NBA Scout Reveals Celtics Need in Free Agency 'If They Want to be Considered Serious Contenders'

The standard for the 18-time champion Boston Celtics is always pursuing the Larry O'Brien Trophy, but at least one scout believes they will need to address a significant area of concern if they are going to return to that level in 2026-27 following their first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

"They have to get a higher-level center if they want to be considered serious contenders," the scout said in a Tuesday report from ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst.

"They were always going to have problems replacing Jrue and KP and these guys to get below the tax—because they don't have the ability to replace those salary slots. Can they get someone with the [midlevel exception]? Hard to see that."

Boston moved on from Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet before the 2025-26 season, which left it with a fairly uninspiring group of big men even after acquiring Nikola Vučević from the Chicago Bulls.

Vučević, who is scheduled for free agency this offseason, did not even play in the Game 7 loss to the 76ers with head coach Joe Mazzulla turning to Luka Garza as the starter and Neemias Queta off the bench.

"Can Queta get you through 82? Yes, but can he patchwork it through the playoffs?" a Western Conference scout said. "I think he keeps getting better, but there's a ceiling. They have to get a higher-level center if they want to be considered serious contenders."

76ers-Celtics Highlights

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The 27-year-old Queta averaged 10.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game this season but is probably better suited to be a role player than a focal point in the frontcourt.

To Boston's credit, it likely overachieved this season finishing with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference after losing Porziņģis, Horford and Jrue Holiday and with Jayson Tatum's campaign up in the air after he tore his Achilles during the 2025 playoffs.

Yet Tatum not only returned by March, he looked like his dominant self at times while averaging a double-double of 21.8 points and 10.0 rebounds a night during the regular season.

But he was sidelined with a knee injury for the Game 7 loss that left the Celtics with some question marks heading into the offseason.

The biggest of those question marks is what to do with the frontcourt.