Impending free agents

AL HORFORD

Contract status: unrestricted free agent

After consistently saying he planned to return for a 19th NBA season this fall, Horford changed his tune after the season, saying he needed to take time before deciding on his next move. Whether he’s mulling retirement or considering playing elsewhere was not clear from his comments. Horford also declined to say whether Tatum’s injury, which lowers the Celtics’ 2025-26 ceiling considerably, was contributing to his uncertainty.

There are potential financial complications at play here, as Horford, who remained effective in his role as the Celtics’ de facto sixth starter, likely would need to accept less than the $9.5 million he earned this season to stay in Boston. Multiple teammates called him an irreplaceable figure in Boston’s locker room, with Payton Pritchard saying: “We definitely need him back.”

LUKE KORNET

Kornet reportedly turned down other offers last offseason to re-sign with the Celtics for the veteran minimum. Convincing him to do so again would be a major win for Boston. But is that realistic? Kornet should have a much stronger market this summer after delivering the best season of his career, headlined by a tremendous seven-block performance in Game 5 against the Knicks.

The Celtics do own Kornet’s Bird rights, which allow them to increase his salary without salary cap restrictions. This could be the journeyman center’s best opportunity to cash in, however, after playing most of his career on two-way or minimum contracts. Kornet sidestepped a question about his plan for free agency after Boston’s playoff exit, saying he’d “figure out stuff when it comes to it.”

(Reserve wing Torrey Craig and two way players Drew Peterson and Miles Norris also are impending free agents. JD Davison has a team option for 2025- 26, and Jordan Walsh’s contract is not fully guaranteed.)

The high-value assets

DERRICK WHITE

Contract status: signed through 2027-28; player option for 2028- 29

2025-26 salary: $28.1 million

Between his production, his twoway versatility and his manageable contract, White might be the Celtics’ most valuable trade chip. But those same factors also make him a player worth building around, even though he’s getting up there in age. White set the single-season franchise record for made threes this year while also leading all NBA guards in blocked shots.

PAYTON PRITCHARD

2025-26 salary: $7.2 million

There undoubtedly will be teams interested in Pritchard after his superb Sixth Man of the Year campaign, during which he led all bench players in points and plus/minus while establishing himself as one of the NBA’s most prolific 3-point shooters. The Celtics, though, will have little incentive to move him. The contract extension he signed in 2023 is one of the league’s biggest bargains, and Boston badly needs young, cheap, productive players to complement its high-priced stars.

JAYLEN BROWN

 2025-26 salary: $49.2 million

The most fascinating storyline of this Celtics offseason centers around Brown. Will Boston move forward with the 2024 NBA Finals MVP as their new temporary centerpiece, relying on Brown to steer the ship until Tatum returns and reunites the team’s $600- plus million duo? Or will it prioritize maximum financial relief by trading Brown for a haul, accepting a step back in competitiveness next season and targeting a return to contention with a healthy Tatum in 2026-27?