Brad Stevens, Celtics Must Tackle Salary Cap, Luxury Tax in Offseason

May 12, 2025 By Nick Anderson No Comments 4 minutes

Having romped through the regular season with an impressive 61-21 record, Brad Stevens’ Boston Celtics side then easily overcame the Orlando Magic to book a spot in the Conference semifinals and are edging closer to securing back-to-back NBA titles, but the team’s owners will be acutely aware of the increasing costs of their talented roster.

Note: Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics enter a pivotal offseason, facing tough decisions around the salary cap and looming luxury tax penalties. For fans tracking every move securely and without restrictions, FastestVPN offers a reliable way to stay connected to all the latest updates, anytime, anywhere.

Celtics Eye Back-to-Back Titles Amid High Expectations and Rising Costs

Last season, the Celtics ended a 16-year barren run to win the franchise’s 18th NBA title, and in 2024/25, Stevens saw this side continue their fine run of form, and they are well placed to go all the way. For many, Boston is the favorite to win the NBA Championship, and if they were to do so, they would become the first team since 2018 to complete back-to-back successes, albeit this comes at a cost. 

Boston Celtics fans, and many who want to bet on the TD Garden team to go all the way, would do well to take advantage of all the key info, insights, and promotions available via SportsLine betting. Doing so would greatly aid your chances of securing a significant payout, so what are you waiting for? 

In March, Bill Chisholm, along with his Boston Basketball Partners group, bought the Boston Celtics for an astonishing $6.1 billion, and in doing so, they inherited a payroll that is only going upwards. 

While the pursuit of NBA excellence is always going to come at a price, the amount that the Celtics need to lay out for player salaries is quite eye-watering. Some put that amount at $230 million, with another $270 million being owed in tax penalties. This has led many to assume that one or more of their top talents will have to be sacrificed, though this is perhaps a conversation they will wait to have once the postseason comes to its conclusion. 

Stevens’ starting five of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porziņģis will be due a combined $198 million between them next year, more than $40 million over their projected salary cap, and it doesn’t take a mathematician to work out what will happen next.  The sales that could occur will have ramifications on the whole league, and ESPN reporter Shams Charania claims that trade options are imminent.  

“Sources have been telling me for weeks now that the Celtics will be exploring trade options in the offseason. This team, this iteration, is just not going to be sustainable for this team. No one around the organization, from players to staffers, would be surprised if there are changes coming to this roster, because when you think about the new collective bargaining agreement, there’s restrictions that come with trades, restrictions that come with the freezing of draft picks. That’s all stuff that they’re dealing with right now.” 

There is a consensus among NBA pundits that of the five mentioned, Jrue Holiday, at 34 years of age, is the most likely to be on his way out, and the likelihood of Tatum or Brown leaving is next to nil. Meanwhile, persistent injury concerns over Porziņģis make him a less sought-after commodity.  

Final Words!

All in all, once the 2024/25 campaign is done and dusted, there will be changes, regardless of what Brad Stevens manages to achieve, and Celtics fans may have to get used to a new set-up going forward. 

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