Jayson Tatum isn’t running from the challenge the Philadelphia 76ers just dropped into the Eastern Conference. If anything, he sounds energized by it.
After a wild offseason, the 76ers have built a roster that has people buzzing across the league. They traded for All-NBA guard Jaylen Brown and then signed LeBron James, a combination that has pushed Philadelphia into the center of the NBA conversation. That kind of move changes the temperature in the East, and it puts pressure on teams like the Boston Celtics to respond.
Tatum, though, doesn’t sound rattled by what the 76ers have assembled. Boston is coming into the season with plenty of doubt around it after losing Brown in the deal, and Paul George is now another year older, which leaves questions about how high the Celtics can climb outside of Tatum’s production. Still, the Celtics star seems more focused on the opportunity than the noise.
The matchup with Philadelphia already carries a fresh layer of edge, too. The 76ers were the team that came back from 3-1 down to beat the Celtics in the 2026 Playoffs, and now they’ve added even more firepower to the mix. Tatum made it clear he sees the bigger picture around the league and likes what this season has become.
"I was just kinda excited for the NBA. I think the buzz and the excitement level around this season is higher than in recent years.
A bunch of different guys on new teams; there are plenty of storylines people love to talk about. The NBA is going to be super competitive this year," Tatum said on The Dan Patrick Show about what he thinks about the league after James joined the 76ers.
That’s the kind of response that fits where Tatum is right now. The outside conversation may be centered on Philadelphia’s star power, but he’s sounding locked in on Boston’s side of the equation and on what the Celtics can still become with him driving the way.
In Other News...
Jaylen Brown Trade Debate Just Took On New Meaning For Celtics Fans
The Pistons standoff with Jalen Duren is the kind of offseason mess Celtics fans know all too well, because it brings back the logic behind Bostons decision to move on from Jaylen Brown before he ever reached extension eligibility. Boston was not just thinking about talent in a vacuum. The front office was looking at the larger picture, where a young players next contract can change the direction of a roster and force hard choices about the rest of the payroll.
For Celtics followers, the comparison lands because it goes beyond a simple talent-for-talent debate. Brown was good enough to raise the stakes, but the teams move was also about avoiding the kind of internal conflict and cap squeeze that can linger for years. With Duren now in the middle of his own negotiation fight, the old Brown debate suddenly feels less like hindsight and more like a reminder of how quickly a promising core can turn into a financial decision. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Could Face A Fast Paul George Reckoning In Boston
The Celtics offseason gamble on Paul George has already put Boston in an awkward place, because the move was never just about talent. Swapping Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia for George and draft picks was always going to invite immediate scrutiny, especially with Georges health history hanging over the deal and every cold stretch or missed game in Boston carrying extra weight.
Now the conversation has moved a step further, with one speculative idea floating around that would send George to Brooklyn for Julius Randle and Terance Mann if things go south quickly. It is the kind of contingency talk that underscores how fragile this setup can be for the Celtics: if George does not hold up or produce, Boston could be forced into an early rethink of a trade that was supposed to reshape the roster, not reopen it. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Walsh Is Forcing A Tough Celtics Rotation Question
Jordan Walsh spent much of last season in a limited role, but he still found ways to stand out on the defensive end. BBall Index ranked him among the NBAs top-5 point-of-attack defenders, a notable mark for a player who played fewer than 18 minutes per game and was often asked to handle the toughest perimeter assignments. Even in the playoffs, he drew difficult matchups and showed why Boston kept leaning on his energy and length when the game demanded it.
The real question now is whether Walsh can turn that defensive trust into a larger place in the Celtics rotation. Boston already knows what it has when hes locked in on that end, and the next step is making sure his offense gives the staff enough reason to keep him on the floor more often. If that development comes, Walsh could move from a matchup piece to a much more regular part of the picture. [Read more 🡒]