As each day of the 2026 NBA offseason passes, we inch closer to the start of the 2026-27 regular season for the Boston Celtics. And as Opening Night draws nearer, the outline of the roster that will take the floor for Game 1 of 82 is starting to come into focus as well.
After Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens traded star forward Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, it became clear that this is a critical season for the team's current contention arc, with the team being remade to maximize the rest of the team's sole superstar, Jayson Tatum. What is the ceiling, floor, and our expectation for each of the players currently under contract with Boston given this sea change in structure for the team?
To such an end, Daniel Donabedian
and Justin Quinn of the Celtics Wire took a player-by-player deep dive into the answers for these questions. So let's dive into our assessment for Jordan Walsh for this edition of our player projections for the campaign soon to arrive.
Jordan Walsh - wing
Ceiling
JQ: This is an important season for Walsh to show he can help Boston on both ends of the court. Even though he may be one of the team's youngest players, he has also had three seasons to refine his game as an offensive player. His defensive capabilities are enough to keep him in the league as a specialist in that regard, and his best-case outcome looks like a player who can hit corner 3s reliably, getting to the line, and slashing to the cup.
DD: The 2025-26 season provided Walsh with a big opportunity, and he largely made the most of it. The upcoming season offers the lengthy wing another chance to shine, especially with an aging Paul George ahead of him on the depth chart and former Celtics star Jaylen Brown no longer in the picture. If Walsh can continue to develop on the offensive side of the ball and shoot around 40 percent from deep (on at least two to three attempts per outing), perhaps he can serve as a reliable rotation player rather than a guy who only gets in every other game.
Floor
JQ: Walsh has some real potential to fall out of the rotation again if a repeat arc of last season occurs. Confidence is critical to not only expanding his offensive game, but maintaining his value as a lockdown defender. If he struggles, or sees inconsistent playing time because another player warrants floor time over him, he could be at risk of being dealt into another team's cap space as patience for project players shrinks in this cap environment.
DD: There’s no questioning Walsh’s defense, but his offense is where the floor in his game lies. If he fails to connect on open 3-pointers more often than not and struggles to attack the basket, the fourth-year Celtic might see his minutes waver. That, at best, would prevent him from being a rotation player and, at worst, put him in danger at the trade deadline. The modern NBA isn’t particularly kind to one-way wings.
Expectation
JQ: I think Walsh works hard, but can be his own worst enemy when it comes to staying focused on how he can best help the team when on the court. I do expect him to flash enough offensive game to carve out a consistent role with Boston, but he'll continue making enough mistakes that he's likely still a situational option who shows enough to continue growing his game with the team.
DD: This season feels pivotal for Walsh’s NBA career. He got the extension, so now he really has to prove himself. I think his defense will remain strong and continue to earn the trust of Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. However, I’m not fully convinced that he’ll be able to outclass other C’s close to him on the depth chart — like Baylor Scheierman and Hugo González — in terms of offensive output. I can see his playing time hovering around 20 minutes per game, yet I’m not sure he’ll have enough scoring prowess to always be on the court in clutch situations.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Ceiling, floor, expectations: Jordan Walsh with the Boston Celtics in 2026-27
