Celtics Exec Reveals Gesture Free Agents Made To Return To Boston

The goal for the Celtics this offseason was to retain their core players from their championship roster, and they accomplished that and more.

Boston re-signed Jayson Tatum to a supermax contract extension and Derrick White re-signed for the maximum value. That would have been enough as the C’s could have used free agency to add more depth. But Luke Kornet was the first free agent to re-sign, and the Celtics brought back reserve pieces like Neemias Queta and Xavier Tillman.

Those players could have left Boston to pursue other opportunities where they could have received extended minutes, and the fact they returned for a repeat run was not lost on the front office.

“Extremely grateful,” director of player personnel Austin Ainge told reporters Monday, per MassLive’s Brian Robb. “We had some guys turn down more money other places to come back. It feels really good that guys we care about a lot to come back and go for another run.”

Robb added that Kornet did have multiple suitors in free agency, but he opted to return on a one-year deal.

Oshae Brissett declined his player option, but he could return to the Celtics as he explores his options as a free agent after he was released by Team Canada. Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk would be the lone members of Boston’s championship roster to not return if they don’t re-sign.