Presently final yr, I ranked the Celtics roster primarily based on who the very best gamers on the crew are, not most necessary to the crew. Let’s run again earlier than coaching camp begins.
Everyone knows how nice Tatum is and the way a lot the Celtics are going to overlook him. The crew’s greatest scorer, passer, rebounder and most versatile defender when wholesome, Tatum seemingly received’t be that even when he does return this season. However when he has two legs that work at their highest stage, Tatum is the very best participant on the Celtics and one of many 5 greatest gamers within the league (LockedOn NBA however).
Let’s get into the rankings.
Shulga left one thing to be desired in Summer time League after being the 57th general decide within the NBA Draft. He didn’t flip the ball over a lot throughout the 5 video games he performed with simply 0.6 turnovers per sport as a degree guard. Nonetheless, the 24% from the sphere and 21% from three he shot was not what Boston was in search of.
Though he went undrafted, Luis was a greater faculty participant than Shulga was and has extra scoring prowess than Shulga does. Luis didn’t play in Summer time League resulting from a left knee problem and was traded to the Celtics in August as part of the Georges Niang wage dump. At 6’7”, Luis’ dimension and athleticism have an opportunity to translate to the NBA.
The forty sixth decide within the draft, Williams was a participant who stood out at Summer time League together with his passing capacity. The remainder of his sport wants to come back alongside, primarily his protection, however I feel that Williams has a ability set that the Celtics can work with and develop right into a strong participant.
Simply the 2nd first spherical decide of the Brad Stevens period, Gonzalez is the one Celtic rookie on a normal contract. The Celtics are going to want him to search out his three-pointer if they need him to develop into a participant that they will depend on. He had a strong Summer time League however nothing particular, so it will likely be fascinating if he is ready to seize a number of the minutes out there on the wing.
Final yr was not the yr the Celtics or Xavier Tillman hoped that Tillman would have. After taking part in strong minutes throughout the 2024 playoffs, Tillman seemed cooked final season. This was resulting from knee irritation that lingered all season lengthy. If Tillman can get again to the way in which he was taking part in throughout the championship run, he has an opportunity to play massive minutes at middle for the Celtics.
Nonetheless, I’m not anticipating that as a result of it’s actually exhausting to bounce again from knee accidents like Tillman had. The Celtics had been hopeful that Tillman’s three-point shot would come alongside, too. It has not but and I don’t suppose it ever will, however we are going to all the time have his three-pointer in Sport 3 of the Finals.
I feel I’m decrease on Walsh than the consensus may be, however sooner or later, gamers are what they’re. Walsh had a strong Summer time League, a step up from his disastrous 2024 run, however he by no means seemed like the very best participant on the court docket and he ought to have. That looks as if a excessive bar to climb however he was taking part in in opposition to guys who’ve performed much less minutes within the league than he has. The shot simply hasn’t developed the way in which Boston had hoped it might as we enter his third NBA season, so he doesn’t present a ton of worth offensively. I feel the Josh Minott signing indicators what the Celtics consider Walsh’s long-term outlook.
The Celtics actually like Luka Garza. It feels like an apparent assertion, however they signed him over a bunch of various gamers who’re seemingly higher than Garza for a place they badly want some depth. Garza’s protection leaves so much to be desired, however he has proven he can rating the ball down low, taking pictures 65.5% on pictures inside 10 ft final season. The Celtics suppose they will unlock one thing in Garza, and I’m anxious to see if they will.
I actually appreciated the way in which Scheierman closed final season. From March fifteenth to the top of the common season, Scheierman performed in all however one sport, averaging 6.1 factors, 2.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists whereas taking pictures 40% from the sphere and 37% from three. His assists mark doesn’t present it, however the very best a part of Baylor’s sport is his passing. His court docket imaginative and prescient is de facto enjoyable. I’m nervous, nonetheless, about his lackluster Summer time League. Poor taking pictures luck positively performed a component, however Scheierman didn’t stick out in any manner throughout Summer time League the place he ought to appear to be probably the greatest, if not the only greatest, gamers on the court docket.
Josh Minott is in the same place that Jordan Walsh is as an athletic wing that struggles to shoot three-pointers. Minott had season inside the arc final yr, taking pictures 64% on two-pointers. His athleticism ought to enable for him to be defender on this crew, one thing Boston will want badly.
Neemias Queta performed effectively in opposition to stiff competitors in EuroBasket. I will likely be sincere, I’m not all that considering Queta’s offense. He’s what he’s on that facet of the court docket. A rim operating massive who is an effective display screen setting, good lob finisher and completed across the basket higher final season than he did in 2024. Positive, his passing coming alongside can be good, however I’m not too nervous about that. It’s the defensive facet of the ground we’d like strides from Queta on. I need him to develop into a much bigger defensive presence on this crew.
If the Celtics are going to have any success this season, Queta must be higher on protection. Too usually final yr, he was out of place, resulting in an offensive rebound. His rim safety additionally wants to enhance, after being hidden for lots of 2023-24, numerous Queta’s defensive warts had been on full show final season. He wants to enhance on that facet of the ground to be a long-term piece in Boston.
I’m actually to see what Boucher’s position goes to be this season. He’s a man who can play the 4 and the 5 and will completely be a starter this season for the Celtics. Measurement goes to be an enormous downside for the Celtics and Boucher’s capacity to play each massive spots is one thing that I’m positive Joe Mazzulla goes to depend on this season. He had season taking pictures the ball final yr, 36% from three and 34% on above the break threes. Though that was his greatest season taking pictures threes, there could possibly be some regression there. He as soon as received G-League Defensive Participant of the Yr however he isn’t somebody who’s an elite defensive participant, largely due to how skinny he’s, at 6’9” and 200 lbs.
Protecting Sam Hauser was the very best transfer Brad Stevens made this summer season — assuming he doesn’t have any tips up his sleeve within the remaining weeks earlier than coaching camp — as a result of Hauser’s ability set is one thing that each crew wants. I wrote a number of Hauser commerce articles this summer season, largely as a result of Celtics must get underneath the 2nd apron, but Boston was in a position to pull it off with out shifting Hauser, which is an enormous deal.
A man who can shoot off of motion and with out the necessity to reload on his threes, is one thing that each crew ought to worth. A profession 42% three-point shooter, Hauser had his worst season from three-point land final yr… at 41.6%, a nonetheless actually strong quantity. His protection additionally stays probably the most underrated high quality of his sport. Whereas Hauser isn’t a shutdown defender, his dimension and size enable for him to carry up effectively sufficient on that facet of the court docket. The Celtics are getting into a brand new chapter of the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown period, and Sam Hauser must be part of it.
If there may be one factor Anfernee Simons can do, it’s rating the basketball. Acquired for Jrue Vacation, Simons is coming off of a season wherein he averaged 19.3 factors, 4.8 assists and a pair of.7 rebounds per sport. The scoring is down from the earlier two seasons the place he averaged over 20 factors per sport in these seasons.
Nonetheless, Simons isn’t probably the most environment friendly participant within the NBA, together with his subject aim share and his true taking pictures share dipping in every of the final three seasons. His protection is missing resulting from his lack of dimension, however there may be an effort problem there as effectively. Simons is the form of participant we noticed the NBA go away from this summer season. Undersized guards who can rating weren’t seen as excessive worth property. I feel Simons will play a smaller position on this Celtics crew than he has in Portland over the previous few seasons however Boston will nonetheless want his capacity to attain the ball.
The reigning sixth Man of the Yr had the very best season of his profession final yr, averaging 14.3 factors, 3.8 rebounds and three.5 assists per sport final season. I anticipate Pritchard to take one other leap this season, in what is going to seemingly be his first as a starter. He was very environment friendly final season, taking pictures 47% from the sphere, 41% from three with a real taking pictures share of 63%. There’s a world the place Payton is Boston’s second choice this season, behind Jaylen Brown. He’s going to have the ball in his arms so much and can must be able to benefit from the massive alternative that he’s being offered with.
Derrick White is an elite participant, everyone knows this. His protection and skill to shoot the three-ball has taken off in methods I don’t suppose the Celtics even anticipated after they traded for him on the 2022 deadline. There are some weaknesses. He must get higher at entry passes — too usually when White is throwing an entry cross the ball is turned over. If we see extra of White with the ball in his arms this season, he’s going to want to enhance as an general playmaker and I’m excited to see what that appears like. Derrick White is superior and goes to be part of the Celtics success going into future years.
The 2025-26 Celtics are going to go so far as Jaylen Brown takes them. He signed the super-max contract, he received the Finals MVP and he has made All-NBA. Betting on Jaylen Brown has labored out for the Celtics all through his time in Boston, together with after they drafted him when there have been boos on the TD Backyard. I anticipate Brown to common a profession excessive in factors per sport, which is 26.6 ppg in 2022-23. Brown goes to be requested to play a task that he has by no means performed earlier than, the number one choice and I’m excited to see how he responds to it.
Shoutout to Tomesz Kordylewski for the spotlight packages; in the event you haven’t checked out his YouTube web page, be sure to do this. It’s a vital for each Celtics fan.
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