For the first time in a decade, the Boston Celtics’ season is over before Mother’s Day.
The Celtics’ first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers marked just the second time since 2016 that they haven’t advanced past Round 1. The other was in 2021 — Brad Stevens’ final year as head coach — when the first round was held in June due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
That means Stevens is entering his longest offseason since taking over as president of basketball operations in the summer of 2021. And he has plenty of work to do.
While the Celtics have just one player hitting unrestricted free agency (Nikola Vucevic), six players have team options for the 2026-27 season, including big man Neemias Queta and wing Jordan Walsh. Stevens also must decide whether to make drastic changes to the roster — is a Jaylen Brown trade in consideration? — or opt for more minor tweaks as the C’s eye a bounce-back campaign next fall.
When might these changes get made? Here are the key dates to know for the 2026 NBA offseason, and how they might impact the Celtics:
May 10: NBA Draft Lottery
The Celtics don’t own any picks in the lottery this year, but if they’re considering future trades with teams that do have lottery picks (the Milwaukee Bucks, perhaps?), it’s worth monitoring how the ping-pong balls bounce on Sunday.
June 11-20 (first day after NBA Finals): Teams can negotiate with their own free agents
It could be a busy offseason in Boston, but don’t expect any moves to happen right away.
While the Celtics technically can make trades now since their season is over, the eight teams still in the playoffs can’t make deals. So, the trade market usually stays quiet until after the NBA Finals, which begin June 3. (Game 4 is on June 10, so if one team sweeps, the offseason would unofficially start June 11.)
The day after the Finals is also when the C’s can begin negotiating with their free agents: unrestricted free agent Nikola Vucevic and restricted free agent John Tonje.
June 23-24: 2026 NBA Draft
The Celtics own just two picks in this year’s draft: No. 27 overall (first round) and No. 40 overall (second round). Round 1 of the draft is on June 23, while Round 2 is on June 24.
The last two first rounds have yielded Baylor Scheierman (30th pick in 2024) and Hugo Gonzalez (28th pick in 2025), so these two days shouldn’t be overlooked.
Another reason to follow draft week? Bucks co-owner Jimmy Haslam recently said he’d like his team to make a decision on trading or keeping Giannis Antetokounmpo before the draft, so we could see a blockbuster deal earlier in the week.
June 29: Deadline for player/team options and qualifying offers for restricted free agents
This is a sneaky big deadline for the Celtics, who have six players with team options for next season:
- Dalano Banton: $2.8 million
- Neemias Queta: $2.7 million
- Ron Harper Jr.: $2.5 million
- Jordan Walsh: $2.4 million
- Amari Williams: $2.2 million
- Max Shulga: $2.2 million
The Celtics are expected to pick up the team options of Queta and Walsh, per The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. The futures of the other players listed above may depend on any trades or draft picks that are made before this deadline.
John Tonje is the lone restricted free agent on Boston’s roster.
June 30 (6 p.m. ET): Teams can begin negotiating with free agents from other clubs
This date is the “unofficial” start to free agency. Unless Vucevic agrees to a new deal with the Celtics between the end of the Finals and now, he’ll hit free agency on June 30.
Chances are low that Boston makes a big splash in free agency, but Stevens does have the midlevel exception (worth roughly $15 million) at his disposal.
July 6 (12:01 p.m. ET): NBA free agency officially begins
The Celtics can make their signings official after 12 p.m. ET on July 6.
July 6: Derrick White extension deadline
White has two years remaining on his current deal, with salaries of $30.3 million in 2026-27 and $32.6 million in 2027-28. He signed an extension two summers ago, so another new deal seems unlikely this offseason.
July 9: NBA Summer League begins
If the Celtics draft a rookie or two, this will be our first opportunity to see them in action.
July 26: Jaylen Brown extension deadline
This is an important deadline to watch. Brown will become eligible for a two-year, $142 million contract extension when the new league year begins in early July.
Brown is a name to watch in trade rumors this summer, but the Celtics could squash those rumors by handing him this lucrative extension. If Brown doesn’t get an extension, he’ll make $57 million in 2026-27 and would be under contract through the 2028-29 season.
Oct. 1: Payton Pritchard extension deadline
Pritchard is on one of the NBA’s best contracts; the former Sixth Man of the Year is set to make just $7.8 million in 2026-27 and $8.3 million in 2027-28.
He’s a prime extension candidate, but whether he receives a new deal this offseason could depend on the moves Boston makes earlier in the offseason.
