Mike Gorman: Celtics Have 'Two Different Windows' For Playoff Hopes
BOSTON (CBS) -- If you're a big fan of the Celtics as currently constituted, enjoy it while it's still together. Because the C's are going to get an offseason makeover.
CSNNE Celtics play-by-play man Mike Gorman addressed the Celtics' performance in the 2017 NBA Playoffs when he joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich on Wednesday. He believes the Celtics are "a year ahead of schedule" in their rebuild, as they have made the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavs surprisingly competitive in the last two games.
But with the Celtics holding the No. 1 overall pick in this summer's NBA Draft, the potential for a big-name free agent to come to town, and other good prospects coming through the pipeline, Gorman sees a new-look Celtics team taking the floor next season. When asked about whether the Celtics' playoff performance has changed his perception of their championship "window," he dispelled the notion that next season would even be the same window.
"Understand that the Celtics team that we see next year is going to look very different," said Gorman. "There's going to be 3-4 new players on his team, maybe two of whom play a lot. So I think this team really did a nice job, went a really long way ... but its going to be a very different team next year.
"So when you talk about the window, it's two different windows. One's in the living room, one's in the bedroom."
Whether the Celtics draft a player like Markelle Fultz No. 1 overall or trade the pick for an established player, that asset is almost certainly going to turn into an impactful addition to the Celtics who gets heavy minutes. The C's have also been heavily rumored to be interested in signing free agent-to-be Gordon Hayward in the offseason. There's also the potential of European prospects Ante Zizic and Guerschon Yabusele making the jump to the NBA next season.
Another big difference for the Celtics has happened in the past two games against the Cavs, as the team has looked quite different on offense without leading scorer Isaiah Thomas. Gorman explained why Isaiah's absence has led to such a different Celtics offense, which in Games 3-4 put more emphasis on ball movement and team basketball than running through the singular star talent.
"[Isaiah] commands so much attention offensively that he just creates better situations for other people just by being out there," said Gorman. "He's proved over and over again that if you leave him alone he's just going to score at will. So he just requires more attention from the defense which makes everybody else's life easier."
Listen to the full podcast below:
