The NBA offseason is nearly over, which means training camp is right around the corner. This upcoming season will be very different for Boston Celtics fans, as many of the players from last season's roster will not be returning. With multiple rotation players gone for next season, the team will have minutes available for some of the younger and unproven players to showcase their skills, but that might be what does the team in.
The Celtics' Youth Could Cost Them the '25-'26 Season
Going into this season, the Celtics are a team surrounded by question marks. With multiple members of last season's rotation gone, young guys like Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and rookie Hugo Gonzalez will get their chance to see the court. That's not to mention players like Neemias Queta and Josh Minott, who've shown flashes but haven't seen consistent minutes. While it's good to see what value they provide, the Celtics simply can't contend for a championship with this many question marks on the roster.
While the Celtics still have two consistent starters in Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, plus another jump from Payton Pritchard could lead to a sneaky tough matchup for teams, the youth and inexperience of the team are something they'll need to grow into, and could cost them games. While Boston fans are accustomed to seeing their favorite teams win, given the Celtics' situation, having a down year isn't the worst thing in the world.
This Could Be a Good Problem
With Jayson Tatum set to miss next season and the team close to clearing the 1st apron, a small reset of the team isn't the worst thing that could happen. If the Celtics are bad next season, they put themselves in a spot to grab one of the top players in a strong draft class.
If they do overperform expectations, that means at least one of the younger players is providing value and can be a part of the team's future when Tatum returns. This season could be a blessing in disguise for the Celtics and work out in the team's favor, like when the Spurs lost David Robinson and landed Tim Duncan in the following draft.
Trying to predict the Celtics' upcoming season is a tall task because of how much rides on the growth of young and unproven players. No matter the outcome, the Celtics would benefit from either a soft tank or overperforming expectations. The Celtics training camp and media day start on September 29th, with the first official regular-season game is Wednesday, October 22nd, when the Celtics host the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30.