The Boston Celtics have taken a significant step back in ESPN’s latest power rankings, released Wednesday.
Boston landed at No. 17 overall and No. 7 among Eastern Conference teams. The Celtics, who were ranked No. 12 by ESPN directly following the NBA Finals, have had a tough offseason marked by financial constraints and the ongoing consequences of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury.
Here’s what ESPN’s Tim Bontemps had to say about the Celtics: “The offseason for Boston has been centered around cost-cutting, as the Celtics — with Jayson Tatum likely missing the entirety of this upcoming season due to a torn Achilles — have worked to get out of the second apron by moving on from Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. The question is whether Boston will be able to fully duck the tax this season and reset its repeater tax clock or will remain in it.”
Tatum’s injury, suffered during the playoffs against the New York Knicks, has forced the Celtics to pivot from title contention to roster reconfiguration. Trading key contributors like Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks and Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, Boston acquired Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang to shed salary.
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens is navigating the NBA’s stringent second-apron restrictions, which come with heavy penalties.
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Despite the overhaul, optimism remains. Jaylen Brown (recovering from a meniscus injury) and Derrick White anchor a roster that isn’t entirely without talent. It will be a different kind of season for Celtics fans, and the team itself, suddenly doubted on all sides, may approach each game with an extra hunger that was missing in 2024-25 when the Celtics were still basking in championship glory.
The bottom line is that with Tatum sidelined, Boston’s championship hopes for 2025-26 are dim. The focus now is on financial flexibility for future contention when Tatum returns, hopefully by 2026-27.
For now, the Celtics’ No. 17 ranking is fair, and it’s up to Joe Mazzulla’s club to prove that ranking wrong.
