Last year, for virtually the entire Celtics roster, it was about proving themselves. What could they do with more opportunities? Boston became the home for breakthroughs.
From Neemias Queta to Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza, and Ron Harper Jr., to name a few, Joe Mazzulla's team saw individual ascents fuel a season of defiance.
A year after being doubted, the Celtics' place in the Eastern Conference hierarchy is not taken for granted. Yet many still seem to be slowly realizing how good this group can be.
One reason to be bullish on Boston's outlook in the upcoming campaign is growth. Players throughout the roster returned with a deeper repertoire. They also have the maturity to understand that they must fill their role in the team's ecosystem. Otherwise, their minutes will go elsewhere.
Building on breakouts: The next phase of Celtics growth
At training camp, Queta, who made his first career three last season, discussed demonstrating his improved ability from beyond the arc. He has also worked tirelessly on making more plays with the ball in his hands. That includes during Mazzulla's visit to Portugal.
The seven-foot center finished in the top three in screen assists and field goal percentage in 2025-26. He also blocked 1.3 shots per game. He's well aware of what his primary role is.
Now, he's looking to punish mismatches, increase his impact when he gets the ball in the seams, and make more plays away from the basket. The latter includes showcasing his underrated ability to beat his defender off the dribble from the perimeter.
It's a new layer that he put in the sweat equity to add on top of a foundation that made him a top-10 player at his position in the regular season.
What's next for Baylor Scheierman?
The third-year wing is an intriguing candidate to join Queta in Boston's starting lineup. Whether he's in the first unit or the second, he understands that injecting energy and making hustle plays are crucial parts of his job.
Still, a former high school star quarterback, Scheierman sees the floor well and is comfortable making plays off the dribble. He wants to exercise that part of his game more and have a greater impact with his on-ball reads.
His physical evolution continued this summer. That will help him handle the difficult matchups he often gets assigned defensively. But he's also a dynamic offensive talent, looking to level up a versatile skill set that fits perfectly with the Celtics' focus on taking advantage of whatever the defense gives them.
Sharpening the edge: Payton Pritchard's efficiency pursuit
The former Sixth Man of the Year could be Boston's second-leading scorer behind Jayson Tatum this season.
He's coming off a campaign in which he generated the third-most iso points per possession [minimum 60 games and an average of at least one such field-goal attempt], per NBA Stats. He also registered 5.9 points in the paint per contest.
Now, he wants to utilize his ability to burrow downhill to raise his efficiency. Primarily, that means creating more trips to the free-throw line. Pritchard averages fewer than 1.0 free-throw attempts per tilt. It's a natural area for him to mine to increase his scoring output from 17.0 points per game last season.
Pritchard also wants to have more of an impact as a facilitator. And to take on more of a leadership role. That's a responsibility that the second-longest-tenured player on the team, and those he shares a locker room with, are ready for.
Jordan Walsh's offensive identity change
Entering his fourth season in the Association, the 22-year-old has been vocal about bringing more to the table on offense.
"I feel like there's a lot of times in the season last year where it became clutch moments where we need a bucket, and I have to get subbed out," said Walsh at Summer League. "I talked to my PD [player development] coach. I said, 'When those moments come, I want to always be the best option. I want to be the best choice.'"
Specifically, that meant improving his handles, his ability to create his own shot, and then knock it down. To help, he quickly sought counsel from new teammate Paul George. The nine-time All-Star has been a valuable resource as he works on adding a reliable pull-up jumper.
Walsh knows that his defense is his calling card. He understands that he must keep converting on catch-and-shoot 3s and crashing the glass to create extra possessions. But becoming more dynamic offensively is a meaningful step toward becoming his best self. It will also help him keep pace in the battle for playing time with the rest of Boston's burgeoning wings. It's growth that meshes perfectly with how the Celtics will attack opponents this season.
As Mazzulla said earlier in camp, "The more guys that we can have being able to do more things, the better it makes us."
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