Ten stat-based predictions shape Boston's season: Payton Pritchard should push his assists above five per game as he expands his playmaking role. Jaylen Brown eyes top-five scoring, while Anfernee Simons could emerge as a dynamic secondary scorer. Derrick White projects higher defensive impact, Neemias Queta earns 20+ minutes, and Boston nets a less prolific rebounding season.

Expect volatility: five-game win and five-game losing streaks, a possible late return for Jayson Tatum if contention demands it, and a 44-38 finish to grab the 6 seed. The Celtics won’t lead the league in 3s, but a more versatile attack should keep them dangerous in a crowded East.

Celtics cap-clearing moves paved the way for Chris Boucher, with Georges Niang’s exit freeing annual salary and tax room after the Porzingis trade. Brad Stevens framed the decision as a precise balance of wing depth, added size, and fiscal sense, ensuring Boston could pursue value without overcommitting. The net effect: a cheaper, versatile frontcourt upgrade centered on Boucher while trimming costs.

The Niang saga—nicknamed the 'minivan'—highlights the current NBA playbook: maximize fit and efficiency over keeping players for sentiment or potential upside. Boston’s roster reshaping aims for sustained depth and flexibility, not revisionist rebuilds.

Center rotation for the Celtics remains unsettled after Porzingis exit and Horford/Kornet departures. Neemias Queta stands out as the most logical anchor to protect the rim, with Luka Garza pushing for minutes and Chris Boucher or Xavier Tillman, Sr. offering small-ball upside if Boston goes tempo-friendly. Early-season minutes will shape who starts and how Boston balances defense with floor-spacing, making early fantasy value volatile but with upside as the rotation stabilizes.

The Celtics head into 2025-26 with a thin frontcourt. Neemias Queta is projected to start at center, Chris Boucher slides to power forward, and Luka Garza with Xavier Tillman battle for minutes. Offseason attrition raises frontcourt risk and fantasy baggage, making minute distribution crucial.

Locked On Fantasy Basketball weighs Queta’s upside, Boucher’s path to minutes, and Garza/Tillman’s ceilings. For fantasy players, the focus is raw stats: blocks, boards, efficient scoring, and how matchup-driven usage could turn a waiver add into a weekly contributor.