Examining Celtics’ Salary Cap, Decisions for 2024 NBA Free Agency After Finals Win

Examining Celtics’ Salary Cap, Decisions for 2024 NBA Free Agency After Finals Win0 of 3

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad StevensMaddie Malhotra/Getty Images

For most of the 2023-24 NBA season, it felt like this would finally be the Boston Celtics’ year. Ultimately, it was.

After losing in the 2022 Finals and bowing out in the 2023 conference championship round, the Celtics were determined to finally finish their run. Boston ran it back with head coach Joe Mazzulla, who had the interim tag removed last February, and made a big offseason trades for Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis.

Led by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Porziņģis and Holiday, Boston played some of the best team basketball of the season. The Celtics locked up a playoff berth by mid-March and secured the Eastern Conference’s top seed with 11 games to play. A fierce postseason run put Boston back in the Finals.

Against the Dallas Mavericks, as it did for most of the 2023-24 season, Boston looked and played like the best team in basketball. As a result, the Celtics are NBA champions once again.

Now that the Celtcs’ postseason is over, though, it’s back to the planning stages for Mazzulla and general manager Brad Stevens. Quickly reloading for next season won’t be simple, especially with the new collective bargaining agreement imposing strict trade limitations on teams above the second apron of the luxury tax.

Here, we’ll examine Boston’s salary cap outlook, top impending contract decisions and some potential top targets for 2024 free agency.

2024 Salary Cap1 of 3

Celtics C Xavier TillmanMaddie Meyer/Getty Images

The good news for Boston is that it has 11 players under contract for the 2024-25 season. The list includes Brown, Tatum, Porziņģis and Holiday—though Holiday has a $37.4 million player option.

Boston’s list of unrestricted free agents consists of only Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Xavier Tillman and Luke Kornet.

The bad news is that Boston isn’t going to have much financial flexibility this offseason. The Celtics are projected to face a practical cap deficit of $67.9 million and are set to be $2.9 million over the second apron.

Assuming the Celtics can’t force their way under the second apron, the CBA will prevent them from aggregating contracts to trade for a single player, sending out cash in trades, using trade exceptions from previous years, or taking back more salary than it sends in a trade.

This means that we’re highly unlikely to see Boston active in the trade market this offseason.

Top Contract Decisions2 of 3

Celtics PG Jrue HolidayAlex Goodlett/Getty Images

While the new CBA limits second-apron franchises from getting stronger through the trade market, it doesn’t impact their ability to retain players. That was important because Boston had a big decision looming with Holiday.

Holiday could have, theoretically, declined his player option and become a free agent. However, the Celtics were always confident that they’d get a deal done.

“I do think that there’s interest on both sides to get something done sooner rather than later. Whether they do or not I don’t know,” ESPN’s Brian Windorst said in March on The Hoop Collective podcast (h/t Jordan Daly of NBC Sports Boston).

Holiday and the Celtics reached a new four-year agreement on April 10.

Boston isn’t in danger of losing Tatum, who is signed through next season with a player option for 2025-26. However, Tatum will be eligible for a supermax extension worth up to $315 million over five years, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Stevens would undoubtedly prefer to keep Tatum for the long haul, but with Brown set to begin his five-year, $286.3 million supermax extension next season, it might not be an easy call.

Guard Derrick White is also extension-eligible, and Boston will have to be careful about how it chooses to build the roster long-term. It probably won’t happen this summer, but trading Brown may eventually become part of the equation.

“Jaylen would set the record for the biggest return,” one Western Conference executive said, per The Ringer’s Howard Beck.

For now, though, Boston’s primary focus will be on extending Tatum and/or White. Additionally, two-way players Neemias Queta and J.D. Davison are scheduled to be restricted free agents, while Boston has a club option with Sam Hauser.

Free Agents to Pursue3 of 3

Thunder F Gordon HaywardBrien Aho/Getty Images

Because of their cap situation, the Celtics have significantly limited free-agency options. Boston can add to the roster but only on a veteran minimum contract. Fortunately, Boston’s title changes are high enough to entice a quality contributor on a low-level deal.

Former Celtic (2017-2020) Gordon Hayward would be a sensible target if he’s willing to take a significant pay cut. The 34-year-old earned a base salary of $31.5 million this past season but could find a return to Boston and a title chase intriguing.

Hayward, who was traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Oklahoma City Thunder in February, is still a strong scorer and rebounder with enough shot creation and outside-shooting ability to give Boston a boost.

Andre Drummond wouldn’t be as exciting of an addition but would probably be more realistic. The 30-year-old has earned base salaries of just $3.2 million and $3.4 million over the past two seasons.

Drummond could contribute as a rebounder and as depth behind Porziņģis at center.

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Patrick Beverley could also draw interest from Boston. as a depth player. According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer, the Celtics had interest in Beverley last offseason.

Given how this season unfolded, though, fans shouldn’t expect a ton of roster building via the open market. Boston’s focus should be squarely on player retention and perhaps uncovering a gem in the 2024 draft.

*Cap and contract information via Spotrac.