Mar 20, 2022; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Celtics guard Nik Stauskas (13) warms up before the game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
The Celtics don’t have any big-name free agents but there will almost certainly be some changes to their roster after a disappointing NBA Finals loss. These three guys might not be back.
Despite their NBA Finals loss, the Celtics have every reason to feel optimistic about next season. All of their core pieces are still under contract and some of their most important players — Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Grant Williams, Robert Williams are still young enough that significant development could be ahead.
However, the team will certainly be looking to make some upgrades this offseason and that could mean emptying some roster spots. Here are a few players we saw in a Celtics uniform this season that probably won’t be back.
3. The Nik Stauskas revival is probably over
Nik Stauskas making an appearance was a moment of pure joy this season. “Sauce Castillo” as he was known early in his career hadn’t played in an NBA game since the 2018-19 season. But he caught on first with the Miami Heat on a 10-day contract and then with the Boston Celtics, appearing in six games for a grand total of 15 minutes. The 28-year-old wing was the No. 8 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft and began his career with the Sacramento Kings, bouncing around to four other teams before eventually going overseas.
Stauskas is under contract for next season as well, at just over $2 million but that contract is nonguaranteed and wouldn’t be surprising to see the Celtics either use him as salary filler in a trade or simply waive him to clear the roster spot for someone else. It was fun while it lasted but we’ve probably seen Stauskas in a Celtics’ uniform for the last time.