As news broke on Thursday morning of the Boston Celtics’ sale to Bill Chisholm being finalized “within the next week,” so did a significant report regarding their roster heading into next season.
In an appearance on ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show, NBA insider Shams Charania explained that the league is expecting some personnel turnover for Boston this summer:
“Right now, Boston is fully focused on winning a championship,” Shams explained. “Like, that is the No. 1 focus, is repeating. But I can tell you, the rest of the league is bracing for some level of change to come to the Celtics from their roster this offseason.”
“Sources have been telling me for weeks now that the Celtics will be exploring trade options in the offseason,” he continued. “This team, this iteration, just is not gonna be sustainable for this team, and no one around the organization—from players, to staffers—would be surprised if there were changes coming to this roster.”
“The rest of the league is bracing for some level of change to the Celtics roster this offseason..
Sources have been telling me for weeks now that the Celtics will be exploring trade options in the offseason” ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/raA9TDjNiP
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 1, 2025
After losing to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals, Boston made two massive trade acquisitions the following offseason in forward Kristaps Porzingis and guard Jrue Holiday. They then signed both players to contracts and went on to win the 2024 NBA Finals. Now, however, the financial bill is set to come due.
As Charania notes in his report, the Celtics have five players in Porzingis, Holiday, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White set to make $28 million+ next season. If left as is, it would contribute to a league-record $500 million salary bill.
With said shift in ownership coming, and a potential hesitation to remain above the NBA’s second salary cap apron, change now feels inevitable in Boston.
The Celtics took care of business in the first-round matchup against the Orlando Magic, and are set to face the winner of the series between New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons beginning next Monday night in Boston.
