The Celtics’ biggest on-court adjustment may not be the one getting the most attention.
Yes, Jaylen Brown’s departure after a decade in Boston is the headline change. But stylistically, Boston already has enough wings to patch together much of what Brown provided. In that sense, his exit may not alter the Celtics’ identity as much as people think - and he may have been one of the roster’s more awkward stylistic fits anyway.
The more significant shift is in the middle. For the first time since Al Horford was brought back from the Thunder, Boston’s top two centers are not floor spacers. Luka Garza is the lone true stretch big on the roster, and even he might not be a consistent rotation piece if Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson end up handling most of the minutes.
That would mark a real break from what the Celtics have been able to rely on in recent years. Daniel Theis and Aaron Baynes could at least step outside on occasion, and Boston later had Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and, last season, Garza and Nikola Vucevic to support Queta. With Vooch gone and Robinson added, there’s a real chance the Celtics spend plenty of nights playing 48 minutes with non-shooting centers.
Joe Mazzulla has never had to manage that kind of setup as a head coach. His offense has been built around five-out spacing and pace-and-space principles, and that approach has paid off. Even in last year’s playoffs, he leaned on Garza and Vooch to pull Joel Embiid away from the paint and bend the offense’s geometry.
Still, this might not be as limiting as it sounds. Garza could wind up playing more than expected, but even if he doesn’t, spacing isn’t only about knocking down threes. Queta proved last season that he can be effective as a rim-runner, a strong screener on and off the ball, and a finisher around the dunker spot.
Robinson can bring a lot of the same value on offense. And if Boston gets enough shooting elsewhere on the floor, the center position may never become a major problem. But if it does, and the Celtics decide Garza isn’t reliable enough defensively for the playoffs, an in-season move could be coming.
If Boston goes that route, the obvious solution is a stretch big.
Myles Turner has come up often, though his contract may make that idea unrealistic. Horford would be the dream, but it’s fair to wonder whether both sides would want a third run in Boston.
The Third Apron podcast floated Jalen Smith from the Bulls, and that kind of target feels more practical. Smith defended well last season and hit better than 37% from three on more than four attempts per game.
He’s 26, on a Bulls team that appears headed nowhere, and on an expiring contract worth more than $9 million. Boston could potentially put together a deal using wing depth - Sam Hauser would be enough to match salary - plus a second-round pick or two.
That’s only one possible path, and there’s no sense that the Celtics are in a hurry to act before seeing how this roster actually functions. But this is the kind of issue worth watching as the season unfolds. If Boston makes a move during the year, the most likely target is a center who can really stretch the floor.
In Other News...
Celtics Depth Is Becoming Joe Mazzullas Biggest Edge
Bostons season has been built on more than talent. Even with injuries and roster turnover, Joe Mazzullas group has managed to stay organized because the system gives everyone a clear job, and that clarity has helped the Celtics keep playing at a high level even as the lineup has shifted around them.
What stands out is how much the offense leans into specialization instead of forcing everyone into traditional positions. A statistical look from SportsRadar and Synergy found four Celtics players making a major impact in defined offensive roles, which says a lot about why this team can keep humming when the personnel changes. The deeper the rotation has become, the more it looks like Mazzullas biggest advantage is not just having options, but knowing exactly how to use them. [Read more 🡒]
Luka Garza Is Fighting For His Celtics Role This Summer
Luka Garza spent the summer taking stock of a Celtics season that asked plenty of him and did not always give back much in the form of minutes. After a year of trying to carve out a bigger foothold in Bostons rotation, the big man is focused on the same basic mission heading into next season: keep improving, keep proving he belongs, and make it harder for the staff to leave him on the bench.
The path is not getting any easier. Boston added Mitchell Robinson at center, which only tightens the competition in a spot Garza already had to fight for, and he is now doing his offseason work at the newly opened NBPA player-owned performance center in Los Angeles. For Garza, the setting is part of the point, a chance to sharpen his game while the Celtics head into another season with decisions still to be made in the middle. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Have One Stephen Curry Scenario Worth Watching Closely
Golden States plans for the 2026-27 season are already drawing scrutiny, and Stephen Curry is right at the center of it. After a 37-45 finish, the Warriors have stood pat so far, and insider Monte Poole has described the coming year as a gap season built around internal development rather than outside help. For a player still performing at a high level, that kind of setup raises obvious questions about how much longer Curry will want to wait for the roster around him to catch up.
For Boston, the relevance is less about the Warriors short-term direction and more about the possibility that Currys future eventually opens up. The Celtics would be one of the teams paying close attention if he ever decides the end of the road in Golden State is nearing, especially with the league always watching for a star of that caliber to become available. It is still a distant conversation, but in a league where situations change quickly, Currys next move is the kind of possibility teams like Boston cannot ignore. [Read more 🡒]