After coming up short in the NBA Finals, Jayson Tatum believes the Celtics‘ offseason additions will provide the firepower necessary to make another run at a title, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Boston gained backcourt depth by acquiring Malcolm Brogdon from the Pacers and will sign Danilo Gallinari to provide more shooting at the wing.
“It’s great, great for our team,” Tatum said today as he watched the Celtics’ Summer League team. “Obviously said to see your brothers leave, (Daniel) Theis and Aaron (Nesmith), but we got better. Two veteran guys that are proven and ready to help us get to the next level. So I’m excited to have those guys.”
Tatum said he sent text messages to Brogdon and Gallinari after the news broke that they were on their way to Boston. He adds that president of basketball operations Brad Stevens kept him informed as the moves came together.
“Just kind of told me some options they were looking at, things they were keeping their eye on for free agency,” Tatum said.
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Appearing on the broadcast of today’s game, coach Ime Udoka said the next step for Tatum and Jaylen Brown is to prove they can be team leaders as well as great players, tweets Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. “A lot of what they’ve done throughout their career has been individual accolades,” Udoka said. “… We want them to continue to grow as playmakers, leaders on your team … They are the foundational pieces that everything’s gonna be built around.”
- Purdue big man Trevion Williams could be Boston’s latest undrafted steal, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of Full Court Press. Williams has been getting positive reviews in practice, particularly for his advanced passing skills. “There were a couple of times he was looking the other way and threw it to a different guy that he wasn’t looking at, right in the shooting pocket for the 3,” Sam Hauser said. “He’s going to have a real impact in these games coming up.”
- Second-round pick JD Davison, who signed a two-way contract earlier today, confirmed that he’s been promised a chance to earn a standard deal, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “They have indicated to me I could get a roster spot,” Davison said. “It’s just come out here, have fun, go do me and maybe that spot will be yours, maybe not. Whenever my name will be called, I’ll be ready.”
I still hope they use the Trade Exemption even tough it is more tax. Boston needs to be good. It is good for the league!
The NBA has been expanding and booming for the longest time now, team valuations are at their highest and just keeps on increasing ………. all of this with the CELTICS winning just a single championship in the last 36 years.
The league is fine as it is …….. it’s only the CELTICS fanbase, Bill Simmons and other mainstream media who wants a CELTICS championship that bad – they just can’t live off that 2008 championship and those olden championships forever.
I mean, I can live off them just fine, Thanks for caring though bro.
Enough people say that rubbish about the NBA needing a good Celtics team, they will be targeted like the Lakers.
Tatum and Brown made big leaps this year. Great to see them flourish.
Can’t wait for next season to start, to see how they defend their Eastern Conference crown.
Celts are not my team, but they have clearly had the best offseason so far.
Sixers fan, and unfortunately I agree.
Half way through last season they looked like they might miss the playoffs altogether and then bam, went all the way to the final and have now had the best offseason.
Next season they will have big expectations and will either be a true contender at the top of the east or languishing around 6/7/8th and would’ve regressed badly. We have seen them get big additions in the past (Kemba, Kyrie, Hayward) and then follow it up with a bad season so it’ll be interesting to see how they go
While they are relying on two new players with injury histories, they gave up nothing of value to get them. If they stay healthy, they are the deepest 9-10 man rotation.
I agree, I like the moves but in the past free agent additions have actually had a negative affect on the Celtics ability to win games. Call it optimism from a Sixers fan but I think that they might not be as good as everyone is going to be predicting
Tatum has to prove he can show up when it matters. Brown was better in the playoffs
The Celtics Franchise has been to half of the ECF’s. It is time for the leap. The Celtics had a 10 point lead with 5 minutes to play in game 4 to go go 3-1. Then it all slid Away.
@Spike:
You seem confused.
The Celtics led by 4 pts when Smart hit a three with 5″18 to play in gm 4 of the Finals. There was never a 10 pt lead for the Celtics in gm 4, their biggest lead in the game was 7 pts early in the 1st Q.
Just need a young scoring center and they are golden
My beloved Celtics barely beat Milwaukee without Middleton & Miami without Herro. Had good health karma for once with TimeLord able to recover & play. All NBA teams just getting better & better & with more talent arriving every year. It’s going to be tough for Celtics to keep up. The key now is to play as a well-oiled machine to win. Celts have a lot of room there. Go Celts!