play a role for Boston. Stevens’ main task this season will be to lock down opposing wings and spell Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who are the only two wings ahead of Stevens on Boston’s depth chart. 

A major positive factor for Stevens is that the talent around him will allow him to defer to his teammates for shots. A career 31% 3-point shooter, Stevens could see his assist numbers bloom through well-timed passes to established shooters such as Payton Pritchard and Svi Mykhailiuk on the perimeter. Stevens will also be spending a lot of time with Al Horford, who appears to be Stevens’ partner in the frontcourt this season. If the two can complement each other well this season, Boston could have one of the NBA’s best defensive frontcourts off the bench. 

Wenyen Gabriel, F

 

Rounding out Boston’s recent acquisitions is Gabriel, who will, in some form or another, play a role for Boston this season. Gabriel, who spent last season with the Lakers, established himself as a fan favorite for his grit and hustle—two qualities that Boston will be needing with the departures of Marcus Smart and Grant Williams this offseason. 

Despite his rather diminutive frame for a center at “just” 6’9, Gabriel is primed to play any position from small forward to center for Boston. Gabriel averaged a decent 5.5 points off the bench for Los Angeles last season, but he also managed to snag 4.2 rebounds per game despite averaging just 16.2 minutes per game last season. 

While it might be tough for Gabriel to find a spot in Boston’s rotation with the establishment of Al Horford and Lamar Stevens as fixtures off the bench, Gabriel’s versatility and energy should keep him around as a team staple. After all, every team needs a good glue guy, and Gabriel’s limitless energy makes him a prime candidate to become beloved in Boston.

There you have it—five of Boston’s biggest offseason acquisitions. There are still some more players to be discussed, however—stay tuned for an in-season review and grading of the Celtics’ new acquisitions as the season rolls on. As always, thanks for tuning into Otaku Sports. Enjoy the upcoming season!