What is the Boston Celtics’ biggest offseason concern?

According to a new article by Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes, it will be reserve forward Grant Williams’ restricted free agency. And the reason it will be so important is how it plays into the new “second apron” created in the new collective bargaining agreement to push contending teams like Boston to break up their core faster.

“The … Celtics will be perilously close the the second apron if … Williams’ next contract starts at the level of his $12.9 million cap hold,” writes Hughes, “and that’s assuming they renounce their rights to Blake Griffin and then trim Mike Muscala ($3.5 million team option), Luke Kornet ($2.4 million non-guaranteed) and Justin Champagnie ($1.9 million non-guaranteed) from the payroll.”

“At 24 and boasting a skill package that comes pretty close to being plug-and-play, Williams is a good bet to command more than $12.9 million on the market,” writes the B/R analyst.

It’s no coincidence this team has the most retired jersey numbers with 17 banners hanging alongside them. https://t.co/kL6y4aLHDf

— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) May 13, 2023

Is that enough to give Boston second thoughts about keeping Williams with the team?

Perhaps, but with details still fuzzy about the implementation of the new CBA and the former Tennessee standout’s importance to the club’s frontcourt depth, we think it more likely than not Williams returns.

For us, the matter of Jaylen Brown’s potential supermax extension takes the cake, but perhaps it’s simply assumed both sides have a vested interest in getting that deal done, at least for now.

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