Expectations are sky-high for the Boston Celtics heading into the 2023-24 NBA season. With Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis joining the star tandem of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the C's are championship favorites with arguably the best top-six in the league.
Even with a loaded roster, there are X-factors that could make or break Boston's chances of winning a title. Obviously, Tatum and Brown will be counted on to lead the way. As for Holiday, there's little doubt he will bring consistent scoring to go along with his All-Defensive talents. You pretty much know what you're getting out of those three players.
So, who are the Celtics' X-factors for the new campaign? Here are the players who have a wider range of potential outcomes and could determine whether Boston brings Banner 18 to TD Garden next summer.
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Kristaps Porzingis
Porzingis would be the No. 1 on a number of teams, but he's content with being the No. 3 option behind Tatum and Brown. In fact, he already appears to be thriving in that role.
The 7-foot-3 big man, acquired in the blockbuster three-way deal involving Marcus Smart in June, has shined on both ends of the floor in the preseason. With defenses focused on the Jays, Porzingis has taken advantage of wide-open looks and gone 8-for-13 from 3-point range through three games. He has also done his part as a rim protector with three blocks.
The Celtics already boasted one of the league's top offenses prior to Porzingis' arrival. Now that "The Unicorn" is in the mix, this starting lineup will be virtually impossible to stop. The one thing that can spoil the fun, however, is an untimely injury.
Porzingis is the Celtics' No. 1 X-factor not only because of his talent, but also his injury history and Boston's lack of frontcourt depth. His 65 games played last season marked his highest total since 2016-17. He already had a brief injury scare over the summer when he missed the FIBA World Cup due to plantar fasciitis.
After sending Robert Williams III to Portland in the Jrue Holiday trade, the C's are left with 37-year-old Al Horford and Luke Kornet as their next two frontcourt options on the depth chart behind Porzingis. The Celtics' chances of bringing home Banner 18 very well could hinge on Porzingis' health.
Derrick White
Somehow, White continues to be underrated despite an outstanding 2022-23 season and postseason with Boston. ESPN inexplicably left the All-Defensive selection off its Top 100 player rankings.
White will look to leave no doubts about his talent this time around as one of the most important contributors on this Celtics roster. As Los Angeles Lakers star D'Angelo Russell put it, White "doesn’t get a lot of credit for what he does" and "makes all the winning plays." Whether it's in the starting lineup or off the bench, his presence is felt every time he takes the floor.
He started 70 games last season but could see that number decrease if head coach Joe Mazzulla prefers the double-big lineup of Porzingis and Horford. White would take over the Malcolm Brogdon role as a formidable sixth man who can provide a spark for the second unit. His versatility, and the expectation that he can make another leap this season, make him an obvious X-factor.
Al Horford
Horford still looks spry heading into his 17th NBA season. That's an encouraging sign, but relying on him to stay that way through the grueling 82-game campaign is risky business.
Nonetheless, that's the position the Celtics find themselves in after parting ways with Robert Williams. The frontcourt is led by an oft-injured Porzingis and a 37-year-old who ran out of gas in the second half of last season. If something goes wrong with either big man, it would be a significant blow.
Horford started in all 63 games played last season. He may have to adjust to a new role in 2023-24 depending on whether Mazzulla prefers him or White off the bench. Keeping Horford fresh seems wise given his importance to this team's success.
Payton Pritchard
With Smart and Brogdon gone, Pritchard is expected to take on a bigger role for the C's in 2023-24. It certainly looks like he's ready for the opportunity.
The 25-year-old guard, who signed a four-year extension earlier this month, has been the star of the preseason. He has hit at least three 3-pointers in all four games, converting on 16 of his 41 long-range attempts (39 percent) altogether. He's averaging 18.8 points in 24.5 minutes per game.
While the Celtics' 2023-24 season doesn't necessarily hinge on Pritchard's performance, he'll be an even more important bench piece with Brogdon out of the picture. He raises the ceiling of the team even higher if he can carry his "Preseason P" magic into the regular season.
A Pritchard breakout campaign could be on the horizon. Even as the seventh man on the roster, that makes him an X-factor by default.