Projecting Celtics' Depth Chart, Rotation After 2022 NBA Free Agency

Fresh off of their first NBA Finals trip in more than a decade, the Boston Celtics are going for it.

They've already made upgrades to a roster that finished just two wins shy of a world title, and further splashes could be in the works.

While the trade market delivered Malcolm Brogdon and free agency provided Danilo Gallinari, the Shamrocks might be aiming even higher. They didn't simply enter the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, they dangled All-Star swingman Jaylen Brown (and more) as trade bait, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.

Now, there's no telling if a Durant deal will actually happen (with Boston, or anyone else for that matter), so for now, we'll operate under the assumption the roster will remain as is.

Let's break it down by laying out the projected depth chart and rotation, and then look at some reasonable expectations for this club.

In theory, head coach Ime Udoka could experiment with changes to the starting lineup now that the roster is even deeper than last season.

But why try to fix something that clearly isn't broken? Look for Boston to run it back with the same opening group that's now supported by a stronger second unit.

PG: Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Payton Pritchard

SG: Jaylen Brown, Derrick White

SF: Jayson Tatum, Sam Hauser

PF: Al Horford, Danilo Gallinari, Grant Williams

C: Robert Williams III, Luke Kornet

Remember, position labels are fluid in the modern NBA, so depth chart places don't necessarily signify the size of roles. For instance, Pritchard and Grant Williams will get more run than Kornet and possibly Hauser, though Boston needs wing shooting, so he could carve out a bigger role than some might expect.

It's always interesting to identify potential training camp battles, and despite the Celtics returning a big chunk of last season's roster, there could be a handful of them.

That could start with the opening group, though a change there seems more likely to come during the season if the team can't get rolling. Should Udoka want a change, he might favor Brogdon's scoring punch over Smart's defense, or maybe a 36-year-old Horford gives way to a shot-maker like Gallinari or Grant Williams.

Speaking of Williams, his minutes rank among the least likely to predict. Pritchard, White and Hauser are probably in the same group. All will play, but performance will dictate how much.

Williams and White had some really good moments in the postseason. Pritchard and Hauser can heat up in a hurry. Their collective floor time may not change a lot, but individually, their minutes could be dependent on matchup and need.

The Celtics are a decade-and-a-half removed from their last title run. They have the pieces needed to end that drought.

Now, it's debatable whether Boston should be considered the championship favorite or even the Eastern Conference's team to beat, but this group clearly features prominently in both discussions. The Celtics have been to the conference finals four of the past six years. Their championship credentials are legit.

However, they're still trying to figure out how to get over the hump, which is why they added Brogdon and Gallinari and have surfaced as Durant suitors. It seems like they have enough to win it all, but you can never be certain until it happens.

Either way, this team cracks the short list of realistic championship hopefuls, and any ending to the 2022-23 season that doesn't include a parade would be a disappointment.