After the Philadelphia 76ers’ trade for Jaylen Brown ahead of signing free agent LeBron James to a veteran’s minimum contract, the pressure is on Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum ahead of the 2026-27 season. Tatum will guide the Celtics amidst a new era, one that will define his career. For the first time in nine years, Jayson will be without Brown, who’s joined forces with James, All-Star Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and the 76ers. The pressure’s on Tatum to lead the Celtics to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. After Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens chose optionality instead of a new chapter in The Jays, who haven’t entered a season together at full strength since 2024. It spelled the end of a nine-year run, where Boston captured its first championship in 14 years. While it’s been nearly four weeks for that reality to sink in for Celtics fans, Tatum’s been busy with off-season workouts in the gym. Preparing for what could be one of the more challenging seasons of his career. The Celtics hoped to ease this transition by signing quality veterans. Mike Conley Jr. and Mitchell Robinson address issues that plagued Boston’s first-round series against the 76ers. Coughing up a 3-1 best-of-7 series lead for the first time in franchise history, the Celtics added a veteran playmaker with one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in NBA history in Conley Jr. A defending champion rim-protecting center in Robinson, who will receive his New York Knicks championship ring during this upcoming season. However, watching the Sixers replace Paul George with Brown and James isn’t sitting well with Celtics fans, and rightfully so. Did Stevens mistakenly hand the 76ers their best chances to win a title in decades? Could he have asked for more in his blockbuster deal with Philly? Without second-year guard VJ Edgecombe, who was reportedly discussed amidst trade talks between the Celtics and the Sixers, Stevens pulled the trigger on swapping Brown for two first-round picks in 2028 and 2031, and a pair of second-round picks. However, how valuable will those picks be, especially 2028’s, if the 76ers are weeks removed from winning the 2028 NBA Finals? If history repeats itself, James will have earned his fifth championship, becoming the first player in league history to win titles with four different teams. After his controversial “The Decision” broadcast turned him into a villain who left the only team he had ever played for, at the time, only for them to watch LeBron announce his exit for the entire world to see, he won his first title. In his second season with the Miami Heat, LeBron James became an NBA champion for the first time. After leading the Heat to back-to-back titles in 2013, James returned to the Cleveland Cavs in 2014 before leading them to their first championship in franchise history two years later (2016). Then, LeBron bolted to the Lakers in 2018 before raising the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2020. With the odds stacked against him, Jayson Tatum and the Celtics will look to break James’ second-season streak to keep Boston in contention for the foreseeable future. And with Jayson entering only the second season of a whopping five-year, $313.9 million max deal, the Celtics will compete with the likes of the 2026 defending champion Knicks, the up-and-coming Detroit Pistons, and a deep 76ers team with one of the most talented rosters in the Eastern Conference. Celtics’ Cedric Maxwell reacts to 76ers’ LeBron James signing The Celtics’ two-time champion and radio broadcaster Cedric Maxwell reacted to LeBron James joining the 76ers. In an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints, Maxwell says he understands why James chose the Sixers. It gives him the best chance to win a championship, which is something the 1981 Finals MVP didn’t see happening had LeBron chosen to return to either of his former teams, the Heat or the Cavs. “The best fit for me, if I’m looking at it realistically, I think it’s Philly. If you are championship-driven. If you’re LeBron James, go in with those guys,” Maxwell told ClutchPoints. “Add another layer to a team that’s going to be hard to stop. That, to me, would be the perfect opportunity for him.” Still, Maxwell can’t help but wonder if James would have bolted to the 76ers had they not struck a deal with the Celtics for All-Star Jaylen Brown. Coming off arguably his best season, Brown’s a two-way player who gives the Sixers another 20+ point scorer who defends at a high level. The 2024 Finals MVP also gives Philly championship experience, which the 76ers have lacked over the years. And, yes, that chip on his shoulder, stemming from an abrupt exit from Boston. It’s safe to say Jaylen’s most likely as motivated as ever. Historically, the Knicks and the Celtics have stood in Joel Embiid and the 76ers’ way of competing for a title. The Sixers haven’t reached the Eastern Conference Finals since Hall of Fame guard Allen Iverson led them to their last Finals appearance in 2001. They’ll be committed to changing that in 2026-27, and beyond. “I think that was the biggest shock when I think about who Brad is and what happened,” Maxwell said about trading Brown to the 76ers. “To go to Philly, a team that I’ve always hated, a team that is a rival, a team that just beat you. To send one of your best players to that particular team and get back Paul George, but I think, again, it comes down to salary-cap flexibility and getting opportunities. Even with the draft picks, you’re talking about, some of them are 2031; we’re going that far ahead with your draft picks.” Now, with one of the greatest NBA players of all-time signed on a veteran’s minimum deal, the 76ers are one of the best rosters tailored-made to win the Eastern Conference. Championships are not won on paper, meaning the Sixers will have to find a new identity in light of a revamped core; the depth and balance of veterans and young talent make them a threat to win a title within the next two years. Upon revisiting the Celtics’ trade with the 76ers, Maxwell wishes the Celtics were more adamant about adding VJ Edgecombe, which he says would have won him over about the shocking blockbuster trade, especially after watching the Sixers sign LeBron. “There are so many scenarios which come into play when you think about this team — maybe a little happier if the Celtics had gotten [VJ] Edgecombe coming back on the flipside,” Maxwell said. “I would have been like ooo OK! But with Paul George right now, an older Paul George, who last year was suspended for 25 games, or so, for substance abuse, or some drug policy, that’s a whole other can of worms that you have to look at.” While some fans wish Stevens did more to land Giannis Antetokounmpo, including adding prospects such as Baylor Scheierman and second-year guard Hugo Gonzalez along with future first-round picks, Cedric didn’t subscribe to a Tatum and Antetokounmpo tandem. He didn’t see it as a means for the Celtics to revert to championship contenders. Looking ahead to next season, Maxwell can’t say with certainty that Jayson Tatum and the Celtics will shine amidst the Eastern Conference, but he is putting his faith in Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. “You first have to see the health of Tatum; what is that going to be? Is he going to be 100 percent? Where is he going to be? I think look at that. What does Giannis bring to the table? Well, the fact that he is not a 3-point threat. The fact that he’s not a good free-throw shooter,” Maxwell added. “But you do bring the power of that post-up game; all of those high-percentage shots that I love. “But the way Joe Mazzulla’s always coached is the fact that he loves to have, at least, equal opportunities for a guy who’s a volume-shooter, to step out on the floor and knock down some threes.” After the Celtics traded Brown, expect Mazzulla to lean on more of an all-hands-on-deck approach. Payton Pritchard will take on an increased role on offense. And Derrick White will look to bounce back from an underwhelming 2025-26 season. Jayson Tatum reflects on people ‘pitting’ him against Jaylen Brown Celtics’ Jayson Tatum has been under significant pressure before. It’s nothing new to him. Before leading the Celtics to their first title in 16 years in 2024, many questioned if he and Jaylen Brown could win together. They, of course, proved their naysayers wrong in their 4-1 Finals victory against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks. Tatum reflected on those days while looking back on the time spent with Brown throughout their nine years together following Brown’s trade to the 76ers, per TODAY with Jenna and Sheinelle. “There was a period in our career where we hadn’t won a championship yet, but in retrospect, we were only 23 and 21 years old, so the expectations were so high that they just had to figure out a reason why we hadn’t won yet,” Tatum said. “They tried to pit us against each other. … The truth is we had 9 amazing years together. We went to the finals twice; we won a championship. I’ll forever be grateful for those memories and the time that we spent together.” Jayson Tatum on his relationship with Jaylen Brown "The expectations were so high, they just had to figure out a reason why we hadn't won yet. They tried to pin us against each other. … The truth is we had 9 amazing years together… I'll forever be grateful for those… — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 9, 2026 Alongside a well-balanced roster filled with talented veterans and young players, Tatum, alongside an aging All-Star in Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and the 2024 champions Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, will look to beat the odds. While one can argue the Celtics have surrounded Jayson Tatum with a better core than what Brown had in 2025-26, teams across the Eastern Conference, like the Sixers, also improved their rosters. The Heat won the Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, pairing the two-time MVP with Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins. The 2025 Eastern Conference champion Pacers, who traded for Ivica Zubac, will get Tyrese Haliburton back from his year-long ruptured Achilles injury. They also signed free agents Kelly Oubre Jr. and Larry Nance Jr. during the offseason. The Hawks traded 2024 No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher in a three-team swap for Ryan Nembhard and 2025 Thunder champion Lu Dort. And the Raptors, still awaiting the NBA’s approval, are on the cusp of reuniting with 2019 Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard. As Celtics’ Jayson Tatum enters the season healthy for the first time in two years, he’ll look to revert to the kind of production that made him a star. Amid a small sample size, his return in 2026 was an encouraging start, especially in the postseason before stiffness in his left knee in Game 6 against the 76ers ended his season. Averaging 23.3 points on 47.5% shooting, including 36.8% deep, 10.7 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.2 steals in six postseason games was enough for the Celtics to feel confident enough in Tatum to lead their franchise into their next generation. Now, it’s on Tatum to prove they made the right choice against a crowded Eastern Conference vying to dethrone the defending champion Knicks. 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