When the Celtics take the court for the 2025-26 NBA season, plenty of fans are going to see new faces. That’s the natural cycle of the league as the C’s went through massive changes this offseason to slim payroll.
Yes, there are some familiar names like Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. Of course, Jayson Tatum is also sidelined indefinitely with his Achilles injury as it remains to be seen if he’ll even play this upcoming season. But otherwise, compared to the past couple years, the C’s look significantly different.
That brings up a question that’s already been debated this summer by fans: Who’s going to start for the Celtics? No longer are the C’s overflowing with talent like the past two seasons where they arguably had the best roster in the league. Here’s a look at the starting lineup discussion:
Guards (3): Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons
Forwards (7): Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh (non-guaranteed), Josh Minott, Hugo Gonzalez, Jayson Tatum (injured)
Bigs (4): Neemias Queta, Chris Boucher, Xavier Tillman, Luka Garza
Two-ways (3): RJ Luis Jr., Max Shulga, Amari Williams
The obvious names
Brown and White are just about guaranteed to be in the starting lineup considering their pedigree and play over the past several seasons. The storylines here are obvious during what should be an interesting year for the C’s.
Brown gets to be the top option with Tatum out for at least the majority of the season. The supporting cast isn’t as robust, but still, it’s a unique challenge for an All-Star like Brown at this point in his career. Brown had a stellar 2023-24 campaign where he was named the Finals MVP. But he was seemingly never fully healthy last season as he needed to get offseason knee surgery following the playoffs. So, Brown, who’s 28 and in the middle of his prime, gets a chance to showcase what he can do as the top guy.
White is one of the elite glue guys in the league as he broke the Celtics’ single-season 3-point record last season. The green light will be on for White throughout next season just as it’s already been. White has already endeared himself to the fan base with his play. He’ll likely have more responsibilities considering the state of the roster, so if he starts off hot, there’s a plausible scenario where he pushes for an All-Star bid.
The guard duo
Ever since the Celtics acquired Simons from the Trail Blazers, the guard has consistently been in trade rumors. That’s no surprise as he’s on an expiring $27.7 million contract. So for a team that’s looking to shed payroll, and with Simons not necessarily fitting long-term, the rumors make sense.
But Simons is a Celtic for now. If the C’s do open camp with him, where he fits alongside Pritchard is a big point. It’s unlikely the Celtics have an answer to that at this point since the team hasn’t even practiced together yet. While both guys are talented, it’s more about the fit. Pritchard is coming off a career-best season as the Sixth Man of the Year while Simons is a proven NBA scorer. But as smaller guards, they fulfill the same skillset.
Who will step up?
Tatum played the fifth-most total minutes in the NBA last season, so that’s a lot of playing time that’s available. The Celtics have armed themselves with plenty of options when it comes to wings, but who emerges is another question mark. Hauser feels like the favorite for a starter role considering his shooting and time with the team. He also fits well considering he isn’t a ball-dominant player and is one of the best shooters in the league.
Beyond Hauser, there’s a glut of guys who are eager to push for playing time. Some mix of Scheierman, Walsh, Minott and first-round pick Gonzalez will be in the mix for a rotation spot. Three of those guys are recent Celtics draft picks, though expectations will be lower for Gonzalez, who’s still 19 entering his first NBA season. So it’ll fall on one of the older three to make an impact on the main club.
Who will step up? Part II but also bigs version
Celtics fans should be no strangers to the big man situation. No longer do the Celtics employ their top-3 bigs in Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and likely Al Horford. The C’s did add new names in Boucher and Garza through free agency, joining Queta and Tillman. At this point, Queta has been projected as a potential starter since he’s shown flashes. But Boucher and Garza should also be in the conversation. Tillman’s knee slowed him down last season, so how he looks coming out of training camp is another factor. If Tillman looks like the guy who made an impact in the NBA Finals, that’ll be at least a positive development.
In conclusion, to take a guess at the starting lineup, it could look like a mix of: Pritchard, White, Brown, Hauser, Queta. But it’s unlikely that none of the newcomers are part of the starting group, and realistically, the lineup will change over the course of an 82-game season. But it’s fun to speculate at this point in the offseason with training camp still roughly a month away.
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