Analysis: Tatum may be absent for the foreseeable future. Which players will be traded in the offseason?

The modern NBA is full of variables and cruelty, but they have been fighting for the championship since Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum joined the Boston Celtics. Some playoffs ended with a loss in the Eastern Conference Finals, and in 2024, the Celtics won their first championship in 15 years. Regardless of the outcome, Tatum and Brown’s Celtics are in the competition and there is no doubt that they will continue to work hard.

After Tatum suffered a heartbreaking injury in Game 4 of the 2025 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, it is no longer a foregone conclusion whether the Celtics can continue to compete for the championship. The six-time All-Star player had a ruptured right Achilles tendon Monday night and underwent surgery on Tuesday. It will leave him out for months, at least keeping him from playing in the crucial fifth game against the New York Knicks Wednesday night.

Jason Tatum successfully underwent a repair surgery for a ruptured right Achilles tendon today. There is no timeline for his comeback, but he is expected to recover fully. We will release more news in due time. pic.twitter.com/TTXziFtMQB

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) May 13, 2025 The defending champion Celtics trailed 1-3 in the series, while Tatum will miss the rest of the playoffs, and Boston's future faces a severe test. It's no secret that the Celtics have now surpassed the luxury tax line, which could force them to cut wages this summer to avoid huge luxury taxes and fines.

Given this cruel reality, the Celtics are likely to restructure their core squad in the coming months, especially given Tatum's long absence. The impact of his injury on the 2025-26 season remains to be seen, however, there are still some Celtic players who should stay on the team regardless of his long term form – even if that will leave him bankrupt. Here are three Celtic players who should not be traded in the 2025 offseason.

Which Celtic players are not traded after Jason Tatum is injured?

Derek White

Celtics guard Derek White is expected to pay $28 million next season, and every penny he has a good value for money.

The Colorado native has improved year by year with the Celtics, setting a career high in the 2024-25 season, with a shooting percentage of more than 44%. He also broke the Boston Celtics' record of three-point shooting in a single season, ranking fourth in the NBA.

On the defensive end, White's value is immeasurable. He averaged 1.1 blocks per game. Among the 20 players who have exceeded his regular season, White, who is 6-foot-4 inches (about 1.93 meters), is taller than him.

White is the ultimate adhesive for the team, and he showed it in the playoffs. In fact, in the decisive fourth game when Tatum fell, the 30-year-old scored 23 points, shot as high as 50% from the field and made 6 goals with 11 three-pointers. He scored at least 17 points in every game against the Knicks in the playoffs, which put him in third place in the Celtics’ current playoff journey.

Putting aside the data, White can make at least one game to reverse the situation. Having such a player is crucial to the Celtics, and he will only become even more important when the roster is understaffed, which the Celtics may have to deal with for a long time.

Jaylen Brown

With Tatum's recovery, the Boston Celtics may lose their main players for most of the 2025-26 season. While some may doubt whether this serious injury will ruin the 2025-26 season, fans must remember that the Celtics are a team full of pride.

If they can form a competitive team, they will do so, even if the benefits of being bad seem greater. In addition, the current Eastern Conference lineup is not as strong as the Western Conference, which means that an injury-ridden team is likely to enter the playoffs.

So, if the Celtics are determined to compete, Brown should take on the heavy responsibility. The longest-time player on the Celtics is one of the team’s most daring leaders, and he often says he is not afraid to take on a bigger role. Next season may be his best time to prove it.

The defending NBA Finals MVP was selected as the All-Star for the fourth time in 2025. His scoring has dropped slightly, but his offensive ability has also improved, and he has averaged a career-high 4.5 assists per game in the regular season.

When Brown takes control of the offense, his scoring ability is unquestionable. With Boston's top scorer missing for the foreseeable future, the team needs a major offensive option. White and some other Boston starters have contributed quite a bit of scoring, but none of them have really been at the heart of the offense over the past few seasons, like Brown (and Tatum).

The 28-year-old is experienced and fearless on the defensive end. Although Brown has regained some old habits in the 2025 NBA playoffs — more than assists per game — partly due to his lingering knee injury.

As his salary is expected to be around $53 million next season but has performed poorly in the 2025 season, some may view the player who has played for nine years as the target of the deal. Boston has to find ways to cut wages, but that shouldn't happen to Brown, a year-round All-Star player who won't turn 30 until the 2026-27 season.

He waited for many years to have the opportunity to truly lead the Celtics to play in the arena, and he deserves this opportunity.

Peton Pritchard

The idea that Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard was left out a ridiculous few years ago. Today, he is the sixth man of the year and one of Boston's most valuable assets.

The player who played for the Celtics for five years set career highs in all major statistics, averaging 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. His shooting percentage also reached a career-high 47.2%, and his three-point shooting percentage was as high as 40.7%. Despite playing substitute in 77 of 80 games this season, Prichard ranked fifth in the NBA in three-point shooting.

The former first-round pick's durability, excellent shooting percentage and impressive offensive ability set him apart from most substitutes. He still maintained these advantages in the playoffs, ranking fourth in scoring per game, and had at least 10 shots, with the highest 3-point shooting percentage of the Celtics.

Every season, Pritchard's playing time has increased, and his data has increased accordingly. It's no coincidence that if the John Haflicecch winner gets more playing time with Tatum out of the rotation, we have every reason to believe he will continue to contribute at a high level.

Most importantly, he only needs to spend $7 million next season. His strong scoring ability and extremely low value make him definitely worth staying.

However, before the Celtics enter a tough offseason, they still have a series to play. Given the 1-3 series defeat and Tatum's serious injury, they are no longer the favorites to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, that doesn't mean Brown, White, Pritchard and other Celtic players will give up. The fifth game will be played at 7pm on Wednesday at TD Garden Arena.