Stephen A. Smith stunned the NBA world this week by weighing in on the Boston Celtics’ uncertain future following Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury. Despite finishing the regular season with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are now on the verge of being eliminated by Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs.
The Celtics have battled adversity throughout their postseason run, including an unexpected illness that has limited Kristaps Porziņģis. Now, questions loom about whether the organization will keep its core intact moving forward.
Boston is well over the luxury tax threshold and carries the league’s most expensive payroll. Smith doesn’t believe the defending NBA champions can afford to keep the team together as currently constructed.
Can the Celtics Beat the Knicks Without Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porziņģis?
The simple answer appears to be no. Boston leaned heavily on Tatum and Porziņģis to win last year’s championship. With Tatum now sidelined due to a torn Achilles and Porziņģis slowed by a respiratory illness, the Celtics are struggling.
In a must-win Game 5, Porziņģis logged just seven points and four rebounds in 24 minutes of action. Given Boston’s recent championship and the recent sale of the franchise to new ownership, Smith argued that the current roster likely won’t remain intact entering next season.
“When you look at the rest of the team, look, Porziņģis has health issues now. You really think Porziņģis gonna be around in two years? I’m not sure he’s gonna be a Boston Celtic in two years. I’m not sure about anything right now. Outside of the fact that I’m looking at Brown, Derrick White, Jrue Holiday. OK. They could be around a couple of years from now when Jayson Tatum comes back. But how productive are they going to be?”
"The Boston Celtics as presently constructed … is no more. You won't see that starting five together again."
—@stephenasmith on what's at stake for the Celtics without Jayson Tatum pic.twitter.com/Bo9cOb4lYn
— First Take (@FirstTake)
Smith continued: “Jaylen Brown was getting his knee treated coming into the playoffs, and Jrue Holiday is better than solid. Him and Derrick White are both champions. But you just don’t know. I think the Boston Celtics, I think the best and safest thing to say is that the Boston Celtics as presently constructed, what we saw throughout this season is no more. You won’t see that starting five together again.”
The “First Take” host believes the Celtics will retool this offseason. He also claimed the core group won’t be together by the time Tatum recovers from surgery and returns to action.
With multiple injuries and major setbacks, Boston’s championship hopes are fading fast. As the offseason nears, fans are left to wonder whether the Celtics can regain their title-contending form—or if the window has quietly closed.
