If the Boston Celtics are seriously considering entering the 2025–26 season with Xavier Tillman, Neemias Queta, and Luka Garza as their center rotation, then it may already be too late to stop the unraveling. With those three as Boston's primary options on the interior, protecting the rim is going to prove an extremely big challenge from the jump.
Things were always going to be more difficult after the Celtics incurred such big losses in free agency. Those transactions alone would have left the Celtics thinner on both ends of the floor. But considering the fact that Jayson Tatum is unlikely to step on the hardwood for all of next season gives Boston a monumental challenge for 2025-26.
The Celtics' roster still capable guards and wings, but in the modern NBA, there are limits to what a group can do without a credible big man rotation. And that's especially true when none of the options on the depth chart are known for shot-blocking, switching, or even holding up well in drop coverage.
Boston's options are limited at center
Tillman is a scrappy defender and strong positional player, but he is generously listed at 6-foot-8 and lacks verticality. Queta has some promise as a paint presence, but there is a reason he has bounced around on two-way deals for much of his career. Garza is more of an offensive specialist and has never really been viewed as a strong rotation-level defender. Together, they form what could end up being one of the most overmatched center rotations of any team in the East.
It is not just about defense, either. When fully healthy, Boston’s spacing and offensive flow relied a lot on the pick-and-pop and roll gravity that Porzingis brought. Without him, and without Tatum’s scoring gravity, the Celtics are going to find it harder to get clean looks. Anfernee Simons might help a bit, but a team that once had overwhelming size and skill at multiple positions suddenly feels undersized in the frontcourt and overstretched on the perimeter.
There is still time to address the issue. The Celtics could look at low-cost veteran additions or even explore the trade market to bring in a capable rim protector. But if the plan really is to lean on Tillman, Queta and Garza, then fans should brace themselves for a potentially steep drop-off. For a team that spent almost the last decade near the top of the Eastern Conference, this kind of regression would be difficult to process.