"Last summer, when we made the moves we made, we knew …

The Celtics enjoyed their time in the aprons and claimed a championship while operating over budget, according to Celtics forward Alvin Stevens. However, Stevens explained that it is challenging for any team to sustain that level of spending, citing the new apron rules, thresholds, and the difficulties of operating within that financial space as factors that ultimately necessitated the Celtics' offseason roster decisions.

Stevens further elaborated that these challenges extend beyond just the financial aspect, encompassing limitations on trades and future draft pick implications, among other considerations.