The Boston Celtics, suffice to say, are unlikely to compete for an NBA championship for the upcoming campaign. Their roster experienced so much turnover this past offseason, losing four valuable contributors to their title-winning squad in Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet, and Jayson Tatum, at best, will miss most of the season.
As much of a powerhouse as the Celtics have been these past few seasons, they simply won't have enough for next season, although there are quite a few breakout candidates on the roster. Payton Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, will be assuming a larger role, while Derrick White might be in for his first All-Star appearance if he manages to step into a larger-usage role with ease.
Jaylen Brown will now experience being the first option for the first time in his career after taking a backseat to the likes of Tatum and Kyrie Irving through the years. Whether or not he'll display enough playmaking and ballhandling prowess to meet the responsibilities he'll be having on his shoulders is another question.
This season may not end up being the most successful for the Celtics, what with their high standards and all. But this is shaping up to be one of their most interesting seasons yet.
With that said, here are a few bold predictions for the Celtics for the 2025-26 NBA season.
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)*
Payton Pritchard averages over 24 points per game
Just to put in perspective how bold this prediction actually is, only 16 qualified players last year averaged over 24 points in the NBA. Even some of the league's big-time scorers, such as Tyler Herro and James Harden, failed to cross that mark. In fact, even Brown scored fewer than 24 points per game last year, clocking in at 22.2 points per game.
This makes it rather unlikely for Pritchard to average over 24 points per game, even though there are plenty of shots to go around following the departures of four rotation players as well as amid Tatum's injury. Without those five, around 54 shots are about to spread across the entire roster — with a bulk of those shots about to go to Pritchard, White, Brown, and Anfernee Simons.
Nonetheless, Pritchard has shown the ability to get points in bunches, and with the high-usage void left by Tatum's departure, the Celtics' lead guard is about to cook.
Now, it's worth mentioning that Pritchard only averaged 14.3 points per game last year. That number increased to 19.0 in nine games without Tatum last year and 21.7 in three games as a starter last year. Getting to 24 on a nightly basis will be difficult for someone who's never had an opportunity to do so in the past.
But this is uncharted territory for Pritchard, and given the dearth of offensive options on the roster, Pritchard will have all the opportunity in the world to put up numbers. Even the arrival of Simons shouldn't do much to take away from Pritchard's usage, as the guard they acquired in exchange for Holiday shouldn't command too big of a role especially when he's about to come off the bench. Simons is also in the final year of his contract and the Celtics aren't quite invested in the 26-year-old guard anyway.
Still, this is not called a bold prediction for nothing. Pritchard may average over 20 points per game next season, which will already be a huge win in and of itself, but getting to 24 will require the threading of multiple needles.
Neemias Queta averages a double-double next season
The Celtics lost three of their best center options in one offseason, and their center rotation is now in dire straits. The mere idea that Chris Boucher is about to play a prominent role for their frontcourt speaks volumes about how thin their center depth is.
Even Luka Garza could have a huge role for the Celtics, and he barely got any run for the Minnesota Timberwolves last year seeing as he struggled to defend in space, rendering his scoring ability a bit pointless.
But the Celtics brass trusts Neemias Queta, and it's telling that they did not address their center situation more urgently. They do believe in the 26-year-old center's ability to break out in a bigger role, and all the signs are pointing towards him being a major piece for Boston next season.
Queta did start six games last year, and he did average 9.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game during those starts. The rebounding number, in particular, could be a concern. But who else on this Celtics team is getting rebounds anyway? Four of their top five rebounders last year (Tatum, Porzingis, Horford, and Kornet) won't be around to start next year.
At 7'0″, Queta is far and away the best rebounder on the team at the moment. And that should translate to some consistent production on the court, setting him up to average a double-double for the season.
Celtics make it to Round 2 as Jayson Tatum returns for the playoffs
Speaking of bold predictions, projecting the Celtics to make it to the second round is certainly out there. The Eastern Conference has a tendency to be weak, but this Boston squad is so far off in quality from their teams in years past that getting into the postseason might end up being difficult to begin with.
Nevertheless, there are signs for the Celtics to hold on to. Tatum is on the fast track to returning to the hardwood, and there is a chance he returns for the Celtics towards the end of this season.
Once Tatum, the All-NBA forward, returns, the Celtics should have more than enough juice to make it to the second round of the postseason even though they could end up being a lower-seeded team in the playoffs. If they end up running into a team like the Orlando Magic or Detroit Pistons in Round 1, a Boston squad with Tatum on it certainly has enough to get past them.
Of course, there is no rush for the Celtics to bring Tatum back. But if he is medically cleared by March and he's in game shape, then it might not be the worst idea for Tatum to return.
