Celtics’ top nine in place after team brings back Hauser, Kornet

Celtics’ top nine in place after team brings back Hauser, Kornet originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens pledged to keep the core of his title team intact next season, and he moved quickly to ensure as much this weekend.

The Celtics are set to bring back their top nine from the 2024 title team after 1) Triggering a low-money option of sharpshooting forward Sam Hauser and 2) Agreeing to a one-year deal with big-man Luke Kornet in the opening minutes of free agency.

Boston also reportedly signed backup big man Neemias Queta to a multi-year extension, bringing back another depth piece from last year’s title team.

Boston now has Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, Hauser, Kornet, and Queta all under contract for next season.

Just as Stevens promised.

“I’m not anticipating major changes, at least early on,” Stevens said last week. “Because I think this team deserves that.”

There’s still some shaping to do at the back end of the roster. Oshae Brissett opted out of the final year of his pact last week, and the Celtics must fill out their two-way slots, including ones occupied by Drew Peterson and JD Davison last year. Brissett could return but will get a chance to field outside offers while both sides ponder a return engagement.

But it sure looks like the 2025 roster will look very similar to the 2024 champions.

“We’ll continue to work on filling out our roster for the upcoming season, but there’s no doubt that we’ll really value the continuity of that,” said Stevens.

The Celtics, set to linger on the second apron of a restrictive new collective bargaining agreement, don’t have any means of adding outside talent north of a minimum salary. That puts an increased priority on maintaining the players from last year’s title team.

Boston triggered a $2.1 million option on Hauser and, starting next month, can ponder a potential long-term extension. Hauser is eligible for an extension up to four years, $78 million, though any deal the team might ink would be decidedly south…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-top-9-place-team-234712125.html

Author : NBC Sports Boston

Publish date : 2024-07-01 06:56:56

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.