Joe Mazzulla Says Three or Four Starters 'Etched In Stone;' Who's In and Who's Out?

It's easy to figure out three of the starters he might be referring two, but who is the fourth, and what messages might that send to the team?

Dec 4, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates with Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Celtics are leaning into depth, which is part of a trend in today’s NBA. Having as many guys who can do a lot of things is part of a winning formula, however it also presents its share of challenges. 

“When you do have depth, [one challenge] is navigating and meeting the needs of each individual while building a team and embracing roles,” Brad Stevens said at Boston Celtics media day. “There's going to have to be some sacrificing at that level for guys that have tasted a little bit of success at different times throughout the year. But the one thing that I know about Joe, and one thing I know about our players, is they all know that their opportunities will be plentiful, and if they're not coming today, they're coming down the road.”

While that might be a reality for a few players, it won’t be for all of them. There are a few players who don’t have to worry about giving up any of their time or touches. At practice on Thursday, Joe Mazzulla revealed that he has a pretty good idea of who at least some of his starters will be. 

“I don’t spend a ton of time on that because I just know it's going to change,” he said. “Obviously, I would probably say three out of five, or four out of five are etched in stone and you’re just looking to see from there.”

You don’t often hear Mazzulla talk about player roles being etched in stone, but that might be because he doesn’t have to. 

We know Jayson Tatum will be a starter. Derrick White is guaranteed to start as well. And we can almost definitely throw Paul George into that lineup right away. 

But is the fourth a perimeter player or a center? That's the real debate right now. 

There's plenty of reason to believe Payton Pritchard will start. He’s earned it, and the Celtics need a creator on the floor. At the same time, we can argue that he’s been better off the bench, and with two pure ball-handlers on the roster who can be depended on for big minutes, Pritchard coming off the bench to split them up makes sense as well. 

Meanwhile, at center, we can easily argue that Neemias Queta has earned the right to start with his play last season. Mitchell Robinson can also stake a claim, but it’s easy to tell someone they just signed that he’s walking into a reserve role. For what it’s worth, Mitchell said at media day that “For me it doesn't matter. I didn't start before, I came off the bench. I’ve been up and down. That don't really bother me too much. So whatever happens, it is what it is. I'm gonna still continue to play hard and do what I do best. And so that's just one of those things where let's see what happens.”

My read on it is that Queta is the fourth starter. I think Mazzulla can send two messages by starting Queta and using Pritchard as the sixth man. First, hard work gets rewarded, and Queta getting the starting job (and a big contract extension) after getting DNPs a couple of seasons ago is proof. Any young guy who might gripe about his expectations will look at Queta and understand that the hard work and dedication will eventually be rewarded. 

At the same time, Mazzulla can bring Pritchard off the bench to show everyone that even fully established NBA vets can sacrifice when the team needs them to. I happen to think this is also the role that suits Pritchard the best, but Mazzulla will still be able to point at Pritchard to show the rest of the team that everyone is working towards a common goal. 

From there, someone will be slotted into the fifth starter role, and that might change based on matchup. However it goes, it’s clear the rotation could be fluid for a little while as Mazzulla and the Celtics figure things out. 

“We just have to be able to play,” Mazzulla said. “Guys got to come in every single day ready to impact the game, whether it's 10 minutes or 35 minutes. We really just kind of push the flexibility, the mentality, and just being ready regardless of your circumstances.”