The Boston Celtics are currently preparing for a 2025-26 season that will see them take the floor with a vastly different roster than what they've had two years. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are now on different teams thanks to trades orchestrated to duck the second apron, and Jayson Tatum is expected to miss the entire season with the torn Achilles injury he suffered in last year's playoffs.
Still, thanks to the weak state of the Eastern Conference, there is some thought that Boston could find a way to backdoor their way into the NBA playoffs despite the massive amount of talent they've lost.
One person who subscribes to that school of thought is 2008 Celtics champion Kendrick Perkins, who recently took to ESPN's NBA Today to relay his thoughts.
“Jaylen Brown is gonna show the world that he belongs in the conversations that he can actually lead a team by himself… They’re going to be a top 6 seed in the East,” predicted Perkins.
This year indeed figures to be a prime opportunity to silence his doubters and prove that he can be a number one option on a good team.
Brown will also have guard Derrick White as a sidekick, while most of the rest of the Boston rotation will be comprised of new faces, or players who haven't seen the floor much in recent years.
An interesting year for the Celtics
Few teams have fallen as quickly from potential dynasty to potential lottery team than the Celtics, who at this time a year ago were viewed by many as the archetype for success in the modern NBA.
While Tatum's injury undoubtedly changed everything, the cracks in Boston's armor was already starting to show before that happened, as the Celtics were on their way to going down 3-1 vs the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals by the time Tatum went down.
Still, if Boston plays its cards right, they could position themselves this year to be able to hit the ground running whenever their best player returns.
The Celtics will kick off the 2025-26 season at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22.
