It’s over. The offseason is behind us. This time subsequent week, the Boston Celtics will likely be on tempo for both 82, 41, or 0 wins after their first two video games towards the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks. The Celtics have extra uncertainty surrounding their roster than in any of the earlier eight seasons, which made a sometimes mundane preseason somewhat extra thrilling. Whereas we solely received to see the Celtics matchup towards one workforce that performed their starters, we have been nonetheless capable of glean a good quantity about this 12 months’s workforce. Let’s hand out some grades for a way Celtics gamers fared within the 2025 NBA Preseason.
Please be aware that these grades are relative to expectations. Jaylen Brown was the higher participant than Josh Minott; nevertheless, Josh Minott may obtain the next grade based mostly on his expectations coming into the season.
Let’s kick issues off with the roster stalwarts.
Coming into the ultimate preseason recreation, my largest takeaway on Jaylen Brown was that he seemed wholesome. The model of Jaylen Brown that we noticed within the Knicks sequence might as properly have been a unique human from the participant we noticed within the preseason. It was nice to see the explosive Jaylen Brown again on the ground. Sadly, his standing for the beginning of the common season is now in jeopardy as a consequence of a hamstring harm. Within the minutes that we did see Jaylen Brown, I noticed what I anticipated: a participant who was clearly the very best participant on the courtroom. Primed for an additional All-NBA calibre season.
It doesn’t appear to matter what function Derrick White performs. No matter function he’s requested to play, he stars in that function. We knew we’d see an up-scaled Derrick White coming into the season, however with Jaylen Brown leaving the ultimate preseason recreation, we noticed Derrick do his finest Jayson Tatum impression. Main the workforce in utilization, cleansing the glass, and dominating on the defensive finish. White poured in 33 factors, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 blocks, on 61.2% true capturing. The restrict to Derrick White’s powers seems to be limitless.
I stay up for seeing Derrick grace the All-Star recreation along with his presence this season.
I’ve spent the offseason believing {that a} Jalen Brunson-Lite leap is feasible for Payton Pritchard. I noticed nothing within the preseason to dissuade me from believing that it’s nonetheless attainable. The a part of Pritchard’s recreation I believed was able to taking vital strides was his playmaking. Within the lone recreation towards NBA starters, Pritchard dropped 10 assists with zero turnovers. Pritchard has turned himself into a superb basketball participant. Let’s see the place it takes us.
In his two preseason video games, Anfernee Simons did what earned him his four-year, $100 million contract. He scored the ball effectively. That was the expectation. I’m docking Simons for his underwhelming playmaking and decision-making. I don’t need to overreact to preseason; nevertheless, coming into the season, I used to be hopeful that Simons may spend a bit of time initiating the offense, creating pictures for others. Simons struggled to persistently break down the protection, which restricted his means to search out shooters and cutters. He additionally struggled with ball stress, resulting in live-ball turnovers, of which he had six within the preseason finale. I’m not docking Simons for his sub-par protection, as that was to be anticipated…however Simons’ protection was as marketed.
Brad Stevens might have performed it once more. Josh Minott seems like an actual hit. A six-foot-nine versatile wing whose motor doesn’t flip off. Some gamers discover themselves in the proper place on the proper time. It’s a ability, and Josh Minott has it. Whether or not it’s a weakside rotation to offer some secondary rim safety, flying in for an offensive rebound, or reducing baseline for a simple slam, Minott impacted profitable in each method all through the preseason. The cherry on high was his drives to the rim. Utilizing both hand, Minott displayed a capability to blow up to the rim and end over and round would-be rim protectors. I’m glad there’s a workforce choice on the second 12 months of Josh Minott’s contract, as I need to see him play with a totally wholesome Jayson Tatum.
I gained’t fail anybody for preseason basketball. Nonetheless, we now have come crashing down from the excessive of the handful of video games that Baylor Scheierman performed properly in on the finish of the 2024-2025 common season. Scheierman turned in an underwhelming Summer time Leauge, and adopted that up with an underwhelming preseason. There are backup wing minutes to be seized. Josh Minott, three years youthful, and Hugo Gonzalez, 5 years youthful, seem to have seized these minutes from Scheierman. Baylor’s three-point shot continues to evade him, however what persistently stands out to me is his poor shot choice. It typically seems like Baylor is searching the spotlight when he must make the proper learn and easy play. The nail within the coffin, although? 1:29 to go within the closing preseason recreation, the Celtics are up 106-94, the ball is kicked to Jamal Shead on the high of the important thing, and Baylor Scheierman does one of many laziest contests I’ve ever seen. He couldn’t even muster a Kornet Contest. Shead buries the three. This kick-started a late surge for the Raptors. The id of this Boston Celtics workforce has been pitched to us as the toughest, fastest-playing workforce within the league. You have got 31-year-old NBA Champion Derrick White taking part in the final preseason recreation prefer it’s a Recreation 7, and Baylor has a lazy closeout that’s the catalyst for a close to collapse. It’s onerous to make a case for him to get minutes forward of Minott or Hugo Gonzalez at this level.
Coming into the season, I anticipated Hugo Gonzalez to spend nearly all of his rookie season with the Maine Celtics. Gonzalez has comfortably moved forward of Scheierman, and he’s battling Jordan Walsh for a spot within the rotation. The 19-year-old from Spain flashed a mixture of defensive depth and offensive IQ within the preseason that ought to earn him some back-end rotation minutes. I like that Hugo is sweet for no less than one hovering offensive rebound tip-in per recreation, which may be accompanied by a wild chase-down block later within the quarter. I don’t know how one can justify benching the 19-year-old that has tantalising upside, in favour of the 25-year-old Scheierman, who remains to be trying to find stability possession to possession.
I’m impressed with Neemias Queta. Whereas I nonetheless consider Queta will likely be overtasked as a beginning heart this season, the Celtics will be ok with Queta as a rotational massive on a contender on the finish of the season. The factor that jumped out to me in preseason was Queta’s exercise and effectiveness as a screener. I’ve vivid reminiscences from final season of myself screaming for Queta to get out and in of his screens quicker. Via the preseason, and particularly within the preseason finale, it felt as if issues clicked for Queta. Sprinting down the courtroom each possession, searching each on and off-ball screens to both spring a teammate free or to create a simple roll for himself. Queta studying to harness his measurement and athleticism could be a large boon to a Celtics workforce trying to find competent heart play.
This will likely appear low for Chris Boucher. However I’ve been a Chris Boucher man for years, and the Boucher skillset was on full show this preseason. The mix of measurement, size, and explosiveness, blended with capturing and shot blocking, makes me marvel why Boucher was obtainable for the veteran’s minimal. Boucher didn’t present any obtrusive weaknesses which have led him to battle for rotation minutes. It gained’t take lengthy for Boucher to be heralded as one of many steals of the offseason.
This grade relies purely on Xavier Tillman trying wholesome. After final season, it was truthful to marvel if Tillman’s physique had betrayed him and that his days within the NBA have been numbered. Then Tillman threw down a one-handed alley-oop. Recreation 3 of the NBA Finals was not a fever dream. Xavier Tillman locking down Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in isolation within the NBA Finals occurred. Xavier Tillman going toe-to-toe with Anthony Davis within the 2023 NBA Playoffs occurred. If Tillman can preserve this newfound invoice of well being, he can discover a foothold within the NBA as a rotational massive man.
As anticipated, it was a combined bag within the preseason for Luka Garza. Garza is just like the funds massive man model of Anfernee Simons. Garza is clearly a talented offensive participant. He has unbelievable timing and persistence when he has the ball across the basket. As evidenced by his 6.7 free throw makes an attempt per recreation within the preseason. An absurd quantity contemplating Garza solely performed 16.3 minutes per recreation. On the opposite finish of the courtroom, we have been reminded why Luka Garza was obtainable for the veteran’s minimal. The gradual toes, the restricted vertical pop stopping him from defending the rim, we noticed all of it. Much like Simons, the sub-par protection was on Garza’s scouting report, so to me, he met expectations this preseason.
In case anybody forgot. It wasn’t an accident that Sam Hauser was the seventh man on a championship workforce. Sam Hauser rolls away from bed and shoots 40% or higher from the three-point line. Not solely did Hauser showcase his typical three-point capturing brilliance, however he additionally exhibited some secondary playmaking and, excitingly, some downhill attacking prowess. Hauser’s grade ought to arguably be decrease as a result of the expectation is that he’s superior. For me, the off-the-dribble moments earned him an A.
Total, I used to be pleasantly stunned by what I noticed from the Celtics within the preseason. Joe Mazzulla has buy-in from the workforce. The Celtics are constructing an id of a workforce that punches above its weight every night time by taking part in quick, onerous, and capturing a boatload of three pointers.
