Just a season after winning the NBA Finals, the Boston Celtics are already in a transition period. With Jayson Tatum out for an extended period after suffering an Achilles injury in the last playoffs, team officials decided to focus on the future instead of rolling the dice in the upcoming campaign.
The Celtics also reduced payroll to get out from under the second apron, trading away Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks and Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, while letting Al Horford leave in free agency.
Only a few players are left from Boston's championship roster in 2024, but general manager Brad Stevens has refused to use the term “rebuild” for the new season, opting for the word “retool” instead, as reported by CBS News' Matt Geagan.
Celtics player who will lose his starting job
Based on the roster ahead of training camp, the Celtics are expected to start Anfernee Simons, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta.
With Tatum sidelined, Brown will be the obvious focal point of the offense, with White and Simons providing extra scoring and Hauser adding outside shooting. Queta, meanwhile, is a raw talent but has shown glimpses of potential as a rim protector.
Simons, however, might not hold on to his spot for long as he could be replaced by Payton Pritchard. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is coming off a breakout campaign, averaging career-highs of 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. He also shot career-bests of 47.2% field goals and 40.7% three-pointers.
Pritchard has proved that he can hang with more established guards with his fearlessness despite his height disadvantage. Even during his college days at Oregon, the 27-year-old spitfire had already been a killer.
He's also a better distributor and on-ball defender than Simons, and perhaps most importantly, he already has the trust of coach Joe Mazzulla.
To recall, Payton demanded a trade in 2023 due to his lack of playing time. But the Celtics refused to cave in, with Mazzulla stressing the value of Pritchard.
“I love Payton. I’m happy Payton is expressing himself,” said Mazzulla in a report from Boston.com's Khari Thompson. “At the end of the day, I trust him completely, and regardless of his circumstances, he’s always ready to play. He’s the ultimate professional. It’s very important to have him.”
A year later, Pritchard won his first ring.
Anfernee Simons as Celtics' Sixth Man
It's not hard to envision Pritchard and Simons switching roles. With his offensive prowess, the 26-year-old Simons could come off the bench and provide instant scoring for the Celtics.
Last season, he led the Trail Blazers with 19.3 points. He made things happen when their offensive sets were going nowhere with his ability to create his own shot. He, however, has to work on his efficiency, as he is only a 43.1% shooter for his career.
The Celtics might see a huge drop in their defensive acumen with Simons replacing Holiday, but they could also be more dynamic in their offensive strategy.
It's an open secret that Boston is also trying to trade Simons, who is owed over $27.6 million this season, to further go under the luxury tax. But if Simons can show that he could be a great fit as the sixth man, the Celtics might be enticed to keep him and wait for Tatum's return.
As Brown recently said, it's a “new era” in Beantown, and they will need all the luck they can get.
