“You lose three out of five starters. And even Al. So it’s definitely going to change.”
Derrick White and the Celtics are facing plenty of uncertainty going into the 2025-26 season. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
The Boston Celtics could be staring at a bridge season in 2025-26.
After securing their sought-after 18th championship in June 2024, Boston’s hopes of establishing a sustainable title contender suffered serious setbacks over the last few months.
The Celtics received a devastating blow during the 2025 playoffs after superstar forward Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon — which could sideline him for the entire 2025-26 campaign.
But beyond the absence of Tatum, what was once a loaded depth chart in Boston was decimated this offseason given the looming luxury-tax penalties that were set to hamper the Celtics’ fiscal flexibility for the foreseeable future.
In order to cut payroll, Boston traded away two starters in Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to alleviate the luxury-tax infractions. With limited spending power on hand, the Celtics were also unable to retain key lineup fixtures in Luke Kornet and Al Horford in free agency.
Boston still has some star power in place next season with Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard leading the way.
But speaking on his “White Noise” podcast, White was candid about the different dynamics at play for the Celtics going into the 2025-26 season.
“It’s definitely going to be different. It has to be. “We lost KP, Jrue, Luke, and obviously JT being out. So, you lose three out of five starters. And even Al. So it’s definitely going to change,” White said. “We’re a younger team. Kind of ever since I’ve been in Boston, we’ve had the same core. We’ve had the same group. … I think that’ll be probably the biggest adjustment — just getting everybody accustomed to how we do things in Boston and how we like to play, how we operate. So I think that will be the biggest adjustment, just getting the new guys on board as quickly as possible.
“Obviously, we’ve got training camp and everything, and I’ve heard everybody is already out there (in Boston) pretty much, so they’re already probably getting a start. But then we’re just hooping. We’ve got a bunch of competitors.”
Even with Boston’s cap-related moves and the subsequent turnover, the Celtics could have conceivably positioned themselves as a tough out next season with a healthy Tatum still in place alongside Brown and White.
But now, the Celtics are largely stuck in limbo this winter as they await Tatum’s return from an extensive rehab.
“I don’t know what my role is going to be game to game, and I kind of don’t want to be like, ‘Oh, I have to do this. JT’s out, so now I have to,’” White said. “I don’t want to put myself in that mind. Obviously, I’ve been working hard and trying to figure out how I can get better, but I feel like if I put myself in that mindset, I’m going to just maybe press or do something that’s not me.
“I’ve got to stay true to who I am, what makes me successful, so I don’t know what the role’s going to be. Whatever it might be, I’m just trying to compete, I’m trying to help us win as many games as possible, and I’m really excited.”
Even if Boston is not viewed as a legitimate championship contender this year, White believes that underdog label should motivate a Celtics roster that still believes it has more to give this winter.
“We’ve got a lot of talent, and we’ve got a great coaching staff, so it’s going to be a fun year,” White said. “(This is the) first time since I’ve been in Boston that people, like, don’t believe in us, so that’s a fun spot for me to be in, for sure. It’s kind of where I’ve always done my best, actually.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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