The Celtics took steps to get younger in the frontcourt by sending Silas to the Denver Nuggets in a three-way trade that ended up bringing Detroit Pistons forward Curtis Rowe.
The Celtics also traded a first-round draft pick to the Portland Trail Blazers for Sidney Wicks.
Wicks and Rowe would provide athleticism, the Celtics felt, and, more importantly, allow Havlicek to return to a sixth-man role and not log as many minutes as in the past.
Boston only won 44 games, the fewest since coach Tom Heinsohn's second season, and lost to their rivals Philadelphia, the league's eventual runners-up, in a seven-game series.
Charlie Scott suffered a broken foot and only played 31 games, which meant Havlicek had to log more minutes, primarily at off-guard.