This year looks a lot different for the Boston Celtics. A championship is always the goal—that’s the standard—but this year’s roster isn’t nearly as equipped to get there. From Jayson Tatum’s Achilles rupture to Boston’s trade-filled summer, the 2025-26 squad looks nothing like years past.
Yet that might make it even more intriguing to follow. With expectations often come disappointments. But this year’s team has been painted with very few expectations. And because of that, they have a chance to surprise a lot of people around the NBA ecosystem. And it all starts this week, as Celtics training camp is set to get underway.
This is the time to be locked in to everything Celtics. So, here’s what to watch for.
1. The leadership of Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown’s voice has been at the forefront of the Celtics for years. That isn’t going to change anytime soon. With Tatum sidelined, it’s going to have to get louder.
Not only will Tatum be sidelined for a while, but Jrue Holiday is gone. And perhaps most significantly, Al Horford is gone, too. He just inked a multi-year deal with the Golden State Warriors.
Boston may not be in the same tier of title contenders it has been in recent seasons, but it still has quality pieces. And Brown is at the forefront of it all. If they want to outperform expectations, he’ll have to lead the way on and off the court.
2. Position battles
Payton Pritchard vs. Anfernee Simons. Sam Hauser vs. Chris Boucher. Neemias Queta vs. the field.
For the first time in a while, the Celtics’ starting lineup is very fluid heading into the season. There are a bunch of different combinations Joe Mazzulla could roll with. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White are seemingly the only solidified starters on the roster.
Neemias Queta is probably the second-closest thing to a definite starter, but perhaps Mazzulla could prefer to roll with the newcomer Boucher at the center spot. (Though Queta will almost certainly get the nod.)
Pritchard seems to be a step ahead of Simons for the starting point guard role, especially considering Mazzulla’s already-established trust in him. However, Simons is an elite scorer and a great three-point shooter who could give him a run for his money.
The Hauser vs. Boucher debate boils down to offense vs. defense, though Hauser could have the edge because of the aforementioned trust factor.
3. Where is Jayson Tatum?
On Saturday, Tatum posted a video of himself working out on the Auerbach Center courts. He jogged across the floor and even got up some shots—and he ruptured his Achilles in May.
Will Tatum be present throughout training camp? Will videos surface of him working out with teammates? What is the feel of the team regarding the likelihood of his return?
Tatum is still likely a long way away from returning, but training camp could give yet another glimpse into his journey back.
4. Rookie watch
As is the case almost every season, there are a few players to watch who have never played an NBA minute. This year, it’s Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams, and Max Shulga.
None of the three is expected to be a factor in Boston’s rotation this season, but perhaps training camp could change that perception. Gonzalez has the best shot since the other two are on two-way contracts, but still, anything can happen.
That said, the most likely scenario is that all three spend the majority of their rookie years up in Portland with the Maine Celtics.
5. The Payton Pritchard effect
Last season, Holiday discussed a drill where the Celtics’ entire goal was to stop Pritchard in practice. He backed up that praise with a Sixth Man of the Year campaign. Now, he could be a starter.
Throughout the course of his young career, Pritchard has been at the forefront of basketball sickos. His work ethic is like few others around the NBA.
This year’s training camp, as he could be competing for a starting spot, will simply be another opportunity for him to put that trait on full display.
6. A new side to Joe Mazzulla
For as long as Mazzulla is sitting at the front of the bench for the Celtics, stories will be flooding out of his uniqueness from games, practices, and training camp.
But this season looks different. Ever since Mazzulla took over as head coach in Boston, he’s had elite rosters. That’s not the case anymore. He’s going to have to make the most of what he’s got.
So, while there will almost certainly be plenty of funny stories of antics and drills that Mazzulla made the Celtics run, this year’s tales could include a healthy dose of new tactics.
How is Mazzulla going to get this team to outperform expectations? It all starts at training camp.
7. Neemi Time
Queta has been in Boston for two years now, and this season will be his biggest test by far. If the Celtics want to have any chance of staying a playoff team without Tatum, they need Queta to make some serious strides.
Horford is gone. Porzingis is gone. Kornet is gone. All that’s left is Queta and a bunch of new faces at the five spot. Queta should have more room for error than ever.
But now, every error he makes will have a much larger impact on Boston’s chances of winning basketball games. Getting off to a hot start in training camp, especially after a solid stint with Portugal at EuroBasket, will be crucial.
8. Can Baylor Scheierman keep progressing?
After a Summer League full of shooting struggles, Baylor Scheierman will have a chance to reset during training camp. And Boston will need him this season.
Quietly, Scheierman projects to be the Celtics’ eighth man in the rotation this season. With a bench unit (likely) led by Simons and Boucher, Boston could look to him to fill in the gaps as its first wing player off the pine.
In the latter portion of last season, Scheierman showed off some serious skills. His three-point shot was going in, he handled the ball well, and he flashed some playmaking chops.
But if he wants to be a real impact player for the Celtics, he’ll need to improve on the defensive end and remain consistent from beyond the arc.
If he can manage both of those feats, the Celtics may have a deeper bench than anticipated.
9. The reality of the rest
Beyond Scheierman, the bench begins to look shaky. Mazzulla will truly have to squeeze every last ounce of talent out of every player on his roster, and training camp will give him his first chance to do so.
Jordan Walsh played well at Summer League but has been unable to transfer much success to the NBA level just yet. Josh Minott is a freak athlete with defensive talent, yet he wasn’t good enough to consistentlyget on the court for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Luka Garza can score out of the post, and the three-point shot looks decent, but his defense could be a real issue. Xavier Tillman was an NBA Finals hero, but he hasn’t been able to get on the court since.
Add in the rookies and the Exhibit 10 guys, and there’s not much to pick from, and there certainly isn’t any proven talent for Mazzulla to turn to on the end of the bench.
However, that also means training camp will be the stage all of those guys need to prove themselves. To prove to Mazzulla that they should play this season.
10. Any trades?
At this point, seeing any trades go down before the start of the regular season seems highly unlikely. However, it's certainly not impossible.
Boston has reportedly been trying to trade Simons since they got him, and they are only about $4 million above the first apron. Nothing is out of the question, however unlikely a trade may be at this point in the summer.