The Boston Celtics probably have lower expectations for the 2025-26 season than they have had throughout the last decade.
The Celtics have not missed the playoffs since the 2013-14 season, and some expect history to repeat itself 12 years later.
Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury will sideline him for an entire year, leaving Boston with absolutely no chance of contending for a championship.
With one of the most expensive rosters in the NBA, the Celtics’ front office then decided to cut costs by trading away Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
Joe Mazzulla now has much less talent to work with, so he will need some role players to develop into quality starters.
Derrick White remains in Boston and has named one player he expects to show plenty of improvement next season.
Photo by Brett Phelps/The Boston Globe via Getty ImagesDerrick White expects ‘big year’ from Neemias Queta
The Celtics have lost Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet this offseason and only replaced them with Chris Boucher from the Toronto Raptors.
This will lead to a much-heightened role for 26-year-old center Neemias Queta next season, who played just 14 minutes per game last year.
Queta has excelled for the Portuguese national team at this summer’s EuroBasket, and fans think he’s ready to perform in a Celtics uniform.
Boston teammate Derrick White also believes that Queta has what it takes to fill the void left by Porzingis, Horford, and Kornet.
“I think Joe has always been super hard on him for the last couple of years to prepare him for something like this,” White said on his podcast.
“Obviously, he’s going to have to have a big year, and we’re going to ask a lot out of him, which is exciting.
“He’s a guy who works hard, competes at a high level, and is just continuing to learn what works and what doesn’t in the NBA. We’re super excited for Neemias.
“I’m a big fan; he’s had so many different moments in these last two years. He’s helped us win games, or he’s changed the momentum of a game. It’s a big role for him.”
White is well aware that next season will be “different” from his previous four with the Celtics since he was traded from the San Antonio Spurs.
He expects the “biggest adjustment” to be teaching the new players the ways that have made Boston so successful.
“It’s definitely going to be different,” White continued. “It has to be. We lost KP. Jrue, Luke, and obviously JT is out. When you lose three out of five starters – even Al – so it’s definitely going to change.
“It’s going to be a younger team. Ever since I’ve been in Boston, we’ve had the same core. Obviously, we still have me, [Jaylen Brown], Sam [Hauser], and Payton [Pritchard], people who know how we do things.
“I think that will probably be the biggest adjustment – getting everybody accustomed to how we do things in Boston, how we like to play, and how we operate.”