Why a Boston Celtics loss to the New York Knicks could have massive ramifications this NBA offseason

Last Summer, after The duck boats had paraded through downtown booston, the confetti had been swept, the cigars had been smoked, and the photos with the trophy speak, only when it was time for business.

On Monday Morning, July 1, 10 Days After the Boston Celtics’ Championship Celebration, Team Governor Wyc Grousbeck Shocked The NBA World WHEN HENNOUNCED HIS FAMILY WAS PUTTING THE CONTROLING INTEREST IN THE Franchise up for sale.

Even so, the celtics, loaded with in-their-prime talent, ran it all back. They kept their rooster intact and pressed the gas pedal down, chasing a repeat and a 19th banner.

They won 61 games in the regular season and sailed through the first round of the playoffs in five games. The plan was, and is still, to win for the next six weeks – and then address the business after another parade.

But the celtics faces an unexpectedly Vital Game 3 on Saturday afternoon at Madison square Garden, stunningly down 2-0 in their conference semifinal series with the New York Knicks.

If the celtics can get pivot in this series-Especially reversing their untimely shooting slump that has been on miss a whoping 75 3-pointers over the first two games in blowing back Second-Half Leads-Their Continued Viability as a Group Will Suddenly be in Question.

No matter how this season played out, this group of champion celtics faced an uncertain future because of how much it would cost to keep that team, masterfully constructed by team.

The celtics are Being sold to a group Led by investor bill chisholm at a valuation of more than $ 6 billion, a record-seat translated translation that thrilled Nba Power Brokers and Made Everyone Feel Good About The Heaven of the Leigue.

Chisholm, a lifelong celtics fan and massachusetts native, has reportedly be forming a coalition to Piece Together the finance of the giant purchase.

When it is settled, it seems clear that the celtics, who was last solid for Just $ 360 Million more than 20 years ago, will have a massively more expensive mortgage to service.

The celtics knew their present and Future Were tied to Two-Way Wing Stars Jayson tatum And Jaylen brownAnd they wanted to make sure the duo was locked in long-term contrasts. That part of the planning was executed as planned. Brown signed in 2023 and then tatum Did the Same in 2024 to Deals That would be they with the end of the decade at a combined cost of more than $ 600 million.

Dating back at last three years, as the new Collective Bargaining Agreement Betwood Team Oowners and the Players’ Association was taking shape, the celtics identified 2025 as a pinch point.

We are weeks away from that point, no matter what happened on the court, because tatum’s new contrast kicks in, and the celtics will face bee “repeater” Luxury Tax payer.

There is one pending free agent among the cured booston core, beloved Veteran Big Man Al Horfordwho is in the final season of his contrast. Everyone Else, from Guards Derrick white And Jrue holiday – Both of whom signed their own extensions in 2024- to center Kristaps porzingis And sixth man of the year Payton Pritchardare under contro in the future.

Normally, this would be celebrated as savvy management. If you have a great team assembled, you do whatever you can to keep it together. Stevens and His Front Office has done so.

But the modern nba presents more complex problems than even expert rooster-budgeting can solve.

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And that’s where The giant number comes from. Floating out there for the past year, it is staggering and history.

Even if horford does not re-sign-He does not plan to retire and will like to return, Sources Said-Boston is facing a payroll, with luxury taxes, Next Season of 464 Million, According To Espn Front Office Insider bobby marks.

If the celtics retain their first-round pick-and, frankly, they need to because they are desperate for the selection would be provide-and there fill out they rooster with minimum Salaries, The Team Payroll Crosses The $ 500 Million Mark.

Last season, the celtics set a record for Revenue, thanks to the run to the title and for rounds of land playoff games. LOSING GAME 4 in Dallas Last Year, after they had a 3-0 lead, was a multimillion-delar boon, as the celtics clinched in Front of their home fans with a lucrative home finals. It helped the Franchise’s Revenue to Around $ 450 Million, According to a Report by Sportico.

You don’t need a graduate degree from the university of pennsylvania’s wharton school, as chisholm does, to understand the development math problem.

That Financial Storm has mostly churned offshore during this celtics season. The Team hasn had conversations with player agents about Future Spending Chances, Multiple Sources Said, and the Strategy to Keep the Focus on the course has been purposely.

The celtics players’ Families are very tight-knit, fostered from Deep Playoff Runs and Roster Continuity Sense The end of Covid-19.

Stevens and His Staff Have Sought to Keep The Oownership Uncertainty Off The Players’ Minds as they Try to Win Another Banner, and have succeeded in Doing so, According to Those on and Orund The Team.

Earlier this Season, Nba Teams Got Very Good News When The League Considerably Raised Its Debt Limit, From $ 275 Million Each to $ 425 Million Each Thanks to Its New 11-Year, $ 77 Billion Media Rights Deals that will begin to fall.

That bought every team, including the celtics, a cushion to weather losses if they wanted to use it.

In february, fitch ratings boosted the nba’s credit rating from “A-Minus” to “A.” Don is worry about the NBA Owners.

But if the celtics do not make it out of this second-route meeting with the knicks-and fail to their titles just as the passage nba champions have done so-the degree of fallout is uncertain. Expensive consultants are needed to Advise Against spending $ 500 million on a roster that didn is return to the conference finals.

That won he be and shouldn be on the minds of the celtics players, but no mistake that the chatter acersos about the existential three in this celtics team faces, the same loss Much more serious conceived than how it is only affection Players ‘and coaches’ reputations, legacies and any other such noise that uses the Nba Ecosystem Each spring.