Celtics notebook: Thoughts on Boston’s talent drain, Damian Lillard rumors

The Boston Celtics' roster has significantly weakened since their 2024 NBA championship, despite President Brad Stevens avoiding the term "rebuild". The team has lost four starting-caliber players (Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford) plus key backup Luke Kornet, while adding only one starter, guard Anfernee Simons, acquired in the Holiday trade. Beyond Simons, additions include rotation player Georges Niang, end-of-bench players Luka Garza and Josh Minott, raw rookie Hugo Gonzalez, and two-way players Amari Williams and Max Shulga. The NBA's punitive second apron luxury tax rules are cited as a major factor in dismantling the team's enviable depth.

The center position has been hit hardest. Boston traded Porzingis (driven by salary and durability concerns) and failed to re-sign his intended backups, Horford and Kornet. Kornet secured a lucrative free-agent deal with San Antonio, while Horford is considered unlikely to return. This leaves the Celtics with Neemias Queta (a distant fourth on last season's depth chart), Xavier Tillman, newcomer Luka Garza (who played sparingly in Minnesota), and rookie Amari Williams – potentially forming the NBA's weakest center group. Queta and Garza combined for only 32 minutes of garbage time in the entire 2024 postseason.