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Home > NBA News & Analysis > Boston Celtics News & Analysis > Celtics’ Starting Lineup Has Been Massively Downgraded Compared To Last Year

Celtics’ Starting Lineup Has Been Massively Downgraded Compared To Last Year

A lot has changed for the Boston Celtics in a year, as their projected starting lineup for 2025-26 looks very different from the one for 2024-25.

Gautam Varier
Jul 1, 2025
4 Min Read
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Credit: Fadeaway World

The Boston Celtics were on top of the basketball world just a year ago, but a lot has changed since then. The Celtics have lost some key pieces this offseason, and with Jayson Tatum likely out for a year after tearing his Achilles, too, their projected starting lineup for 2025-26 looks vastly different from the one in 2024-25.

Celtics’ lineup one year ago vs. today. 😳

(h/t @DistinctionAge) pic.twitter.com/tikKm6VrLM

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 1, 2025

The Celtics came into the 2024-25 season as title favorites, largely thanks to that impressive starting five. Even with Kristaps Porzingis missing much of the 2024 playoffs due to injury, they had won the title relatively easily, going 16-3 in the postseason.

The Celtics would prove to be one of the best teams in the NBA again in 2024-25, finishing the campaign with a 61-21 record. Their hopes of defending their title would be squashed in the Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks, however.

The Knicks won the first two games in Boston to put themselves in the driver’s seat for the series. The Celtics managed to avert total disaster by winning Game 3, but would lose Game 4 and see Tatum suffer that Achilles tear on the night as well.

Once it was clear that Tatum was set to be out long-term, you knew major changes were inevitable in the offseason. The Celtics were expected to try to get out of the second apron as it is, and the injury meant they had absolutely no incentive to keep the core together.

First, the Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks. Not long after, Porzingis was sent to the Atlanta Hawks along with a second-round pick for Georges Niang and a second-round pick.

The Celtics saved approximately $260 million in luxury tax after trading Holiday and Porzingis. These moves enabled them to get under the second apron as well.

While those are some big positives, the Celtics are going to suffer on the court. They have won more than 55 games in each of the last three seasons, and it’s safe to say they won’t be extending that streak.

With Jaylen Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP, and Derrick White still on the roster, the Celtics aren’t at risk of bottoming out, but they won’t be making much noise in 2025-26. They should make the playoffs with how weak the Eastern Conference is, but winning even one playoff series will prove to be extremely difficult.  

Having Niang and Xavier Tillman as two of your starters certainly isn’t ideal. The Celtics could have Neemias Queta or the recently acquired Luka Garza in the lineup instead of Tillman, but those two aren’t massive upgrades either. 

The Celtics could potentially bring back Al Horford, who is a free agent, but there is competition for his services. The Golden State Warriors are reportedly one of the teams interested in Horford, and his departure would be another blow. While the 39-year-old isn’t exactly a huge difference-maker at this stage of his career, he still has a positive impact on the court.

Time will tell if the Celtics are able to retain Horford. Even if they do accomplish that, though, this upcoming season will be somewhat of a write-off. The front office’s focus needs to be on figuring out how they can build a title-contending roster next year when Tatum comes back.  

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ByGautam Varier
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Gautam Varier is a staff writer and columnist for Fadeaway World from Mumbai, India. He graduated from Symbiosis International University with a Master of Business specializing in Sports Management in 2020. This educational achievement enables Gautam to apply sophisticated analytical techniques to his incisive coverage of basketball, blending business acumen with sports knowledge.Before joining Fadeaway World in 2022, Gautam honed his journalistic skills at Sportskeeda and SportsKPI, where he covered a range of sports topics with an emphasis on basketball. His passion for the sport was ignited after witnessing the high-octane offense of the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns. Among the Suns, Shawn Marion stood out to Gautam as an all-time underrated NBA player. Marion’s versatility as a defender and his rebounding prowess, despite being just 6’7”, impressed Gautam immensely. He admired Marion’s finishing ability at the rim and his shooting, despite an unconventional jump shot, believing that Marion’s skill set would have been even more appreciated in today’s NBA.This transformative experience not only deepened his love for basketball but also shaped his approach to sports writing, enabling him to connect with readers through vivid storytelling and insightful analysis.
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