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Boston Celtics 2025-26 projected starting lineup: No Jayson Tatum as Joe Mazzulla looks to bounce back

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Aug 18, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The Boston Celtics starting lineup will look very different next season as they try to make do without Jayson Tatum.

Going into the 2025-26 season, the Boston Celtics will be significantly weaker. The Celtics lost Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury in the playoffs, with the forward now being out for a whole year.

Realizing that their championship window with this roster was closing, they decided to make some moves. The first big step was the Celtics trading Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers.

But getting rid of Holiday wasn’t enough to alleviate their financial woes. The Celtics also traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks.

In these trades, the Celtics received some new players to add to their lineup. While they’re no longer title contenders, they could make some noise in the Eastern Conference.

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2025-26 Boston Celtics projected starting lineup

Since the Boston Celtics have made so many moves this offseason, they will have a much different starting lineup heading into the new season.

The Celtics’ projected starting lineup and depth chart look like this:

Starting Lineup	Second Unit
Payton Pritchard	Anfernee Simons
Derrick White	Jordan Walsh
Jaylen Brown	Hugo Gonzales
Chris Boucher	Sam Hauser
Neemias Queta	Luka Garza

It was reported that the Celtics would start Payton Pritchard at point guard, and bring Anfernee Simons off the bench.

The rest of the players, much like Pritchard, are stalwarts who have earned their place in the starting lineup from their seniority.

Jaylen Brown must be the new leader during rebound season

As the Boston Celtics use the 2025-26 NBA season to recalibrate and set things right before competing in 2026-27, Jaylen Brown’s role will grow massively on the team.

Brown has spoken about the previous Celtics’ frustration he felt about his role. Now, as a leader, Brown will get the top-dog role he has long sought.