The Celtics’ offseason story has been defined by one move, and it’s the kind that reshapes everything around it: trading Jaylen Brown.
That deal changes the feel of Boston’s roster in a major way. The chemistry is different now, the lineup looks different, and the margin for error is going to look different too.
Jayson Tatum and Derrick White are still there, which keeps plenty of talent in place, and the addition of Mitchell Robinson gives the group another piece to work with. But there’s no pretending this is the same team.
In an early power ranking from John Schuhmann of the NBA’s official website, Boston comes in at No. 6 in the Eastern Conference. The biggest question attached to the Celtics is whether White can get his shot back on track.
"Among 123 players with at least 500 field goal attempts in each of the last two seasons, White saw the biggest drop in effective field goal percentage from 2024-25 (58%) to '25-26 (48.9%), and it was even lower (41.4%) as the Celtics lost to the Sixers in the first round of the playoffs," he notes in the feature.
Schuhmann also points out that "the drop-off was significant both from 3-point range and in the paint. Somehow, the Celtics still had the league’s second-ranked offense last season."
That stretch was a rough one for White, and now his bounce-back matters a lot for where Boston goes next. He’s one of the team’s most important players, one of the faces of the franchise, and the Celtics need him to look more like himself again. If he does, it changes the outlook in a hurry.
In Other News...
Brad Stevens May Have Just Pulled His Most Belichick Move Yet
Brad Stevens has never been shy about making a move that forces a second look, and this one fits that pattern. The Celtics president of basketball operations has built a reputation for taking calculated swings since moving from the sideline to the front office, and the latest decision only adds to the sense that he is willing to trust his own read even when it runs against the public reaction.
The comparison to Bill Belichick is hard to miss for Boston fans who remember how often the Patriots coach leaned into unpopular choices before the results caught up. Stevens has already shown a similar appetite for risk with past deals involving Marcus Smart and Al Horford, and now the question is whether this latest bet will age like one of those bold calls or become the kind of move that lingers over the franchise. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Deadline Decision May Have Changed LeBrons Entire Free Agency
The ripple effect of Bostons roster decisions has a way of showing up far beyond the parquet, and this latest one reached all the way into LeBron James free agency. Golden State spent part of that chase trying to position itself as a serious landing spot, but the bigger swing came from Philadelphia, which changed the conversation by bringing in Jaylen Brown and altering the balance of power around James decision.
For the Celtics, the interesting part is how close Brown came to being part of a different kind of domino chain. Golden State had a chance to get him earlier in the season, but the price in future draft capital was too steep for the Warriors, and that choice now looks more consequential in hindsight. Brown remains a centerpiece in Boston, on a massive long-term deal, while the rest of the league is left to wonder how differently this all might have played out if one deadline conversation had gone another way. [Read more 🡒]
Brad Stevens May Have Finally Ended Boston's Tax Nightmare
The Celtics have finally given themselves some breathing room on the books, and it is a welcome change after a stretch when every roster move seemed to come with a tax bill attached. With 14 players in place and payroll sitting at about $198.72 million, Boston is currently below the NBA luxury tax line and has enough flexibility to keep operating without immediately triggering the kind of penalties that have hovered over the franchise in recent seasons.
Brad Stevens and the front office can still add help if the right move comes along, whether that is through a trade or a free-agent signing, as long as the money going out and coming in stays close enough to keep the team under the line. The Celtics also have room to consider bringing in second-round rookie Dillon Mitchell on a standard deal and still remain in the clear, which gives them a little more room to maneuver than they had a year ago. [Read more 🡒]