The Boston Celtics find themselves in a 2-0 series hole against the New York Knicks after blowing back-to-back 20-point leads to begin their second-round series. While many expected the defending champions to be the first team to repeat since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, their backs are against the wall as the series shifts to Madison Square Garden.
Making matters worse, the Celtics roster is projected to cost about $500 million this season, which would make it the most expensive roster in NBA history. During a recent appearance on ESPN's "First Take", an NBA insider claimed that the front office could dismantle the roster, if they are unable to advance past the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
"What's on the line is what's going to happen to this team after this year," ESPN's Brian Windhorst shared Thursday. "Now, this is a conversation I did not think I was going to be having on May 8. I thought this was going to be a conversation for July. But next year, their payroll is $460 million when you compute the taxes. If they keep their draft pick when they get a first-round pick this year and they fill out their roster -- I don't even know if they're going to be able to bring Al Horford back -- it's going to top $500 million.
"There's a possibility this team's not going to come back, no matter what they may not be able to come back because they're the most expensive sports team in the history of the game. That's what's on the line. This team has proven it's a championship team. This team has proven it's a 60-win team this year. This team might win the championship again this year. But if they don't get out of this series, I don't know how you can justify spending $500 million on the roster again, and so, to me, what's on the line is whether these guys want to stay together and try to rack up a bunch more rings."
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The Celtics' struggles through two games have been well-documented as they became the first team in NBA history to blow back-to-back 20-point leads in the postseason. They have shot just 25.0% from three-point range, setting an NBA postseason record with 45 missed threes in Game 1. They followed that up by missing 30 threes in Game 2 to set an NBA postseason record for the most missed threes in a two-game span with 75.
While it is unlikely that Boston moves on from either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, there has already been chatter that their roster could look different next season. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis -- both of whom are due over $30 million in 2025-26 -- have been mentioned as the two most likely trade candidates.
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