CELTICS HAVE A TOUGH FRONTCOURT DECISION TO MAKE THIS SUMMER
On Friday, the Boston Celtics celebrated their NBA championship with a parade through the city. Now, Brad Stevens and the front office must focus on the summer. Derrick White and Jayson Tatum are both extension-eligible. Both are expected to re-sign with the team on multi-year deals.
However, multiple players may go further down the roster to free agency. Stevens will likely pick up the team option on Sam Hauser, keeping him around for next season before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
The futures of Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman Sr. are far less clear. Both will hit free agency this summer. Boston holds bird rights for both players.
Stevens may be forced to choose between the two big men. The Celtics already have Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford under contract. They can also retain Neemias Queta if they choose to pick up his team option. Therefore, there is likely only room for one other big man.
Kornet has been Joe Mazzulla's third-choice center all season. Tillman joined at the Feb. 8 trade deadline but struggled to carve out a role for himself. He did, however, have some impressive performances in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. When speaking to Dan Roche of WBZ, Tillman admitted that he wanted to repeat with the Celtics next season.
Kornet has proven he can impact winning as a third-string big man. His size makes him a genuine rim protector. He's also one of the best bigs in the NBA at containing the ball-handler in pick-and-rolls. However, his lack of lateral quickness can be exploited by shifter ball-handlers.
Tillman, on the other hand, doesn't boast genuine size. Nevertheless, he is switchable on defense and can guard multiple positions. His physicality makes him a valuable screener and rebounder. He projects to be a potential long-term replacement for Horford.
Stevens could potentially re-sign both bigs. Yet, even if Queta is released by the team, there aren't enough minutes to go around. Tillman is unlikely to accept a deep bench role for the upcoming season before replacing Horford in the rotation in 2025. Kornet has earned the right to be part of a team's second unit.
Both Tillman and Kornet are talented players. Other teams will be interested in acquiring them during the summer. Nevertheless, Stevens faces a tough decision. One way or another, a member of the championship-winning roster will likely have to leave during the offseason.
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