The Boston Celtics will begin the 2025-26 season staring down one simple question: Is it still their time to run the Eastern Conference, or has that window slammed shut?
The team finds itself juggling immediate competitiveness with long-term stability, with Jayson Tatum recovering from a ruptured Achilles, a roster reshaped by key veteran departures, and a flurry of offseason moves. But despite uncertainty looming, the organization insists its championship window is far from closed.
Tatum’s injury, suffered in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last spring versus the New York Knicks, is the central storyline of the year for Boston. The 27-year-old superstar has returned to working out on the court again, staying optimistic about a potential return this season. In a message to fans on his YouTube channel, Tatum said, “It’s been a long journey, but I’m working my tail off to get back.”
Tatum has also stressed, however, that there is “no pressure” from the organization to rush back before he is fully healthy. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has echoed that approach, being physically present for key moments of his rehab and putting emphasis on Tatum’s commitment to patience and recovery.
Whether Tatum returns midseason or not, the Celtics will have to navigate much of the 2025-26 schedule without one of the NBA’s best players. That means there will be increased responsibilities for Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard, who will be tasked with carrying the offense and anchoring the team through this transition.
Boston also made several significant transactions this offseason, mainly to refresh the roster and bring younger athletes more capable of contributing longterm. Standout point guard Jrue Holiday was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for a younger guard in Anfernee Simons. Center Kristaps Porziņģis was traded to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a three-team deal, with the Hawks sending forward Georges Niang to Boston. Little was done in terms of free agency, but the Celtics signed center Luka Garza and forward Josh Minott on short-term contracts.
Along with losing key role players in Holiday and Porziņģis, the Celtics also lost veteran center Al Horford after he signed a multiyear contract with the Golden State Warriors. They also lost Luke Kornet, who signed with the San Antonio Spurs. All four of these players contributed to the Celtics’ championship run in 2024, so losing that winning culture and veteran presence could have a major impact on the success of the upcoming season.
These moves, however, do give Boston more to work with in terms of cap space, especially with dropping the contracts of Holiday and Porziņģis. The addition of youth within the team and guys on two-way contracts could give the Celtics avenues for some surprise contributors and potentially long-term upside.
Mazzulla has stressed that the Celtics will need a ton of resilience and internal focus this year. Speaking with NESN, he dismissed outside expectations as motivating factors.
“If I ever get to the point where I’m basing my motivation off the expectations of others… I’ll retire. Quit.” Mazzulla said to WEEI reporter Justin Turpin.
Mazzullae and the rest of the coaching staff will be challenged to integrate new players into their schemes and manage a lineup with their star player in Tatum.
The Celtics also have a new majority owner in Bill Chisholm. In his first press conference, Chisholm reiterated that the Celtics will not abandon their winning ways. He has promised the franchise will do “whatever it takes” to compete, while also adding that roster decisions will also consider long-term financial sustainability.
Without the presence of Tatum or the veterans who left the team, some guys are going to have to take a major step up in leadership this upcoming season, most notably Jaylen Brown.
Brown will be the primary offensive engine with Tatum in the lineup, and expectations are high. Brown is coming off a year where he averaged 22.2 points, 4.5 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game. It will be hard to match Tatum’s 26.8 points, 6 assists, and 8.7 rebounds per game in 2024, but Brown will need to elevate his play if the Celtics want to have any offensive success. Other players like newly acquired Anfernee Simons and rookies Hugo Gonzalez and Amari Williams will also have a big chance to contribute, especially with the departures of Holiday, Porziņģis, and Horford.
With all the moving parts to the Celtics’ operation this season, expectations are rightfully tempered. Many analysts believe that Boston, without Tatum, is just below the top tier of contenders in the Eastern Conference, with ESPN predicting they will be around the seventh or eighth seed in this year’s NBA playoffs.
The ceiling for this team remains respectable, however. If Brown, White, Simons, and perhaps one more of the younger signings, step up, Boston could contend for a high seed. The difference between a mid-round playoff exit and going deeper may hinge on Tatum’s return timeline and how quickly he is able to get back onto the court—if he is even able to.
Boston’s players know it will be tough to get going without Tatum, as Hauser said at this year’s Media Day: “Sometimes you learn by getting thrown in the fire.”
If the Celtics can survive the early storms of the season, show growth with the new additions of Simons and the rookies, and keep pushing until Tatum is ready to go, this 2025-26 team may emerge from this transitional season even stronger than before and set up another championship run.
The Celtics will tip off their season on Oct. 22 at 7:30 PM EST in TD Garden against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, hoping to start the year with a big win against an Eastern Conference rival.
