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The Boston Celtics’ offseason hasn’t gone the way fans hoped; in fact, it’s been a bit of a mess. After winning the championship in 2024, things quickly started to fall apart. The biggest blow came when their star player, Jayson Tatum, tore his right Achilles tendon during a tough playoff loss to the New York Knicks. That injury alone changed everything for the team.
Because of the injury and huge financial pressure, a tax bill of over $500 million, the Celtics were forced to make some painful decisions. They had to trade away two big names from their championship squad: Jrue Holiday went to the Portland Trail Blazers, and Kristaps Porzingis was sent to the Atlanta Hawks. Longtime veteran Al Horford is also likely to leave as a free agent.
With all that talent walking out the door, Boston’s front office shifted into money-saving mode, trying to avoid going over the NBA’s dreaded “second apron,” a rule that penalises teams that spend too much. Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes summed it all up with one word: “bummer.” He pointed out that the heavy tax penalties were always looming, but Tatum’s injury made it even harder for the team to keep things together.
Now, the weight of the Celtics’ future rests on the shoulders of Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. They’ll have to step up and lead the team, at least until Tatum can (hopefully) return later in the season. But even then, it’s unlikely Boston will be strong enough to make a deep playoff run. With a thinner bench and fewer options in the frontcourt, this team just doesn’t have the same firepower it used to.
The Celtics did bring in Anfernee Simons from Portland as part of the Holiday trade, which adds some spark. But he’s on an expiring contract, and there’s already talk that the team might trade him again before the next season starts.
All in all, Boston did manage to save money and get a bit younger, but the once-dominant, championship-winning squad now feels like it’s in limbo. After four seasons of winning 50+ games, the Celtics face real uncertainty heading into the 2025-26 season.