The Boston Celtics are on the cusp of being eliminated from the NBA Playoffs in embarrassing fashion. The No. 2 seed is being dismantled by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals as they are trailing 3-0 after some ugly performances.
Unless the Celtics can make history and become the first team to overcome a 3-0 deficit in the NBA Playoffs, there are some major changes on the horizon. Many people are already calling for head coach Joe Mazzulla to be fired, but their issues run deeper than that.
The Celtics are coming to the harsh reality that the core they have put together may not be championship caliber. Unless someone possesses a time machine, it will be tough to undo the biggest mistake that has already been made.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, Jaylen Brown & Boston Celtics Updates
A former NBA executive that spoke to NBA Analysis Network blasted Boston for not pulling the trigger on a deal for Kevin Durant. They believe that had that been done, the team would be in a much better position than it currently is.
“The Celtics’ mistake was not trading Jaylen Brown in a deal for KD [Kevin Durant] last summer. No matter how excited and blinded people get by potential, Brown will never be close to Durant. Get an established superstar in there, and the game gets easier for [Jayson] Tatum. I’d have a lot more confidence in that duo. Now, they have to deal with Brown being supermax eligible and having a team not built to be champions.”
There were rumors that the Brooklyn Nets were also seeking Marcus Smart in a deal as they were making outlandish demands in negotiations because they didn’t truly want to trade Durant. But, negotiations were serious enough that Brown was made available, which changed the trajectory of the franchise forever.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, Jaylen Brown & Boston Celtics Updates
Brown’s future with the team is now up in the air as he knows the franchise tried to trade him. Committing a supermax to him would also lock the Celtics into a core that has proven incapable of reaching that championship level for as long as they have been together.
The title window that was open the last few years could very well have been shut by the Miami Heat, who are one victory away from meeting the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. Brad Stevens is going to have his hands full in the front office this offseason as something needs to change in Boston if they want to win the NBA Championship.
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