The Celtics spent the summer trying to solve two problems at once, and somehow Brad Stevens pulled it off.
Boston wanted to keep the payroll under the luxury tax while also taking care of its extension-eligible players. Those goals don’t usually sit comfortably together, but the Celtics managed to check both boxes. They’ve built out the roster to 14 players and are sitting just $1.7 million below the tax line, which leaves the door open for a 15th player on a minimum deal if they choose to go that route.
At the same time, Boston locked in Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh on team-friendly extensions after picking up their team options for this season. Both players will spend this year on the minimum, the final season of their current deals, and their new contracts won’t begin until the 2027-28 season.
That timing matters. Queta and Walsh each broke through last season, but neither had the kind of salary history that gave them much leverage.
Queta emerged as the Celtics’ starting center and turned in a strong year, establishing himself as one of the better big men in the league. Walsh also took a meaningful step forward, carving out a role as a defensive stopper with some 3&D wing upside.
Boston used that leverage to get ahead of the market a year early. Queta’s new deal is four years and $56 million, keeping him in green through the end of the 2030-31 season and eating up roughly 8% of the salary cap. Walsh agreed to a three-year, $15 million extension that runs through the 2029-30 season.
The financial picture is important beyond just this season. By staying below the tax for a second straight year, Boston can reset the repeater tax, which gives the franchise more breathing room going forward.
And that’s where the real flexibility comes in. Starting next season, the Celtics can spend again, paying a normal tax rate and keeping full access to trade draft picks or use any other assets they have available. That doesn’t mean they’re automatically headed back into the second apron or ready to hand out another supermax, but the point is they’ll have the freedom to choose.
That kind of roster and cap management doesn’t grab headlines the way a blockbuster trade does, but it matters. This summer will be remembered for the Jaylen Brown trade, for better or worse, yet Boston also did a lot of smart business around the edges. That work has put the Celtics in a strong position for what comes next.
In Other News...
Former Celtics Champion Faces A Brutal New Fight For His NBA Future
JD Davisons path through the NBA has taken another sharp turn, one that leaves his next move very much up in the air. The former Celtics guard, who won a championship in Boston before continuing to try to carve out a place in the league, was waived by the Houston Rockets after they had picked up his option in June, leaving him as an unrestricted free agent.
Davisons challenge now is familiar but no easier: he has shown plenty in the G League, including an MVP season in 2025, yet that success has not translated into a steady NBA role. With his two-way eligibility exhausted, his options narrow quickly, and the next stop could be overseas or a return to the Maine Celtics on an affiliate deal if no standard NBA opportunity comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Derrick Whites New NBA 2K Ranking Will Spark Celtics Debate
NBA 2Ks latest reveal gives Derrick White another piece of evidence for the growing case that he belongs in the leagues elite defensive class. The upcoming NBA 2K27 game placed White second on its list of top perimeter defenders, giving the Celtics guard a 95 rating and slotting him just behind Pistons forward Ausar Thompson at 97.
For Boston, the ranking is the kind of thing that will stir debate in the usual way, especially with familiar names like OG Anunoby, Dyson Daniels, Amen Thompson and Cason Wallace also on the list. The graphic is only a snapshot, though, and 2K has said the rankings can change as the season unfolds, which leaves room for White to either defend the spot or climb even higher. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Still Have One Roster Decision That Could Matter More Than It Seems
The Celtics have checked off most of their offseason work, and the roster picture is mostly settled with 14 players in place and the team still below the luxury tax line. What remains is a small but potentially meaningful choice: one open two-way contract spot, the kind of move that can look minor in August and turn into a useful depth decision once the season begins.
The front office now gets a closer look at the finalists in training camp and preseason before making its call. Tucker DeVries and Milos Uzan are the names to watch for that last two-way slot, giving Boston a chance to see which player fits best before the decision comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]