An Anonymous NBA Executive Unleashed The Hottest Take Of The Season When It Comes To This Year's Boston Celtics

Jesse D. Garrabrant. Getty Images.

One of my favorite parts about the return of the NBA is that once the season gets going, it's only a matter of time before we start to get into Anonymous Source SZN. I love me some good anonymous source "reports", and each year they seem to be getting better and better. Sometimes it's about potential trades, sometimes it's leaks about drama when the vibes around a team are bad and both the player side and the team side want to create and control a narrative, and sometimes we get stuff like this

“There’s a different feeling when you see Boston on your schedule. I’m not saying you expect anything to be easy — far from it. But it’s just not the same as when you saw those guys from the last two years waiting for you.”

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ya think?

I'm sorry, but I cannot stop laughing while reading that quote. No shit that executive wants to be anonymous, because who the hell would ever want their name attached to a groundbreaking take like this. 

Gee, why do we think the 2025-26 Boston Celtics aren't quite the same team compared to the last two years? 

Could it be, now stay with me here because I am going to go out on a limb with this, but is it possible the Celtics do not feel the same because their best player and franchise cornerstone is out for the season with an achilles injury?? You know, the sun that all things orbit around when it comes to Boston Celtics basketball? Their leading scorer, rebounder, and playmaker? You know, this guy???

I know we live in a world of hot takes, but I'm not sure it gets hotter than this one. Stephen A couldn't bring this type of heat if he tried. A basketball team is less of a threat without its best player?

I'm not even going to factor in the losses of Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Luke Kornet as well to this discussion, but you certainly could. As we know, NBA teams remain the exact same when they lose 4 of their top 9, and then also lose their best player to make it a total of 5 rotation players now no longer playing for that same team. 

When you actually look at it, while the 2025-26 Celts are most definitely not the same team ranging from their talent level to the way in which they are playing this season, they are one of only a handful of teams in the entire league in the top 10 in offense/defense/net rating. They own the 3rd best point differential in their conference. Currently, their record is on a 43 win pace (not bad!), and their overall profile is that of a team that floats around the high 40s/low 50s, all of which is happening while Tatum has played exactly 0 minutes combined with the team going through a collective early-season shooting slump.

In the past, these anonymous source reports used to drive me insane, because it was usually some bullshit about splitting up Tatum and Brown and whatever else opposing executives tried to pull from like 2020-2024. I can't lie, this type of nonsense is much more enjoyable. I also have news for this executive that I hope he's ready to handle.

Guess what happens when Jayson Tatum returns (whenever that will be)? The Celtics will be better! That's kind of how this all works. It's not like he died or is off the team forever, he's just hurt. Wild concept, I know.