The Boston Celtics were riding a high just a few months ago. After winning the 2024 NBA Championship behind Jayson Tatum’s MVP-level run and a suffocating defense, everything seemed aligned for another deep playoff run. But the 2025 postseason turned out to be brutal. Tatum suffered a torn Achilles in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals and is expected to miss the entire 2025–26 season. Without him, Boston’s championship window has taken a massive hit, and the team’s front office hasn’t exactly eased the blow. Jrue Holiday was traded shortly after the Finals, Kristaps Porzingis was moved to clear cap space and Georges Niang was flipped for second-rounders. Its latest addition has been Chris Boucher on a $3.3M deal — a solid role player, but far from a needle-mover. What’s left is a roster that still features a strong backcourt, but one that feels dramatically imbalanced. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White are a top-tier defensive tandem, Payton Pritchard continues to prove his worth as a spark plug off
