Next NBA season, the Boston Celtics will look much different after trading away Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. One reason Boston should still have a good season is that they are still a deep team.
While Brown was a major contributor to last season's success, Jayson Tatum is well equipped to take on a similar role. George, while past his prime, is still a fine player who should be a good fit in Boston's system, along with Mitchell Robinson being an upgrade over Luka Garza. Injury concerns do exist, as both George and Robinson have struggled to stay available.
Boston boasts a lot of depth heading into next season, and how they perform will determine how well the Celtics perform next season.
Boston's depth will determine season's success
After Boston saw a lot of roster turnover before last season, the team's depth was going to be tested, and it went well, with multiple players improving. Payton Pritchard saw his biggest role yet last season and thrived, having his best season yet. With Brown gone, Pritchard should see another role increase and will be important to Boston's offense next season.
Neemias Queta was another important part of last season, becoming the starting center. Queta showed promise during the season, though he had some struggles in the playoffs. Another season of starting for Boston should help the Portuguese native become a better player.
Sam Hauser has been consistent in his Celtics tenure, but the other forwards behind him were unproven. Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh both became rotation players after not playing much before last season. Late in the season, Ron Harper Jr. also showed flashes and could have a role next season.
Of all the surprises last season, the biggest surprise was easily rookie Hugo Gonzalez. Hugo was one of the Celtics' strongest perimeter defenders last season and showed flashes offensively. If Hugo can take another step offensively, he could become a valuable piece to the Celtics' future.
A player who Boston needs to improve upon his play from last season is Derrick White. Last season was the worst season in Boston for White, and it can't happen again. The Colorado native has been important to the success of the Celtics since arriving in Boston, and it's critical for him to improve.
Boston's depth improving and playing a big role in the team's success is also important, as if we've learned anything from these past few seasons, it is how important a team's depth is.
Depth is becoming more important in the NBA overall
In the past two seasons, the NBA champions have each had deep teams that helped them win the title.
Looking at the 2024-25 Oklahoma City Thunder, they had multiple players off the bench who could've been starters on other teams. Another great example is Ajay Mitchell, who played sparingly in the title run but was one of the Thunder's best players the following season. Even the Indiana Pacers had a deep bench and were a big reason why they made the finals and were one game short of winning it all.
Moving on to the 2025-26 New York Knicks, while they did benefit more from their starting five, they got big contributions off the bench. Mitchell Robinson helped anchor the team's defense off the bench (hopefully he can do that for Boston now), and Landry Shamet was a knockdown shooter for them in the playoffs. Along with Miles McBride, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado, the Knicks' strong bench helped them win.
Depth has never been more important in the NBA. With the pace of the game being as fast as it's ever been, managing the health of players for the playoffs is more important than ever. Boston getting another strong season from their depth has never been as important.
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