Jaylen Brown

Celtics offseason dates: Timelines for Jaylen, Grant decisions

Here's when we can expect the Celtics to take action on key members of their core this offseason.

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Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics are getting right down to business by addressing key needs on their coaching staff. But the Celtics' roster decisions will have to wait until slightly later in the summer.

The C's are at home watching the 2023 NBA Finals after falling to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, and no player movement will happen until that Denver Nuggets-Heat series wraps up. Teams can hit the ground running shortly after the Finals, however, with the 2023 NBA Draft set for June 22 and some player option deadlines even coming before then.

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Here are the key offseason dates for Celtics fans to know, including when the team can officially offer Jaylen Brown a supermax contract extension, and when Grant Williams' fate for next season may be decided.

June 20: Danilo Gallinari player option deadline

Gallinari has until June 20 -- two days after a potential NBA Finals Game 7 -- to decide whether to pick up his $6.8 million player option for 2023-24 or decline it and become a free agent.

Considering he missed the entire 2022-23 season due to a torn ACL, it seems very likely Gallinari will take the $6.8 million and make his Celtics debut in the fall -- unless Stevens opts to trade the 34-year-old forward.

June 22: 2023 NBA Draft

The Celtics have just one pick in this year's draft -- No. 35 overall in the second round -- but that's actually the highest selection of the Stevens era after he traded away Boston's first-rounders in 2021 (for Al Horford), 2022 (for Derrick White) and 2023 (for Malcolm Brogdon).

While the No. 35 pick probably won't be a big name, he'll still likely be the most prominent rookie to come through Boston since Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard in 2020.

June 29: Grant Williams qualifying offer deadline

The Celtics almost certainly will give Williams his $8.5 million qualifying offer, which will allow Boston to match any contract he's offered in restricted free agency. This part of Williams' offseason is a formality, but the big question will come later in the summer, when teams can offer the 24-year-old a new contract that the Celtics may or may not decide to match to keep him in Boston.

June 29: Mike Muscala team option deadline

The Celtics can keep Muscala in the fold for next season by picking up his $3.5 million team option for 2023-24. He played 16.2 minutes per contest last season after joining the team in February and provides relatively affordable frontcourt depth, so we wouldn't be surprised if Boston keeps him at this number.

June 30, 6 p.m. ET: NBA free agency negotiation window opens

This is the unofficial start to the NBA's silly season, but it should be a relatively quiet day in Boston; the only Celtics non-two-way player set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason is Blake Griffin.

That said, expect the rumors to start flying across the rest of the league on this date -- with Brown's name bound to come up in trade speculation.

July 1, 12 a.m. ET: Teams can officially offer extensions to qualified players

Now the fun begins for Boston. The Celtics can officially offer Brown a five-year, $290 million supermax contract extension as soon as July 1. While some might balk at Brown making 35 percent of Boston's salary cap after his inconsistent performance in the Eastern Conference Finals, early signs are pointing to the Celtics offering Brown the supermax -- and Brown likely accepting.

Simply put, Brown can't earn a larger deal anywhere else, so even if he's unsure about his future in Boston long-term, it still makes sense for him to take the supermax now and potentially seek a trade in a year or two if things go sideways.

Oh, and in case you're wondering: Payton Pritchard is also eligible for a rookie-scale contract extension.

July 6, 12 p.m. ET: NBA free agency begins

The official start to the NBA's silly season! There's a good chance many free-agent signings and trades are agreed upon before this point, but they all won't be official until July 6 at Noon.

July 7-17: NBA Summer League in Las Vegas

This is the chance for the Celtics' recent second-round picks -- J.D. Davison, Juhann Begarin and the team's No. 35 pick in this year's draft -- to prove their worth. Oh, and generational talent and consensus No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama will make his unofficial NBA debut. Get your popcorn ready.

Oct. 3: NBA training camps begin

This is the unofficial end to the NBA offseason, as Boston's 2023-24 roster should be pretty much locked in by this point.

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