The Boston Celtics are at the pinnacle of the basketball world after clinching their 18th NBA championship. The New England Patriots are on the opposite end of the spectrum, rebuilding with their glory days well behind them.
Still, the new Patriots regime can learn a thing or two -- or 10 -- from what the Celtics accomplished. On a new episode of the Next Pats Podcast, our Phil Perry shared 10 lessons New England can take away from the C's journey to Banner 18.
Here are the top three:
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1. High-end talent
"Of my 10 lessons that the Patriots can learn from these Celtics, the first three are going to be pertaining to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and number one is depth of high-end talent matters. Because as much as those two guys got the Celtics to where they ended up, they had maybe five of the best 40 players in basketball on that roster, absolutely loaded.
"So it's depth of high-end talent, not just depth, period. It can't just be depth of capable talent. Depth of high-end talent matters and is, I think, a transferable lesson from the NBA to the NFL."
2. Time to develop
"The Patriots can take away from these 2024 Celtics, allow your high-end talent time to develop. Don't see the flashes of potential, don't see the high end and then punt just because it's not happening on the timeline your fanbase hopes that it happens or the media hopes that it happens or because another star player who may be a little bit more ready to go becomes available.
"Allow that high-end talent time to develop. Be realistic with how long this is going to take, and I think you have to keep Drake Maye specifically in mind when it comes to this and whatever players you end up bringing in in next year's draft class."
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3. A stellar supporting cast
"Get your stars the people they need in order to be developed. For Tatum and Brown that was Joe Mazzulla. It was, in my opinion, Jrue Holiday. It was Derrick White. To be the best versions of themselves, they needed these kinds of guys. ...
"It's going to be up to Jerod Mayo, it's going to be up to Eliot Wolf. Maybe even goes as high as ownership. Analyze what you're seeing and make sure it's what they need, not what you need, not what makes you comfortable, but what gets the most out of them because without that, these players are never going to get to where they need to be and you as an organization are never going to end up where you want to be."
For all 10 of Perry's lessons that the Patriots can learn from the C's, listen to the full episode above or on YouTube.
Also in the episode:
- Interview with college football analyst Eric Froton
- How the Patriots can utilize Javon Baker.
- How Ja'Lynn Polk measures up to Javon Baker.
- Does running back Deshaun Fenwick have a shot to make the Patriots' roster?