The Boston Celtics are definitely heading into unknown territory this upcoming season. The roster has been ransacked during the off-season, and frankly, no one has a decent handle on what they can accomplish.
They will certainly miss the suffocating defensive coverage focused on superstar, Jayson Tatum, and that coverage will be felt the most by Jaylen Brown. Can he handle his new role as "Alpha Dog"? He says he can, and who can doubt the 2024 Finals MVP.
Neemias Queta isn't Kristaps Porzingis by any stretch, but he can be a double-double machine with a defensive mindset close to the rim. If he sticks to what he does best and lessens his on-court errors, he can fill the role of starting center for The Green.
If Yahoo's Fantasy mock drafts are any indication, Derrick White is expected by many fans to raise his game a level or two. Payton Pritchard just may do the same.
Anfernee Simons is a real unknown in the mix. He is a volume scorer, but he will need to work harder on the defensive end to stay on the court for big minutes. And that is assuming he is not traded elsewhere prior to the season.
Who will be that fifth starter next to Brown, White, Queta and Pritchard? Expect to see some experimentation here by Joe Mazzulla. Luka Garza and Chris Boucher will no doubt get a shot as fifth starter, and Sam Hauser is another option.
The "unknowns" are plentiful for The Green. But for a change, expectations are not very high. The first half of the season should be interesting - and possibly quite exciting - as the new faces get a shot at proving themselves. And if the season seems lost by All-Star Weekend time, there is always the chance of a lottery pick joining Jayson Tatum when he returns to action in 2026.
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