Pritchard believes 2025-26 Celtics will still be a ‘playoff team’

Expectations aren’t precisely excessive for the 2025-26 Celtics.

Only a 12 months faraway from being considered as title favorites, the Celtics are watching a bridge season on account of essential accidents and roster turnover led to by cap-related issues. 

Looming luxurious tax penalties compelled Brad Stevens to commerce away lineup stalwarts like Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation, whereas Boston’s restricted cap house additionally made it untenable for the crew to re-sign gamers like Luke Kornet and Al Horford in free company.

These departures are more likely to hamper a gifted roster. However, essentially the most devastating blow to Boston’s rivalry window got here in the course of the Japanese Convention Semifinals in Might, with celebrity ahead Jayson Tatum struggling a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Tatum may miss the complete 2025-26 season because of this, additional hindering a Celtics roster with little depth in its frontcourt. 

Even with lineup regulars like Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard anticipated to return subsequent season, NBA.com author John Schuhmann projected the Celtics to finish 12th in the Eastern Conference this season— forward of solely the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Brooklyn Nets.

Depend Pritchard amongst these on Boston’s roster who’s brushing apart discuss that the Celtics are destined to plummet down the standings this season.

“We’re positively making an attempt to be a playoff crew. We’re making an attempt to win a championship,” Pritchard informed NBC Sports activities Boston’s Chris Forsberg on the Celtics Talk Podcast. “It’s not even about playoffs, we now have one normal in Boston and it’s to win a championship. All people in that locker room may have the objective of competing for a championship. And we are going to do every part in our energy essential to go for that. That’s what (the followers) ought to know.”

Even with Boston’s frontcourt depth decimated and the crew’s prime scoring conduit in Tatum sidelined, the Celtics may need sufficient expertise nonetheless in place on the roster to hover across the playoff image within the Japanese Convention.

Nonetheless, Pritchard acknowledged that it has been a painful summer time for Boston — particularly in the case of the crew needing to commerce away gamers who helped the franchise win its 18th championship in June 2024. 

“I imply, it positively sucks,” Pritchard mentioned in regards to the offseason adjustments. “You grow to be brothers along with your teammates, you’re with them on a regular basis. So, positively going to overlook them. It’s a part of the enterprise facet so it’s important to transfer on.”

Boston might not be one of many favorites for a title in 2025-26. However, Tatum’s harm and Boston’s offseason departures seem to open up extra alternatives for different regulars on the Celtics’ roster. 

Be it Brown’s ascension because the crew’s go-to scorer or extra minutes allotted to the reigning Sixth Man of the Yr in Pritchard, there must be loads of avenues for different Celtics gamers to thrive this fall. 

“I really feel like all people must be excited,” Pritchard mentioned. “There’s loads of alternatives throughout the board. For me, personally, I’m excited yearly. As a result of it’s a chance to show myself once more, to indicate that I can take one other step. And that’s my objective yearly. I’m positively hungry and motivated this 12 months, been working actually arduous. So I’m excited.”

 

Conor Ryan is a workers author protecting the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Pink Sox for Boston.com, a task he has held since 2023.