3. Boston Celtics
The Celtics made one of the biggest free agent signings of the year, locking down Gordon Hayward, but they have a lot of questions heading into this season as new personnel will step into big roles.
The biggest question will be whether or not Isaiah Thomas can replicate a career year that landed him in the thick of the MVP conversation. Thomas averaged nearly 29 points per game and shot a career-best from the field. On top of the numbers, he was the heart and soul of a Celtics club that clawed their way to the top of the East, surpassing Cleveland late in the season.
But Thomas is a ball-dominant point guard. He needs to initiate the offense to get his offensive game going, averaging a career-high 19 shots per game last year. He is now paired with Hayward, who is coming off of a career year of his very own averaging nearly 22 points per game. The question again remains just how these two players will fit into an offense together.
The issue with both Hayward and Thomas on the floor together is that both players are very high-usage players. Hayward comes in at twelfth amongst forwards while Thomas is third among guards. That is a large bulk of the Boston offense that will need to be sorted out and divided up amongst their two best players. Don’t discount the looming contract situation for Thomas at year’s end as a potential need for the point guard to do the bulk of the scoring.
While there could be offensive challenges early on, Hayward adds tremendous defensive ability to the Celtics, a team that at times lacked the perimeter defense to stop a team like the Cavaliers. Despite having to part with one of their premiere defenders in Bradley, Hayward more than makes up for that loss. Teaming with Jae Crowder and emerging player Jaylen Brown along with rookie Jayson Tatum, the Celtics will have plenty of options on the perimeter.
Inside, another weakness emerges. A team that ranked 27th in total rebounds last year only got thinner on the frontline with the departure of Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko. Al Horford won’t have much help on the glass, with only Marcus Morris and Hayward acting as his reinforcements.
Despite some flaws, the Celtics will have very little trouble reaching the top echelon of the East. How high can they climb still remains to be seen. If Brad Stevens can turn Jayson Tatum into an immediate contributor and continue to develop Jaylen Brown while meshing Hayward and Thomas, they’ll have something truly special. But signs point to them struggling early only to finish strong.