The 2025-26 Celtics will assemble for his or her first official follow subsequent Monday, marking the top of a transformative offseason for the franchise.
Boston misplaced 5 rotation gamers from final season’s squad – together with main man Jayson Tatum, who will miss not less than a big portion of the upcoming marketing campaign whereas he recovers from Achilles surgical procedure – and added 5 newcomers to their 15-man roster.
As the beginning of coaching camp approaches, right here’s a take a look at what the Celtics can count on from every of these 5 new additions:
Anfernee Simons
The Celtics’ first offseason acquisition ought to be their most impactful.
Simons, a 6-foot-3 guard acquired from Portland within the Jrue Vacation commerce, is the one Boston newcomer who’s been a full-time starter on the NBA stage. The 26-year-old began each recreation he appeared in over the past three seasons and have become the Path Blazers’ high offensive risk following Damian Lillard’s departure in 2023.
Over these three seasons, Simons was one in every of simply 10 gamers to common greater than 20 factors (20.7) and eight 3-point makes an attempt (8.8) per recreation. The opposite 9 (Tatum, Lillard, Stephen Curry, LaMelo Ball, Luka Doncic, Donovan Mitchell, Tyler Herro, Anthony Edwards and Lauri Markkanen) all have made not less than one All-Star group.
Simons can rating with the perfect of them, and his prowess from past the arc ought to make him a great match for head coach Joe Mazzulla’s offensive philosophy. The query is whether or not he can carry out to Mazzulla’s requirements on the defensive finish, the place he’s struggled all through his profession.
Additionally unclear coming into camp is whether or not Mazzulla plans to plug Simons into Vacation’s spot, or promote reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Yr Payton Pritchard to the beginning lineup and convey Simons off the bench. Both means, the Celtics will depend on Simons – who caught round via a number of months of extra commerce rumors – to fill a part of the offensive void created by Tatum’s injury.
Luka Garza
One of many major elements that drew Garza to Boston was alternative — one thing he by no means had in Minnesota.
A former nationwide collegiate participant of the yr at Iowa, the 26-year-old massive man was buried on the depth chart behind gamers like Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Cities and Naz Reid throughout his three seasons with the Timberwolves. He by no means ranked increased than thirteenth on the Wolves’ roster in minutes performed, and he has but to see the ground within the NBA playoffs exterior of rubbish time.
However whereas Garza’s former group all the time was well-stocked within the frontcourt, the Celtics’ steady of bigs may be the weakest within the league following the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet. Neemias Queta is the favourite to begin at middle, however there ought to be loads of probabilities for Garza to contribute.
Like Simons, the 6-foot-10 Garza has been a one-dimensional participant on the NBA stage. He posted encouraging offensive numbers in his restricted motion for Minnesota (25.8 factors and 5.1 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes over the past three seasons) however was a legal responsibility on the defensive finish. He posted the worst defensive rebounding charge of any NBA massive final season, per Cleansing The Glass, and has blocked simply 12 pictures in his profession.
Opponents made 69.4% of their field-goal makes an attempt in opposition to Garza from inside six ft in 2024-25, in response to NBA participant monitoring, one of many highest marks of any middle. Porzingis, Horford, Kornet and Queta all have been beneath 60%.
Garza stated he’s put “big dedication” into bettering his protection. Offensively, he believes he can help replace Porzingis and Horford’s perimeter shooting, although he’ll must shoot higher than his profession 31.4% mark from deep to comply with via on that prediction.
“I do know I can shoot the ball,” he stated final month. “Particularly the massive place, I can shoot it with the perfect of them. I do know that, I’ve lots of confidence in that, and I believe with the correct alternative and the power to get on the market and let it fly, I’m going to point out that.”
Josh Minott
The Celtics added not one, however two Timberwolves castoffs this summer time. Minott additionally was a deep reserve throughout his three years in Minnesota, logging 276 whole minutes final season to Garza’s 219.
Nicknamed “The Garden Mower” for his excessive motor, Minott will look to make an impression as a dirty-work energizer off the bench. The 6-foot-8 ahead has averaged 1.9 steals and 1.8 blocks per 36 minutes in his profession.
Offensively, Minott is a 33.9% profession 3-point shooter. Ninety % of his field-goal makes an attempt final season have been both on the rim or from 3-point vary, per Basketball-Reference.
Chris Boucher
A month after their preliminary spherical of offseason strikes, the Celtics basically swapped out Georges Niang (acquired from Atlanta within the Porzingis commerce) for Boucher, who signed after the group flipped Niang to Utah.
The 32-year-old Boucher was a mainstay in Toronto for the final seven seasons, showing in additional than 400 video games for the Raptors. A talented shot-blocker at 6-foot-9, Boucher is also coming off top-of-the-line offensive seasons. His 21.0 factors per 36 minutes have been a profession excessive, and his 36.3% capturing proportion from three (on 3.9 makes an attempt per recreation) was his greatest mark since 2020-21, when he completed eighth in Sixth Man of the Yr voting.
Boucher hasn’t began a recreation since 2022, nevertheless it wouldn’t be shocking to see him achieve this for Boston, lending his expertise and flexibility to the Celtics’ overhauled frontcourt. It is going to be fascinating to see whether or not Mazzulla favors him or returning reserve Sam Hauser for the beginning energy ahead spot. A double-big lineup with Boucher could be the stronger defensive unit with extra measurement; going with Hauser would supply extra capturing and spacing.
The Celtics’ beginning 5 additionally could possibly be extra amorphous and matchup-dependent this season as Mazzulla experiments with totally different combos.
Hugo Gonzalez
Boston’s high 2025 draft choose is dealing with a steep studying curve as he makes the bounce from Actual Madrid to the NBA as a 19-year-old rookie. It would take Gonzalez a while to regulate to the American recreation and earn Mazzulla’s belief, however he ought to have extra alternatives for minutes than prior Celtics draftees since he’s not becoming a member of a star-laden, championship-contending roster.
What do the Celtics need to see from the 6-foot-6 wing in these minutes? Slicing, offensive rebounding, tempo, tenacity. Gonzalez’s offensive recreation continues to be creating (he shot simply 30.2% from the sector and 30.4% from three in his first NBA Summer season League), but when he could be a nuisance defensively and play with power at each ends, he will be an asset off the bench.
It’s far too early to pencil Gonzalez right into a rotation function, nevertheless. Odds are he’ll must spend not less than a part of his rookie yr within the G League, the place he can hone his craft alongside the three Celtics rookies on two-way contracts (massive man Amari Williams, level guard Max Shulga and wing RJ Luis Jr.).
