ESPN analyst Brian Windhorst alluded to massive roster changes that could be coming to Boston after this season ended, even if it resulted in a second-straight championship. Any major roster changes are put on hold as star player Jayson Tatum is out indefinitely with a torn right Achilles tendon.
The injury not only ends his postseason, but probably keeps him out all of or at least most of next season too. With that, Boston will most likely be stuck with the core it has now as any massive changes at this point would pretty much take them all the way out of contention in the Eastern conference.
Between Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the Celtics have over $500 million tied up in their salaries. It could be hard to bring both of them back next year if they lost a championship. Derrick White’s extension last year is another $111 million. Now Boston is essentially stuck with all of that for at least a year through Tatum’s recovery.
The good thing about that is, they could end up having a down year and use a first round pick to get a future star that would make it a lot easier to part ways with one of Tatum and Brown before the 2026-27 season begins.
Think about what happened to the Spurs in 1997. David Robinson went down with an injury, playing in just six games. They went from 59 wins and an appearance in the Western Conference Semifinals, to 20 wins and missing the playoffs entirely. But they won the NBA Draft Lottery and landed the No. 1 pick — Tim Duncan.
The next season, Duncan won Rookie of the Year. Robinson returned healthy and they yo-yoed back up to 56 wins. A year later, they won their first of five titles in 16 years, kicking off one of the NBA's most memorable dynasties.
It's hard to imagine the Celtics sliding to the bottom of the standings next year, even without Tatum. But you don't have to be the worst team in the league to land the No. 1 pick, and a similar scenario could certainly be in play for Boston.
Where do the Boston Celtics go after grim Jayson Tatum injury news?
There’s not much Boston can do now with Tatum out, most likely all of next year. Any drastic roster changes don’t really solve anything. Achilles injuries can tarnish a career. Tatum is young enough that he could return to his former self, but it’s not guaranteed.
Klay Thompson didn’t look the same after injuries plagued him for two straight seasons. Kevin Durant was able to play at a high level, but you could tell he wasn’t quite himself after his Achilles injury.
Tatum could be on either side of that spectrum, which makes their future even more grim. They don’t have a lot of options other than hope that a core without Tatum can still win. The Eastern Conference is notoriously known for being easier than the Western Conference so that bodes well for the Celtics.
This also means Brown has a chance to prove why the Celtics are throwing him an average of $57 million a year. White has a chance to validate his extension as well. Boston has a good enough roster to compete in the Eastern Conference. But they don't have to. Maybe they make some subtle tweaks to, quiet tanking, shedding some veterans and resetting this core around Tatum, Brown and a game-changing pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.