"We didn't get the chance to do that" - Kevin Garnett breaks down what Boston needs to do next to stay elite

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With a championship under their belt, Boston Celtics legend Kevin Garnett wants this current team to sustain its elite roster and culture. Unlike during his time, KG feels there are multiple ways to keep this core intact.

"… This is a rarity in sports because, with contracts of the guys lined up, this is more with the genius of Brad Stevens and upstairs. This is where the genius comes in because everybody is lined up to be together for the next five to six years, so now you have a chance to run it right. The copy of the [Golden State] Warriors script where they kept that group together for a long time, and they've gotten something out of it," Garnett said on the most recent episode of "Ticket and Truth."

First step: Don't break the team up

Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes of teams that win a championship is trying to improve the following years but at the expense of breaking their core. That happened to the 2011 Dallas Mavericks and 2020 Los Angeles Lakers, and it cost them the chance to go back-to-back.

Garnett believes that the C's have something special not just with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown but in terms of the role players, specifically Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, and their bench — all of whom played a big part in winning this championship.

Aside from keeping the core, "The Big Ticket" also feels that the organization needs to reward Joe Mazzulla, who is as important as the players that led the C's to the championship.

"Secondly, they've got to commit to the coach. They got to commit to Joe Mazzulla. I think he deserves a new contract. You can go ahead and give him the extension that he wants; I'm just throwing it out there," Garnett added.

The team's mentality

Speaking from experience, KG admitted that after his Celtics won the 2008 NBA championship, multiple players wanted more, not just in terms of their role but also salary-wise. Guys like Glenn Davis and Kendrick Perkins wanted to be in the spotlight more as well, and so did Rajon Rondo, who, in fairness, became an integral part of their squad. However, the downside is that it caused tension in the locker room, ultimately affecting the team's camaraderie.

That's why the one-time champion feels that now more than ever, it's vital for everyone on this Celtics roster to put their egos aside while prioritizing internal development and keeping the roster satisfied.

"It's also how humble your group comes back because what you see now, what I love about this group of Celtics, is that these guys seem to be even killed across the board, and I don't see no egos," KG added.

Currently, most of the Celtics core is locked up on long-term deals, but the question is whether or not they're satisfied with sacrificing for the team's overall success. It seems the C's are already on the right path, but only time will tell if Garnett's wishes of them doing what needs to be done to achieve sustainability eventually pan out.