May 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is helped off the court by after an injury in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Tatum would leave the game with an injury after this play. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Celtics Owner Expects to Exceed Expectations This Season Without Jayson Tatum

Originally posted on Boston Celtics on SI
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 1:38 PM ET

New Boston Celtics owner Bill Chisholm has surprising confidence in his 2025-26 roster, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe writes.

Per Himmelsbach, Chisholm is confident that the best three incumbent, healthy Celtics — four-time All-Star Jaylen Brown, two-time All-Defensive Team guard Derrick White, and reigning Sixth Man of the Year point guard Payton Pritchard — will give the team enough weapons to compete in the weak Eastern Conference.

Boston's best player, six-time All-Star power forward Jayson Ta tum, will likely be on the shelf for most or all of the incoming season as he recovers from an Achilles tendon tear he suffered during the second round of the 2025 playoffs this past May.

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“And I think there’s real talent here that hasn’t been fully realized,” Chisholm added of their colleagues.

Chisholm may not have mentioned the relative sub-par quality of the East, but fans are no doubt well aware of it. That should give the Celtics an opportunity to at least contend for a play-in spot, even with a questionable new center rotation.

A Test For Joe Mazzulla

Head coach Joe Mazzulla will have an interesting test heading into the season. For the first time in his coaching tenure, he's been saddled with a roster that isn't expected to compete for a title.

Gone are former All-Star centers Kristaps Porzingis and (likely) Al Horford, plus third-string backup Luke Kornet.

Horford technically remains an unsigned free agent and has been offered a minimum deal to rejoin Boston, but reportedly has his sights set on the Golden State Warriors — whenever they wrap up restricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga's contract situation.

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In that trio's stead, Stevens signed former two-time champ Chris Boucher and fringe-rotation vet Luka Garza to minimum deals. They'll compete with incumbent fourth-string center Neemias Queta to replace Porzingis as Boston's new starting center.

“I’m really excited to see what he does in this kind of environment,” Chisholm said. “I think people will really appreciate what he’s all about. When he doesn’t have the loaded team, what can he do? And I think that’s going to be really interesting, and I have every confidence he’s going to crush it.”