Celtics Have Taken ‘Smart’ Approach To (Very) Busy Offseason

The Boston Celtics haven’t held back in fulfilling their commitment to keeping their championship-winning roster intact for the 2024-25 season.

While other teams across the league such as the Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder have worked to re-tool their contending rosters, the Celtics have kept it simple: re-sign everybody. Boston’s successfully done just that, retaining every player from the 2023-24 team except for unrestricted free agents Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk.

“I love that the players got paid, and quietly the Celtics have also retained and brought in some role players as well,” Travis Thomas explained on NESN’s “Hold My Banner” podcast. “… I think the Celtics are smart to not only invest in these elite basketball players. (Jayson) Tatum and (Jaylen) Brown, we understand that All-NBA types, but they’re great guys. And even your Derrick White’s, your Jrue Holiday’s, the other guys you are paying on this roster are great dudes.”

Watch the full episode of “Hold My Banner” here:

Last offseason, Brown became the NBA’s all-time highest-paid player after inking a five-year, $286 million extension. This summer, Tatum took the title by landing a five-year, $314 million payday — after White (four years, $126 million), Holiday (four years, $135 million) and Kristaps Porzingis (two years, $60 million) had already been taken care of.

The Celtics have now assembled the league’s most expensive starting lineup, costing ownership over $920 million to maintain the team’s Banner 18-raising group in place for a potential repeat next season.