BRIGHTON — Monday’s Celtics Media Day session at the Auerbach Center understandably cast a different aura than recent years past.
Embarking on a new campaign without the services of injured superstar Jayson Tatum — as well key departing pieces Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet — Boston enters the season as non-championship contenders for the first time in head coach Joe Mazzulla’s tenure.
Excitement surrounding the team still exists, but for vastly different reasons.
Instead of hyping up the franchise as a legitimate favorite to hoist another Larry O’Brien Trophy, the energy has shifted more to “How will the newly acquired players fit in with the returning core, what exactly do they bring to the table, and where will this new-look squad land among the Eastern Conference’s best?”
It’s not so much a ‘rebuilding’ year as it is a ‘bridge’ year, and there’s something refreshing and compelling about that reality.
“I’m excited for the guys as a whole, but I’m really excited for the guys that are unproven. I’m not buying into the narrative of what they have been; we look at what they can do,” said Celtics president Brad Stevens, referring to both the new additions and returning players who have seen limited run early in their careers.
“(So) we’re just going to evaluate it these first few months, see how it looks, see how it comes together, be patient with the fact that we are getting some new guys together but at the same time be very optimistic, not limit us and don’t put a ceiling on us.”
The fact is this could very well still be a good-to-great Celtics team. At the very least, they’ll be an entertaining watch capable of beating any opponent on a given night.
No, they’re not the favorites out of the gate — far from it — and only time will tell if they’ll ever reach that title contending status at any point this season. But they still have Jaylen Brown in his prime, still have the versatile and highly respected Derrick White, still have reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard and sharpshooter Sam Hauser — and at some point this season they may even get Tatum back in the fold.
Those guys know their roles, know what it takes to be successful in Mazzulla’s system, and are motivated to elevate their games in the absence of a perennial MVP candidate.
And then there’s the new guys.
Chris Boucher, a 32-year-old who spent the last eight years of his career in Toronto, joins the depleted frontcourt mix as an athletic 6-foot-9 power forward who can stretch the floor with his shooting.
University of Iowa product and former National College Player of the Year Luka Garza — a 6-foot-10, 250-pound big with exceptional footwork and a soft touch — comes to town after spending four seasons buried on the bench behind a slew of talented and proven big men in Minnesota.
But the most intriguing addition has to be Anfernee Simons. A gifted scorer with elite athleticism, Simons averaged at least 19 points in each of his last three seasons in Portland, including a career-best mark of 22.6 ppg. in 2023-24.
Boston acquired the 26-year-old guard in the Holiday trade this offseason, and initially it wasn’t a guarantee that he’d still be around come training camp. There was plenty of speculation that his contract would be shed in another deal, sending him out of town just as fast as he arrived.
But now that he’s here to stay for at least the foreseeable future, anticipation and excitement is starting to build around his capabilities. And the feeling is mutual, as he’s certainly excited about being here.
“Obviously you hear a lot of stories about being traded in general, and all the stories are different,” said Simons. “But for me, I was super excited to come here and join a culture that’s already been set. It’s something that is going to help my career out tremendously.”
Showing flashes of brilliance early on in Portland after entering the league as a 19-year-old in 2018-19, Simons was officially handed the reigns of the franchise following the departure of nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard in 2023. Simons immediately elevated his scoring while playing heavy minutes in a starting role, but it never translated to a Blazers’ playoff berth, and the rest of his game left plenty to be desired.
Simons can shoot — he’s connected on 38 percent of his 3-pointers for his career — but can also be streaky. He can get to the rim and finish in traffic, but hasn’t necessarily been known for his intelligent shot selection. He doesn’t offer much in the rebounding department (although that’s not exactly what’s asked of him, either). He’s a decent passer with solid vision, but has only averaged more than five assists once in his seven years in the league.
“I go out there and try to do my best to help the team win, whether that’s scoring or doing other things,” said Simons. “But I think being in this situation with Joe (Mazzulla) pushing me every single day and being in this type of environment, it’s going to bring out the best in me.”
Defense is one area where Simons must improve if he’s going to see extended run in Mazzulla’s system. He has more than enough athleticism to be disruptive and successful on that end of the floor, and for him, it’s all about putting in the work to make that a reality.
“It’s just a matter of if I want to do it or not. It’s really that simple,” Simons said bluntly. “(Mazzulla) always says you’re not as bad (defensively) as people think you are, and that’s good to hear. But I also have to do the work to get better in that area and focus on what we need to do on the defensive end.”
Considering their current roster makeup and all the changes surrounding what’s left of the returning core, the Celtics need Simons to play a big role in order to be successful. He — along with Garza, Boucher, and returning youngsters Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, etc. — all have an opportunity to carve out significant minutes, and the work begins this week as training camp gets underway.