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Boston Celtics Offseason Outlook

By Ryan Mayer

The Boston Celtics have played above expectations each of the past two seasons in making the playoffs. There's plenty of young talent on the roster, but the problem for Danny Ainge is that there doesn't seem to be that one superstar that's needed to take a roster from good to contender. However, Boston is loaded with assets heading into this off-season and every off-season in the next few years.

The benefit to having so many young guys is that they're all still on their cost-effective rookie deals. That leaves plenty of cap flexibility to go big fish chasing.

Players Under Contract

Amir Johnson- $12 million (team option)

Avery Bradley- $8.3 million

Isaiah Thomas- $6.6 million

Jae Crowder- $6.3 million

Jonas Jerebko- $5 million (team option)

Marcus Smart- $3.6 million

Kelly Olynyk- $3.1 million

Terry Rozier- $1.9 million

James Young- $1.8 million

Jordan Mickey- $1.2 million

RJ Hunter- $1.2 million

Restricted Free Agents

Tyler Zeller- $3.7 million (qualifying offer)

Jared Sullinger- $3.3 million (qualifying offer)

Total Salary Cap Number= $58 million

That $58 million number is only the case if the Celtics decide to pick up both Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko's options and also sign Zeller/Sullinger to just the qualifying offers. This also assumes that they let Evan Turner go. I don't think that will happen. Letting Turner go wouldn't kill the C's, because they locked up Jae Crowder to an extension and he was very good as a starter for them this season averaging 14.2 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting .443/.336/.820. Crowder has proved worthy of that extension.

Amir Johnson however, did not. The front court is where this team needs to make some decisions and not picking up Johnson or Jerebko's options needs to be considered heavily. That tandem produced 11.7 points an 10.1 rebounds combined per game this season. Compare that with the 16.4 points and 11.3 rebounds combined between Zeller and Sullinger who can probably be had for cheaper than the $17 million owed to Johnson and Jerebko.

So, if it's me, I bring back Sullinger and Zeller either on the qualifying offers or to an extended contracts with a combined cap hit of about 10 million. This is how the depth chart would then break out by position.

Point guard (3), Shooting guard (3), Small Forwards (1), Power Forwards (1), Centers (2)

So, in that scenario, the Celtics would be on the hook for about $5 million more against the cap at $56.7 million leaving them with $35.3 million to play with under the salary cap and $54.3 million before hitting the luxury tax. In other words, plenty of money. Throw in three first-round picks (one likely in the top five thanks to that Brooklyn trade that looks better by the day) and the C's could do a lot this offseason.

Free Agents To Target

Kevin Durant, SF
Look, is Boston going to lure Durant away from OKC? Probably not. However, Ainge has pulled off big blockbuster deals followed by free agency signings before, back when he assembled the Big Three of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. So, maybe this is a free agent that Ainge can lure after flipping those first-round picks for a disgruntled superstar elsewhere like, say, DeMarcus Cousins? That's not to say this will happen, but you can bet Boston will be sniffing around plenty of deals.

Al Horford, PF/C
Horford is the consummate professional who not only offers solid rim-protecting, but also a bit of spacing and the ability to go to work on the blocks on offense. Horford would also be a great mentor for the young bigs like Olynyk, Zeller, and Sullinger in helping them try to realize their full potential. Add the pick-and-roll combination of him and Isaiah Thomas, and you can see how Horford would look pretty good in Boston green.

The main goal for the Celtics this offseason is to try and find that star player to lead the roster. Sure, they could go out and sign some mid-tier free agents to supplement the young guys and rely once again on the coaching of Brad Stevens to get the most out of the talent. But, Ainge is an aggressive GM and should and will be pursuing bigger and better deals/free agents to try and vault Boston back to the top of the Eastern Conference.

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