😱 CELTICS’ FRONTCOURT SHOCKER AS HORFORD AND KORNET EXIT — CHRIS BOUCHER JOINS IN BOLD PLAYOFF GAMBLE BY BRAD STEVENS! Boston shakes up its interior — losing both Horford and Kornet, Celtics bet big on Chris Boucher to keep their Banner 18 dream alive. Full details 👇👇

eltics Frontcourt Shocker: Horford & Kornet Exit, Boucher Joins

In a dramatic offseason realignment, the Boston Celtics have bid farewell to two familiar pillars of their frontcourt rotation: Al Horford and Luke Kornet.

• Al Horford, a veteran and locker-room stalwart, remains unsigned and is widely expected to head to the Golden State Warriors, signaling the likely end of his Celtics tenure. Boston appears to have moved on, effectively relinquishing any claim to bringing him back .
• Luke Kornet has already found a new home, signing a four-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs . His exit marks the loss of a fan favorite who delivered a memorable Game 5 performance against the Knicks in the 2025 playoffs (10 points, 7 blocks, 7 rebounds) .

These departures reflect more than just personnel changes—they are part of a larger, strategic mortgage on the Celtics’ cap space. The team is aggressively shedding salary to navigate around the NBA’s punitive second luxury-tax apron .

Enter Chris Boucher. Boston has signed the former Raptors big — a two-time NBA champion — to a one-year, $3.3 million deal . Known for his energy, rim protection, and floor-spacing, Boucher brings new life to the frontcourt, filling the void from Kornet and Horford. As a versatile option who can play both power forward and center, he’s expected to play a meaningful role in Boston’s rotation .

Not all analysts are convinced. A rival GM noted, “He’s always been someone we liked, but as a bench guy… now, that roster is out of whack” . Still, Boucher’s arrival gives the Celtics a legitimate NBA-ready big man—something they sorely lacked.

What It Means

• The Celtics are signaling a gap year—a season of reset over rebuilding, aiming to remain competitive while managing the cap efficiently .
• With Jayson Tatum recovering from injury, depth and flexibility are paramount. Boucher’s presence provides exactly that, offering both a floor-spacing stretch and physicality inside .
• However, this is also a gamble. The loss of experience and defensive stability in Horford and Kornet puts pressure on the less-proven options like Boucher, Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, and RJ Luis Jr. to step up quickly .

In short: Brad Stevens—Boston’s President of Basketball Operations—has executed a bold, financial-first restructure that hopes to balance competitiveness with fiscal prudence. The next season will be a compelling test to see if Boucher and the revamped frontcourt can deliver.

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Let me know if you’d like deeper analysis on Boucher’s fit, projected rotation, or how this stack up against rivals.