According to the Cleveland Cavaliers, point guard Darius Garland just [underwent successful surgery](https://x.com/cavs/status/1932115818092904570) to repair a great toe injury and will be sidelined for 4-5 months. With that in mind, it’s never been more clear that the Boston Celtics should avoid tanking, as they still have a chance to be competitive next season.
The Eastern Conference is already weak, and with the news that Garland will miss a chunk of time to start next season, it just got even weaker. Outside of the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, the entire conference is a question mark, and even those teams could make some changes.
Boston should avoid tanking at all costs.
**What’s the Celtics’ ceiling without Jayson Tatum?**
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Jayson Tatum [tore his Achilles](https://hardwoodhoudini.com/jayson-tatum-dominique-wilkins-celtics-reality-check-achilles-tear) in Game 4 of the second round of the playoffs, and after a successful surgery of his own, he’s slated to miss all or most of next season.
Combine that with the Celtics’ battle against the second apron, and they seem destined to make major changes this summer. But how major should those changes be?
If they keep hold of Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard, how far could they go in the East? What if they retain Al Horford and Luke Kornet, too? What if they add solid pieces in trades that involve Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis?
Adding the right players around Brown, White, and Pritchard could put the Celtics in a perfectly fine position to compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. And as the Pacers have proven this season, once the postseason begins, anything goes.
Now, the Cavs are going to be missing a key player for a portion of the season, meaning their year could get thrown a bit out of wack, too.
**Can the Celtics tank?**
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Not only that but tanking in the East would be hard, anyway. There are too many bad teams. With Brown, White, and Pritchard on the roster, there will still likely be a bunch of teams in the East who would be worse than Boston, even if they don’t directly try to avoid tanking.
Squads like the Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, and, depending on the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, Milwaukee Bucks may all be worse than the Celtics.
Tanking was never a smart decision for the Celtics next season and the Garland injury solidifies that. Although they will be missing their best player, the Celtics should still try to be competitive next year.