Boston Celtics: Is Kevin Durant the only way to a title in 2023?

Is Kevin Durant the only way for the Boston Celtics to win an NBA title during the 2022-23 NBA season? 

Coming off a trip to the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics will likely head into next season as one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Even more so after their acquisition of Malcolm Brogdon. However, I’m not sure it’s that simple.

Add in the fact that they’ve been linked to Kevin Durant, and perhaps some in the front office may agree.

I’ve laid it all out before; there is a universe in which this Celtics core has already peaked. Jaylen Brown may have already hit his ceiling and Jayson Tatum is still just 24 years old, but there’s no guarantee that he ever becomes the next Kevin Durant. I’m not going to say that he’s already hit his ceiling, but those are unfair expectations to place on him.

The Milwaukee Bucks will be healthy next season. And they’ll be a load to handle in the postseason if they can remain healthy. The same can be said about the Philadelphia 76ers, who could still make another splash move before the start of the season.

The Miami Heat will likely take some sort of step back this season but they will likely still be difficult to deal with – and that’s under the assumption that they don’t make any move between now and the start of the season.

Even if the Heat adds a player like John Collins or Jae Crowder, they could be a dark horse contender in the East once again.

The Celtics would not be head and shoulders the best team in the East. You can argue that if it wasn’t for an injury to Khris Middleton, the Celtics don’t even make it out of the second round of the playoffs.

And perhaps if it wasn’t for a lingering injury to Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro, they don’t win in the Eastern Conference Finals.

But acquiring Kevin Durant would change all that. Even if Boston had to part ways with Brown, Marcus Smart, and a collection of picks. A core Derrick White, Brogdon, Tatum, Durant, and Robert Williams would be the favorite to win the East.

For as good as Giannis Antetokounmpo is, Boston’s top 2 would likely overwhelm them in a potential playoff series. That’s not the case right now. And that was very much evident in their seven-game series these past playoffs.

So, should the Celtics be all-in on Durant?

I’m not sure if all-in is the right phrase to use, but there’s no question that adding Durant would almost guarantee the Celtics (assuming health) a spot in the conference finals. I’m not sure if that’s the case right now.

Could the Celtics make another deep playoff run with their current roster? Yes. But there’s no question that adding Durant would solidify this team as a heavy favorite. Even if it comes at the expense of a couple of rotation players. This is the dream scenario that Danny Ainge always dreamed about but always shied away from.