If the Boston Celtics were to lose Luke Kornet and/or Xavier Tillman Sr. in the offseason to opportunistic franchises in free agency, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley believes the Cs can pursue Indiana Pacers big man Isaiah Jackson via trade; particularly because of Al Horford’s age and Kristaps Porzingis’s injury woes, which have returned in the 2024 playoffs.

“…depth at center should remain a focus, especially if free agency lures away one or both of Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman,” Buckley wrote. “If the Celtics have holes to fill up front, Isaiah Jackson could be a really intriguing target.

“A first-round pick in 2021, he hasn’t found a ton of minutes on some crowded frontcourts in Indiana, but when he gets the call, he provides an immediate jolt of shot-blocking and above-the-rim finishing. He could really shine on the back line of this defense and on the receiving end of lob passes from Boston’s many playmakers.”

Jackson has seen his shot attempts per game plummet in 2023-24, likely signaling that it’s time to move on from Indiana. The midseason acquisition of Pascal Siakam and the offseason addition of Obi Toppin shifted Jackson to the back of the bench. Competing with Jarace Walker and Jalen Smith, Jackson has become an afterthought for the Pacers.

In Boston, though, he’d have a chance to become a somewhat regular contributor in the event teams poach Kornet and Tillman.

Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman could be goners if Boston Celtics win it all

The most likely scenario that’d see the Celtics lose Kornet is Tillman is winning the championship at the conclusion of the 2024 postseason.

It’s a yearly occurrence: once teams win it all, teams around the Association tend to circle the waters like sharks to steal said championship contributors with the purpose of adding a player with a ring to their locker rooms.

Kornet, in particular, looks like a potential beneficiary of Porzingis missing time. The Vanderbilt product should have ample opportunities to prove his worth in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, especially if Boston faces off against the Cleveland Cavaliers and their oversized frontcourt.

Luke Kornet a higher priority to bring back for Boston Celtics than deadline addition

Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes sees Luke Kornet likely being a higher priority to retain for the Boston Celtics this offseason than trade deadline addition Xavier Tillman Sr. due to his physical profile and rim-protection at seven-foot-one.

“Kornet played about three more minutes per game than Tillman after the All-Star break and shot the ball much more efficiently (75.6 true shooting percentage to Tillman’s 57.9 percent),” Hughes prefaced before saying, “Though Tillman brings switchability on defense, Kornet’s size and shot-blocking could make him the higher priority.

“Neither is likely to get much more than the minimum, but Boston’s decision on which backup big (if any) to keep is the only free-agent question on the table.”

Hughes makes a key point here: neither is likely to get “much more than the minimum.” It’s possible a team can be swayed to give either, or both, a little bit extra to break up a potential championship roster this offseason.

Boston Celtics need to find ring-chasers to make any splash in free agency

Retaining Kornet and Tillman, made possible due to the Cs holding their bird rights, is easier for Boston’s front office than acquiring a free agent given the limitations the new CBA puts on tax-paying teams.

There will be no Nic Claxton pursuit, despite how good of a fit the Brooklyn Nets big man would be. Even Andre Drummond could end up being too pricey of an addition.

With that said, there are a number of ring-chasers the Celtics can be in the hunt for. Former Denver Nuggets champion center DeAndre Jordan is an option, as is ex-Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers ring-wearing big JaVale McGee.

The best option for Cs fans would be a Daniel Theis return, but he may be in the Claxton/Drummond boat.

That is, unless he wants to finish the story in Boston. Which would make for the ultimate feel-good basketball tale.

Boston Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla addresses Kristaps Porzingis’s timetable to return from injury

Joe Mazzulla appeared on 98.5′s Zolak and Bertrand show and addressed when Kristaps Porzingis can return to the Boston Celtics after suffering a injury to his soleus, a part of the calf muscle complex.

Mazzulla didn’t have a definitive timeline, but he did say that the Latvian big would be re-examined in a week.

“I don’t know the specifics of it, they used a lot of fancy words,” Mazzulla said (h/t MassLive). “But I do know it’ll be kind of a more reevaluated next week. We’ll see how he responds to the treatment and how much better he gets here in the first week. I think that’s kind of the goal is to just get crazy in the next week and see where we’re at from there.”

Mazzulla didn’t have a definitive timeline, but he did say that the Latvian big would be re-examined in a week.

Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes gave a nearly identical update ahead of the Celtics’ Eastern Conference Quarterfinals Game 5 matchup with the Miami Heat.

“The expectation or hope is he would make a return if the Celtics advance to the Eastern Conference Finals,” Haynes prefaced before saying, “The Celtics are very ecstatic and happy that this injury wasn’t any more severe. He will use his time to rest and rehab and then he will be re-evaluated at the six or seven-day mark to see how he is feeling and go from there.”

Boston Celtics turning to Luke Kornet to fill in void left by Kristaps Porzingis injury

In Game 5, it was Luke Kornet who picked up the backup minutes at the 5 after Al Horford slid into the starting lineup. Xavier Tillman wasn’t a matchup play for Mazzulla, and may not be in the Eastern Conference Semifinals either, despite him being tabbed a potential rotation fixture in Porzingis’s absence.

Kornet was the literal biggest part of the C’s “stay-ready” group all season, and now he must live up to that moniker; particularly if the Cleveland Cavaliers are Boston’s draw in the second round of the east playoffs.

Jaylen Brown sends self-deprecating message on Boston Celtics’ series win against Heat

Jaylen Brown was hard on himself even after scoring 25 points in a series close-out win for the Boston Celtics against the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals; calling himself out from his 2023 Eastern Conference Finals series against the Heat and saying he could’ve played better over the past five games.

“Obviously, last year, I probably had one of my worst series in the playoffs just in general and that has just carried on from there,” Brown said (h/t The Athletic’s Jared Weiss). “Facing them in the first round this year, I still feel like I could have played a lot better and a lot more relaxed. Maybe put a little bit more attention on myself than I needed to. But still came out and was able to find ways to be aggressive and help my team win. Mashallah is full circle. Now we’re just looking forward to the next.”

Brown admittedly had a poor shooting performance against the Heat, though it didn’t matter. Boston still had a +78 point differential against the formerly defending Eastern Conference champions. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, though, he’ll need to improve on a shaky 52/32/45 shooting slash with Kristaps Porzingis absent from the lineup.

Jaylen Brown doesn’t feel he needs to have increased role for Boston Celtics without Kristaps Porzingis

Brown doesn’t feel that he needs to overcompensate with an increased role in the Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Cleveland Cavaliers/Orlando Magic, instead emphasizing the need for the Celtics to play winning basketball as a team.

“No,” Brown said when asked if he and Jayson Tatum need to pick up more of the slack without Porzingis (h/t The Athletic’s Jay King). “I think we just have to continue to play our game like we’ve been doing our whole career and continuing to show our growth and trusting our teammates. I think if we’re going to win, we’re going to win as a team. And we’ve gotta be able to use everybody to their best strengths. So I think that’s what we’re more focused on is let the game come to you but do whatever it the game needs to get a win.”

Derrick White’s dominance (25 points) in Game 5, dominance that followed from an all-time night in Game 4, should help keep the Cs afloat in the next round if it continues. Sam Hauser continuing to be a knock-down shooter will also keep the offense humming without Porzingis’s spacing.

Brown and Tatum might not need to elevate their games, but doing so would ensure a more stress-free path to the Finals.

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Pacers big man a trade target if Boston Celtics lose Kornet and Xavier