There's a lot to be excited about for the Boston Celtics this upcoming season. In pretty much every single preseason game, different elements of the new-and-improved Mazzulla Ball have stood out. Among the more underrated elements of how exciting Boston's core stems from rookie Chris Cenac Jr.
The Celtics likely won't count on Cenac much in his rookie season, primarily because they won't have to. They have plenty of centers - Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, Luka Garza - and power forwards - Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Hugo Gonzalez - so it's hard to see Cenac breaking through unless the team gets ravaged by injuries.
However, what preseason showed us is that Cenac isn't only talented, but he is ready to play now. A rookie showing off flashy dunks is one thing, but Cenac is showing confidence in his handle, has touch around the rim, and excellent defensive instincts. In other words, he has a high basketball IQ on top of his talent.
It may not be long before it becomes painfully obvious that it's in Boston's interest to play Cenac. That's all good, but it could reflect badly on what happens next with Garza and Amari Williams.
What Cenac's development may mean for Garza & Williams
Garza has continued to look awesome for Boston to the point that it's a shame that he will play behind Robinson and Queta. Primarily, he's proven he's among the best at one of Mazzulla Ball's most important attributes: offensive rebounding. With that, he has also proven his touch around the rim.
He's also on an expiring deal, and if Cenac only continues to ascend this season, it'll create an elephant in the room that Boston can't ignore. Garza's been awesome in Boston, but Cenac potentially already being better than him will only add to the feeling that this could be Garza's last year in Boston.
Not that he doesn't deserve opportunities elsewhere after all he's proven himself.
Then there's Williams, who has been largely okay in the few chances Boston has given him since he joined the team in 2025. Williams isn't necessarily a bad prospect, but if Cenac is already higher than him on the depth chart, it could be a sign that Williams' legacy in Boston will be around the same as JD Davison.
Williams has not shown himself to be a scrub, but being outplayed by a fellow young big can breed some questions about his future.
It's just preseason, as they say, but Cenac's stock is higher than it was when it started. If it's clear that playing him is helping, it might be hard to justify playing Garza and/or Williams ahead of him, despite how good those two are.
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