"The details of the NBA's new collective bargaining deal have yet to be ratified, and some issues still remain. But what is at least known is there will be more restrictions on the higher-spending teams.

That means the Celtics will have to thread a marketplace needle as they try to fashion a workable roster around their Big Four.

While things won't be as tight as the NBA was proposing as recently as last week, there is still a great unknown in the Celts competing with other teams for the same free agents. Even if their offer is better than or equal to that of another club, president Danny Ainge may still not get his man."