The Boston Celtics usually enter the season with championship expectations, but next season shows a different reality.
Several factors have changed the Boston Celtics’ competitive outlook for the 2025-26 campaign.
Jason Tatum’s ACL injury represents a major concern. The absence of a superstar removes the Celtics’ most dynamic offensive weapons and primary playmakers.
The main departures of starters Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday have significantly weakened the roster depth.
These losses create a considerable hole that the organization cannot easily fill with the remaining free agency options.
NBA insider Tim Bontemps believes these situations put Boston in an extraordinary position compared to recent seasons when he was consistently competing for titles.
Analysts highlighted how the Celtics maintain quality at the top of the roster while still lacking sufficient depth throughout the rotation.
Jaylen Brown and Derrick White offer All-Star caliber production, but the support piece has been significantly reduced.
“The Celtics are clearly in a strange place because they still have some really good players, and they have a pretty huge hole in their roster,” explained Bontemps.
The location of the center exemplifies the issue of Boston’s depth after Porzingis’ departure. The current frontcourt rotation does not have previous seasonal experiences and production.
“So their centre rotations are Xaviertillmann, Luka Garza and Nimeas Queta, which falls a bit from Christaps Porzingis and Al Horford and Luke Cornett.
Bontemps highlighted how thin the roster would be if brown or white were injured. The Celtics lack sufficient firepower beyond the rest of the star players to stay competitive.
“They’re one of the injuries to Jalen Brown or Derrick White and don’t have much firepower in the courts. And they have a lot of young players who think they’ll play a lot of minutes. I’m not going to see Jason Tatum this year,” he added.
Unproven reliance on younger players creates additional uncertainty regarding consistent production. Their development timeline may not match the need for teams to contribute immediately.
Without the aggressive creation of Tatum, the brown and white burden would be significantly increased. Your ability to stay healthy is important to any playoff aspirations.
The proximity to Boston’s second luxury tax apron also limits its ability to add meaningful talent. Important signatures like Ben Simmons push them up above the second apron, creating additional financial punishment.
Organizations seem willing to accept a year of reconstruction rather than committing additional resources to patch the roster hole. This approach allows you to reset financially while waiting for Tatum to return.
“I certainly could have seen it as a suspension version of the entire franchise. I think they’re probably trying to save more money. Now, they’re just in their second apron right now.”
Bontemps projects the Celtics as potential play-in participants rather than as legitimate candidates. Their ceilings rely heavily on brown and white health and production throughout the season.
“Jaylen Brown and Derrick White can play 80 games and are great, and they could win 45 or 46 games, but I think they’re likely injured,” he predicted.
This transitional season allows the Celtics to position themselves for Tatum’s final return while appreciating their young talent.