The ball is in Jaylen Brown's hands this season.
The ball is in Jaylen Brown's hands this season.Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff
Celtics faithful have to take a realistic approach to the season after the departures of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday and the devastating Achilles’ rupture suffered by Jayson Tatum.
Yet president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has not only shaved off salary by making major trades, he added a group of young but unproven players ready for bigger roles. This should be a fascinating season in Boston because for the first time since early in Stevens’s coaching tenure, they are not among the upper echelon teams in the Eastern Conference.
It could be considered a transition year, as Tatum will spend most, if not all season, in rehabilitation while Jaylen Brown and Derrick White get the opportunity to prove they are primary options on a playoff-caliber team. And there remains questions, such as the status of guard Anfernee Simons, acquired in the Holiday trade, who has apparently been trade bait.
Simons is in the final year of his contract but could add scoring and perhaps even defense — with the urging of coach Joe Mazzulla — to the Celtics’ arsenal. One observer keeping close tabs on the progress of the new-look Celtics is radio analyst Cedric Maxwell, who believes the club could be exciting to watch without carrying the contender tag.
“Here’s the beauty about all that,” Maxwell told the Globe. “Joe Mazzulla’s not going to let them take a step back. Joe Mazzulla is going to use that as fuel to have these guys compete on a nightly basis. We’ve seen teams in the NBA, perhaps not as talented as other teams but at the end, because they played hard every single night, you get your opportunities to win.”
The onus and pressure is on Brown, entering the second year of a massive $304 million extension he signed in 2023. There have been nights during his career when he’s carried the Celtics, including the 2024 playoffs when he was MVP of the Eastern Conference finals and NBA Finals.
Opposing defenses will be primed to contain Brown or bait him into individual play. This could be the most important year of Brown’s career.
“I think this new role will help him grow immensely,” Maxwell said. “I think he’s capable of doing that and right now he’s going to be forced to do that. It isn’t a choice for him. By defection, he’s put into that position.”
Mazzulla also is under pressure. For the first three years of his head coaching career, he had championship-caliber rosters, resulting in one championship and one trip to the Eastern finals. But this time he fields a flawed roster. The Celtics will begin camp without a legitimate starting center. Who is going to play power forward? Will Simons or Payton Pritchard start?
Boston is officially a younger team, with just two players — White and Chris Boucher — over 28.
“To me, this is a great year for Joe, that’s what I look at,” Maxwell said. “I don’t look at anything else other that who Joe Mazzulla has been. He’s competitive. He’s fiery. And if somebody were to ask him if this is a rebuilding situation, you might have a fight on your hands because Joe Mazzulla is not going to take that.”
One of the final questions for this team could be answered in March or April, if Tatum is healthy enough to return. Three months after his injury, he’s already out of his boot and walking normally. The Celtics have been mum about his rehabilitation and progress and the club is not expected to place any pressure on Tatum for a 2025-26 return.
“I would let him lay because if you bring him back, you bring him back later in the year and what are you competing for?” Maxwell said. “Instead of being the seventh seed or sixth seed, you want to be the fifth seed?
“I want him to come back completely healthy, ready to play and ready for [the 2026-27] season. It’s a 12-month injury and 12 doesn’t equal out to this season. I hope he’s able to sit out, learn a lot more, get stronger and I think it makes you much hungrier as a player when you sit out for a while and you learn the game a lot more instead of being in the midst of it.”
Must-see TV
Key Celtics’ games to watch
The Celtics are playing 24 nationally televised games, a dip from last season, for obvious reasons.
Here are six under-the-radar Celtics games to watch this season and why:
OCT. 26 at DETROIT
It’s the Celtics’ third game of the season and first road trip. Two days after their road opener against the Knicks, the Celtics face the rising Pistons and it should be a great early test. Detroit is still young and essentially blew two big leads in their playoff series against the Knicks (sound familiar?) but they’re vying for a top-four seed with Cade Cunnington, Jalen Duren and a healthy Jaden Ivey.
NOV. 23 vs. ORLANDO
This will be the third time the Celtics play the Magic in a span of 16 games and the first at home. Orlando acquired Desmond Bane in the offseason and is a vogue pick to compete with the Cavaliers and Knicks for the No. 1 seed in the East. How will the Celtics fare against such a physical team completely healthy? The Magic had no answer for Jayson Tatum in last year’s playoff series but he won’t be in action this time.Another test against an Eastern contender.
DEC 26. at INDIANA
The Celtics were left out of the Christmas Day slate for the first time in 10 years but they play the day after against the Pacers, who are facing similar issues. Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles’ in the NBA Finals and Myles Turner signed with Milwaukee so this won’t be that simmering rivalry of the past, but it’s the first game of a five-game road trip that will take the Celtics out West to bring in the new year. The team’s first long road trip of the season.
FEB. 25 at DENVER
We should know a lot more about the Celtics. Tatum may actually have a target date to return. The club may have made some trades before the deadline. This is the final game of a four-game road trip to begin the post All-Star break against a team vying to return to prominence in the West. This will be one of the toughest games of the season.
MARCH 29 at CHARLOTTE
Why this game? It’s the beginning of a four-game road trip that includes Atlanta, Charlotte and Milwaukee, and the Celtics could be fighting for playoff seed. It will be the Celtics’ lone trip to Charlotte and the first of a back-to-back. This could be a crucial game as the Celtics seeks to avoid the play-in tournament.
APRIL 10 vs. NEW ORLEANS
It’s the second-to-last home game. The Pelicans are in a rebuild of sorts in acquiring Jordan Poole and with Dejounte Murray coming off an Achilles’ tear. They could be completely out of the Western Conference playoff race by this time, giving the Celtics a shot at an easy win before the season finale against Orlando.
Waiting for a call
Talented free agents still available
Free agency is essentially over for acquiring impactful players but there are a handful of quality players available, although they may come with baggage. The Bucks just signed former Clippers swingman Amir Coffey to a one-year deal andother clubs are lining up their training camp rosters with veteran invites.
Unfortunately, the new CBA has created a system in which the middle and especially the lower class gets squeezed out of the free agent market, left scrambling for veteran minimum deals. Remember a few years ago when Dennis Schröder landed in the Celtics’ lap because he was priced out of the market? There are still talented players who could help teams, including the Celtics:
Precious Achiuwa (previous team, Knicks)
Achiuwa was once a quality backup big man, but his playing time decreased last season and now he’s fighting for a contract. Achiuwa rebounds well for being undersized (6 feet, 9 inches, 234 pounds) and had his moments during his Toronto years. But when the Knicks really needed him to deliver in backing up Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, he struggled.
Precious Achiuwa has played five seasons in the NBA.
Precious Achiuwa has played five seasons in the NBA.Aaron Gash/Associated Press
Gary Payton II (Warriors)
A defensive ace with an improving shot, he entered free agency seeking a lucrative contract. Payton’s major detractor is health and he’s 32. But when he’s near 100 percent, he’s a nuisance on defense and can knock down corner 3-pointers. He seems like a cinch for a minimum contract because he’s considered a solid team player and won’t demand many offensive touches.
Malcolm Brogdon (Wizards)
He was Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 with the Celtics but his career has taken a major nosedive. He’s played 63 games in two years with the Trail Blazers and Wizards. Brogdon doesn’t have a great reputation as a locker room presence, but he’s always been a professional and showed the ability to play effectively for a playoff team just two years ago.
Ben Simmons (Clippers)
There were rumors the Celtics were interested in the former No. 1 overall pick and he did have his moments in his stint with the Clippers, but coming off that max deal he signed five years ago with the 76ers, Simmons is little more than a backup point guard with declining offensive skills. Some around the league question Simmons’s love for the game and desire to continue his career when the pay will be minimal. If he’s completely healthy and invested, Simmons could bring something to a playoff team because of his passing and rebounding skills.
Garrison Mathews (Hawks)
A sharpshooter with a mean streak, he has yet to find an NBA home and consistent minutes. He shot 39 percent from the 3-point line last season but the Hawks had so many moving parts, he couldn’t get a steady role. NBA teams are always seeking premium shooters, and Mathews could be a third guard and specialist.
Talen Horton-Tucker (Bulls)
Remember when he was a rising prospect and the Lakers would not part with him in a deal for Kyle Lowry? Ancient history as Horton-Tucker has descended into a husky bench player without much to offer besides scoring. He can score in bunches but he’s not gotten into premium shape. Probably a candidate for a training camp invitation.
Daniel Theis (Pelicans)
The former Celtic is still hanging around and could be a big option if Boston chooses to add more depth. As of now, Neemias Queta is likely the starter in the middle on opening night with Luka Garza pushing him for minutes. But the Celtics lack a third center, unless you include two-way big Amari Williams or the undersized Chris Boucher and Josh Minott. Theis plays physical and tough and is foul prone but gives teams quality minutes. While he has seen better days in the NBA, he could be a training camp invite or nonguaranteed option if he doesn’t return to Europe.
Alec Burks (Heat)
Burks is a quality scorer off the bench whom the Heat signed to get buckets. But nothing really worked out well and Burks is looking for work. Health always has been an issue for the former first-round pick but when he gets hot he can score in bunches. Burks really doesn’t do much else and plus-30 players aren’t really a premium in free agency. The best Burks might be able to do is a minimum deal or even take an overseas offer.
Mo Bamba (Clippers)
The former lottery pick has not gained traction as a rotational player and now he’s just a journeyman. He’s a third center at best for a contending team but he does have the ability to shoot the 3-pointer. There have been a couple of teams hoping that Bamba plays with the fire and prowess that encouraged Orlando to take him sixth overall in 2018 but that guy has not shown. There may be better center options to fill needed roles.
Layups
The Celtics weren’t the only team that was sold this past week as the Trail Blazers were purchased by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon for an estimated $4 billion. He plans to keep the team in Portland. The NBA does not want the Blazers to relocate but commissioner Adam Silver s wants the franchise to build a new arena to replace the Moda Center. Another team in North Carolina would not be preferred by the NBA, especially since the Charlotte Hornets have yet to flourish since moving back to North Carolina in 2005. The Hornets have made the playoffs just three times in that span and not since 2016. The NBA considers Portland a viable market that should thrive with a potential return of the Seattle Sonics in coming years as their rival …Brooklyn’s Cameron Thomas is a high scorer but has not proven he can help the Nets win, which is why he remains a restricted free agent. The Nets haven’t budged with their offer and Thomas was seeking in the $20 million range when free agency began. In Philadelphia, Quentin Grimes sparkled the final two months of the season after being acquired from the Mavericks but that wasn’t good enough to draw any offer sheets and he remains in limbo. The 76ers return Paul George, Joel Embiid and Jared McCain and drafted VJ Edgecombe fourth overall, so they’ll be stacked with scorers. And there continues to be a stalemate between the Warriors and forward Jonathan Kuminga that doesn’t seem to have a viable solution. Kuminga wants a multiyear deal but would gladly accept a trade for a more prominent role. The Warriors want Kuminga to accept a team option for the second season of the contract, which is the sticking point. That issue is holding up the signing of Al Horford, who is expected to agree to a two-year deal when the Warriors are financially ready. In Chicago, Josh Giddey remains on the market despite a strong first season with the Bulls. Chicago is reluctant to commit franchise-type money to Giddey, a former lottery pick who had off-court issues in Oklahoma City and was eventually benched during the Thunder’s 2024 playoff run.
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.