Power Ranking Celtics' Roster Entering 2022-23 NBA Season
The Boston Celtics might have the NBA's most talented roster.
That's lofty praise, obviously, but it's a defensible take.
Once all of the puzzle pieces aligned midway through last season, the Shamrocks found their sprinting stride and didn't stop running until they were two wins shy of a world title. Then, they made a pair of impact acquisitions over the offseason by trading for Malcolm Brogdon and signing Danilo Gallinari, though the latter might already be out of the equation following a recent ACL tear.
Either way, this squad is stacked, so let's weigh the individual parts against each other with a good, old-fashioned power ranking of all 12 players on the roster—two-way contracts and camp invites not included—based on their ability, potential production and importance to this team.
The Bottom Tier
12. Luke Kornet
Kornet is a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option, but when needed he offers both paint protection and a pinch of floor spacing.
11. Sam Hauser
Hauser logged fewer than 200 minutes last season (his first in the league), but during his short run, he splashed an impressive 43.2 percent of his long-range looks.
10. Danilo Gallinari
As a 6'10" sharpshooter, Gallinari had a chance to carve out a sizable role with this club. Alas, it's possible his torn ACL will keep him shelved for the entire campaign.
9. Payton Pritchard
Pritchard has struggled to lock down a consistent, prominent role in the rotation, but his three-ball is pure (career 41.2 percent), and he doesn't make many mistakes.
The Middle Tier
8. Derrick White
White can be helpful when he's assertive and making shots from distance, but even when he isn't checking those boxes, he still contributes as a ball-mover and versatile defender.
7. Grant Williams
Williams leveled up last season by finding consistency from three (106 triples on 41.1 percent shooting), and he gave this frontcourt some flexibility on defense.
6. Al Horford
Horford's counting categories might be on the decline, but his impact remains impressively large for a 36-year-old. He has razor-sharp instincts at both ends, and he can contort his game to fit whatever the team needs.
5. Marcus Smart
Last season, Smart won the Defensive Player of the Year award and dished a career-high 5.9 assists per contest, so maybe this ranking is too low. Then again, that goes to show how deep this roster is. Plus, despite all of the strides he has made on the offensive end, he still isn't a major threat to opposing defenses.
The Top Tier
4. Malcolm Brogdon
Brogdon needs to stay healthy to justify this ranking, and based on his recent history, that might be an uphill battle. If he can get out on the hardwood, though, he could be the perfect third option for this offense and another shape-shifting stopper on defense.
3. Robert Williams III
Williams' numbers may not always leap off the page, but he has played a massive role in Boston's recent success, and it feels like the 24-year-old is just getting started. He'll enter the 2022-23 campaign with a non-zero chance of making his All-Star debut and keeping the Defensive Player of the Year award in New England.
2. Jaylen Brown
You can nitpick Brown's handles and distributing, but that's about it. Otherwise, he's the type of two-way wing every modern NBA team wants. Getting this kind of production from a second option—23.6 points on 47.3/35.8/75.8 shooting and 3.5 assists per game—is enormous.
1. Jayson Tatum
Tatum has already cracked the Association's superstar tier, and chances are the 24-year-old hasn't even approached his peak yet. He garnered his first-ever All-NBA first-team selection last season, and he'll have a shot of keeping that spot for the better part of the next decade.