This is not the championship roster from 2024 anymore. The names have changed, the age of the roster is a little unusual, and the Celtics are entering the 2026-27 season with more health concerns than they would probably like. Even so, this is not a team that is preparing to fall out of the picture in the Eastern Conference.
Boston finished last season with 56 wins and second place in the East, even though Jayson Tatum was out for almost the entire year while recovering from a ruptured Achilles. He came back faster than most people expected, but the season still ended badly. The Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead against the 76ers and were eliminated in the First Round, and that result made it clear the front office could not simply bring everyone back and treat this as a roster that only needed minor adjustments.
Still, no one thought the Celtics would ever trade Jaylen Brown to the 76ers as their main adjustment, to be honest. In return, Boston received Paul George, an unprotected 2031 first-round pick, a top-16 protected 2028 first-round pick from the Clippers, and second-round picks in both 2028 and 2030. Brown had just averaged 28.7 points per game, so this was even harder to process. The Celtics chose to take on an older and more injury-prone player because George’s shorter contract, combined with the draft compensation, gave them significantly more long-term flexibility.
From there, Brad Stevens worked to fill out the roster with experienced veterans. Mitchell Robinson signed a three-year, $47.4 million deal after winning a championship with the Knicks. Mike Conley Jr. joined to stabilize the backup guard minutes, and both Neemias Queta and Ron Harper Jr. returned on multi-year contracts.
So this roster looks a bit unusual on paper. The starting lineup offers shooting, defense, experience, and one of the best offensive rebounders in the league, but it also includes several players who cannot realistically be counted on for 75 games. The bench has enough depth to compensate, though a great deal depends on whether the younger wings take another step forward.
Here is how the lineup and rotation should look heading into the season.
Projected Starting Lineup
Point Guard: Payton Pritchard
Shooting Guard: Derrick White
Small Forward: Paul George
Power Forward: Jayson Tatum
Center: Mitchell Robinson
The Backcourt Is A Great Mix Of Offense And Defense
Payton Pritchard is no longer just the small guard who comes off the bench and knocks down the occasional deep three. Last season gave him a much bigger role, and he adapted to it better than many expected. Across 79 games, he put up 17.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, while shooting 46.4% from the field, 37.7% from three, and 89.0% from the free-throw line.
The turnover numbers stand out the most. Pritchard averaged only 1.4 turnovers in 32.4 minutes per game, which is a strong figure for a player generating more offense than at any previous point in his career. He did not turn into an elite playmaker overnight, but he kept Boston’s offense organized and rarely gave possessions away with poor decisions.
Derrick White, his likely partner in the backcourt, went through an unusual season. His overall production remained strong, with 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game, but his shooting fell off for long stretches. He shot only 39.4% from the field and 32.7% from three, both noticeably below his usual standards.
Despite the shooting decline, White still finished with a team-best plus/minus of 598. That figure reflects how much he contributes beyond scoring. He rotates early on defense, blocks shots that most guards simply cannot reach, keeps the ball moving offensively, and is capable of guarding either backcourt position.
Starting Mike Conley Jr. would feel unnatural at this stage. Conley is close to 39 years old and clearly signed to manage bench minutes rather than take over a significant role. Pritchard already understands Joe Mazzulla’s system, offers far more shooting range, and can play alongside White without needing constant control of the ball.
Size remains a real concern, particularly against larger backcourts, and that will not change. Still, Boston can compensate for it more easily with George, Tatum, and Robinson surrounding both. Offensively, the shooting should provide enough spacing to keep their high-octane offense living with the constant three-point attempts.
Paul George Won’t Replace Jaylen Brown By Himself
The simplest way to make the Paul George situation look disappointing is to compare his production directly to what Jaylen Brown provided. George is not going to give Boston 28.7 points a night at this stage of his career. He appeared in only 37 games with the 76ers last season, finishing with averages of 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals.
That said, his shooting efficiency held up well. George shot 43.9% from the field and 39.2% from three, meaning he can remain a valuable contributor without needing to dominate the ball. That is likely the role Boston envisions for him anyway: spot-up shooting, secondary pick-and-roll opportunities, attacking mismatches, and giving Tatum occasional rest during games.
This role should be considerably easier for George than what he experienced during parts of his time with the Clippers and 76ers. With Pritchard and White organizing the offense, Tatum remaining the primary option, and Robinson generating extra possessions near the basket, George will not be asked to carry the offense on his own.
Health remains the main concern. Boston cannot build its wing rotation around the assumption that George will play 65 games, because that is unlikely. That is precisely why Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and Jordan Walsh need to be prepared for larger roles when needed. If George can provide somewhere between 55 and 60 solid games and stay available in the playoffs, this trade has a real chance to work out better than many currently expect.
Jayson Tatum Still Determines the Ceiling
Everything ultimately comes back to Jayson Tatum. He returned in under ten months after rupturing his Achilles and played 16 regular-season games, averaging 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.4 steals. His efficiency was understandably inconsistent, shooting 41.1% from the field and 32.9% from three.
Simply seeing him play more than 32 minutes a game that quickly after the injury was already a significant achievement. His movement was not fully back, his first step looked slower, and he occasionally settled for jump shots because attacking the basket still felt uncomfortable. A full, uninterrupted offseason should make a much bigger difference than any tactical adjustment could.
Before the injury, during the 2024-25 season, Tatum averaged 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. Boston does not necessarily need him to average 30 points from day one, but it does need him to reestablish himself as the team’s primary closer in late-game situations. George can help create offense, White can facilitate, and Pritchard can hit difficult shots, but Tatum remains the only player on this roster capable of raising the team’s overall ceiling.
Boston should also be more careful with his workload this season. Last year showed that the team can survive regular-season games without leaning on him for everything. Managing his minutes and preserving his energy for April is more important than pushing him through 38-minute performances against weaker opponents in December.
Mitchell Robinson Adds A Different Identity To The Team
Mitchell Robinson should be in the starting lineup. Boston did not commit three years and $47.4 million to him after his championship run with the Knicks simply to use him as emergency depth. Neemias Queta performed well last season, but Robinson brings a level of rebounding and physical presence the Celtics have lacked for some time.
His scoring average looks modest at 5.7 points per game, but that number does not reflect his overall impact. Robinson averaged 8.8 rebounds and 4.2 offensive rebounds in just 19.6 minutes per game, while also contributing 1.2 blocks and shooting 72.3% from the field.
Those extra possessions could meaningfully change Boston’s offense. The Celtics attempt a large volume of three-pointers, and Robinson gives them a player who can capitalize on missed shots rather than immediately retreating on defense. He does not need touches or post-up opportunities. His job is simple: screen, roll, crash the offensive glass, and finish near the basket.
Spacing will be tighter with him on the floor, since he is not a shooting threat and made only 40.8% of his free throws last season. Still, with Pritchard, White, George, and Tatum all requiring defensive attention on the perimeter, Boston can afford one non-shooter, provided that player is generating extra possessions and protecting the rim.
The bigger concern is durability. Robinson has never been considered a safe bet health-wise, which means Queta will continue to see substantial playing time. Boston can name Robinson the starter without necessarily needing him for 30 minutes a night.
Main Bench Rotation
PG: Mike Conley Jr.
SG: Baylor Scheierman
SF: Hugo Gonzalez
PF: Sam Hauser
C: Neemias Queta
Mike Conley Jr. is not arriving in Boston to be the All-Star version of himself from years past. Last season, he averaged only 4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 18.4 minutes, shooting 33.5% from the field and 33.7% from three. His main responsibilities will be organizing the second unit, getting the ball to Boston’s bigs, and preventing the bench group from settling for careless shots.
Baylor Scheierman may be the most important young piece coming off the bench. In his second season, he averaged 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 18.6 minutes, while shooting 39.9% from three. That kind of shooting is already at an NBA-caliber level, and George’s expected rest nights should open up additional opportunities for him.
Hugo Gonzalez adds another intriguing option to the bench. As a rookie, he averaged 3.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 14.6 minutes, shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.2% from three. His shooting volume was limited, but it was enough that opponents could not fully disregard him as a scoring threat.
His role should increase after the Celtics decided against moving him in the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal, so Gonzales will most likely be the 6th man for next season. His job will be to defend at a high level, cut without the ball, run the floor in transition, and avoid holding onto the ball for too long. Boston already has enough playmakers around him, which allows Gonzalez to focus primarily on the physical aspects of the game and his outside shooting.
Sam Hauser remains the most reliable shooter off the bench. He averaged 9.2 points and 3.8 rebounds while attempting 6.5 three-pointers per game and making 39.3% of them. He also shot 42.1% from deep during the First Round, which shows his shooting was not a factor in Boston’s playoff loss.
Neemias Queta enters this season as a much stronger backup after starting 75 games last year. He finished the season averaging 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.3 blocks, while shooting 65.3% from the field. He also grabbed 3.0 offensive rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game, meaning Boston can continue to attack the offensive glass even when Robinson is off the floor.
There is no need to frame this as a dramatic competition between the two centers. Robinson starts, Queta plays significant minutes, and each can cover for the other during injuries or scheduled rest. Across an 82-game season, that arrangement is probably the most practical way to manage the position.
Additional Depth
– Jordan Walsh
– Luka Garza
– Ron Harper Jr.
Beyond the main rotation, a few more names round out the depth chart. Jordan Walsh averaged 5.4 points and 4.0 rebounds across 68 games last season, while shooting 38.4% from three. Luka Garza contributed 8.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in just 16.2 minutes per game, with a strong 43.3% mark from beyond the arc. Ron Harper Jr. saw more limited action, appearing in 29 games and averaging 4.2 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists.
Final Rotation Outlook
The core ten-man rotation should consist of Pritchard, White, George, Tatum, Robinson, Conley, Scheierman, Gonzalez, Hauser, and Queta. Walsh will likely enter the lineup whenever Boston needs an additional defensive wing, while Garza can serve as a shooting big man if the regular center rotation becomes too congested.
This roster has enough talent to win a considerable number of games, but the medical questions are difficult to overlook. Tatum is coming back from a ruptured Achilles and a previous knee issue. George played in only 37 games last season. Robinson has a long history of injuries, and Conley is nearly 39 years old.
At the same time, the overall fit of this roster is not bad. Pritchard and White provide shooting and ball movement. George is being asked to fill a smaller offensive role rather than force difficult shots. Tatum remains the team’s superstar, and Robinson, alongside Queta, gives Boston a full 48 minutes of rebounding and rim protection.
Losing Brown does make this team less explosive, and there is no way to argue around that. Still, the roster retains enough shooting, defense, and experience to remain competitive near the top of the Eastern Conference, as long as the key players can stay on the court.
That last condition is really what the entire season comes down to. On paper, this lineup looks strong. Boston simply needs to see it play together consistently, more than twenty times, before drawing any real conclusions.
