The league hasn't done the Boston Celtics any favors in adopting what is essentially a hard cap. Teams that fail to comply and pass the second apron are put into a financial world of hurt that makes it impossible to recoup. With this in mind, Jayson Tatum's heartbreaking injury was the only excuse new ownership needed to break the championship core apart. Even as one piece of the superstar duo remains healthy, the Celtics appear to have punted on the 2025-26 season unless Tatum makes a surprise return.
Still, next season, there is a sliver of hope that perhaps the team can make a run with a handful of the championship pieces still in place. The biggest of these is NBA champion and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. For the first time in the star's career, all eyes have turned to the star forward.
Never has Brown dealt with such expectations and not had Jayson Tatum and a stacked roster to lean on. Now, not only is Tatum gone, but Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis are as well. Al Horford's future remains in question, and the Celtics roster looks far darker than it has at any time in recent memory. And yet there is a little bit of hope that Boston can adopt a familiar underdog mentality and find a way to become a player in the Eastern Conference.
Fate of the Celtics' 2025-26 Season Rests on Jaylen Brown
For this to happen, Brown is going to need to be a superstar consistently throughout the season. Scoring and defending at the level we saw the forward bring in the team's championship run. This is the Celtics' lone path to hanging in the playoff race while hoping for an early return from Tatum.
Brown has been given a chance to finally answer the question of what his ceiling might be as the primary option. The Celtics star is a champion and beloved figure in Boston. However, this is a chance to take his legend further and put his name firmly in the conversation among the league's most impactful players.
On the flip side of this, if Brown fails to live up to these lofty expectations, there is going to be a fair amount of heat and a growing sense of longing for the return of Tatum. All adding up to a difficult situation for the Boston star. Something to keep in mind as the Celtics' season continues to rapidly approach.