Xavier Tillman faces a crossroads season with Boston, needing to stay healthy and offer a real three-point threat to win a steady backup role behind the frontcourt. His defense remains elite on switches and in forcing turnovers, but his offensive game lacks a credible spacer or ball-handler, keeping him on the fringe when the Celtics rotate bigs.

With Horford, Kornet and Porzingis out of the mix, a clearer path should exist if Tillman can stay durable and develop a league-average jumper. This season may define whether he can become a functional two-way big or drift into limited backup minutes elsewhere.

Boston faces a potential gap year with Jayson Tatum sidelined, forcing a recalibration of goals. After unloading Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday and letting Luke Kornet slide, the front office is weighing whether one more move makes sense to balance development with cap flexibility.

The CLNS Media podcast hosts debate whether Boston should chase a late trade to upgrade the rotation or lean into the young core and cost control. Either path shapes fantasy value, rotation duties, and midseason buyouts or acquisitions.

Georgia-born Jaylen Brown remains a Celtics lifer through 2028-29, keeping any hometown Hawks reunion on the distant horizon. Kristaps Porziņģis’ arrival in Atlanta shakes East balance and fuels chatter, but Boston’s front office still views Brown as foundational. With Jayson Tatum sidelined at times, Brown’s role and fantasy value should rise as he carries more responsibility.

The Porziņģis move and Brown’s hypothetical return would reshape rosters and upside for fantasy managers. Brown’s steady production, coupled with Porziņģis’ floor spacing, could lift both teams’ ceilings this season, making Brown a must-watch asset when Celtics games are in flux.

NBA insiders spot a wave of high-upside arrivals that could bend fantasy value this season. Durant joins Houston as a trusted closer, Bane slides into Orlando to lift the Magic’s 3-point game, and Cameron Johnson lands in Denver to pair with Jokic and boost spacing. Ayton’s move to the Lakers adds interior punch, Porzingis shores up Atlanta’s defense and floor spacing, while Beal and Powell provide seasoned scoring depth in L.A. and Miami. Dylan Harper and Edgecombe enter as rookies and wings poised to surprise, with Mike Brown’s Knicks and a reshaped supporting cast stirring the mix.

Coaching swaps, new surrounding casts, and the year’s top rookies reshape roles across the board. Expect big swings in top-line usage, late-round breakouts, and a few surprise fantasy risers as the 2025-26 season unfolds. This preview highlights the new paths for impact players and where fantasy managers should look for late-season leverage.

Atlanta reshapes its roster with a bold three‑team swap that lands Kristaps Porzingis and adds Nickeil Alexander‑Walker and Luke Kennard. A draft‑night maneuver downgrades from No. 13 to No. 23 for an unprotected 2026 first that could land in the lottery. The front office’s gamble, led by Onsi Saleh, has many observers buzzing about Atlanta’s short‑term floor and long‑term ceiling.

The move set also features Pelicans and Bucks’ looming uncertainty and Porzingis’ fit with Trae Young, plus Kennard and NAW delivering shooting, handling and spacing. For fantasy managers, monitor Porzingis’ health and minutes, NAW’s upside as a secondary creator, and Kennard’s sniper role in a deeper Hawks rotation.