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Could the Boston Celtics still emerge as a contending roster?

Could the Boston Celtics still emerge as a contending roster?

USA Today28-07-2025
After a flurry of moves to begin the offseason, the narrative surrounding the Boston Celtics is that they're going to struggle next season. Moving on from Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis undoubtedly hurt the franchise, while losing Luke Kornet and potentially Al Horford crippled the team's frontcourt depth.
However, the Celtics still have Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Anfernee Simons and Payton Pritchard on the roster. And while it's not fair to expect Jayson Tatum to return next season, there's always the slight chance he defies the odds. As such, Boston's roster is strong enough to cause opposing teams problems, even if it's not good enough to be deemed a championship favorite.
In a recent episode of "The Hoop Collective" podcast, ESPN's Brian Windhorst was joined by Tim MacMahon and Tim Bontemps to discuss the Celtics' outlook for next season and whether they should still be considered contenders in a weakened Eastern Conference.
You can watch the full podcast episode by clicking on the embedded video above.
Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on:
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS
Website: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf
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