Jaylen Brown is heading into the 2026-27 season with plenty on his mind, and LeBron James didn’t need more than a single word to capture the mood.
At media day, James was asked about his new Philadelphia 76ers teammates, and when Brown came up, the answer was simple: “Motivated,” James said.
James also offered a quick rundown of how he sees the rest of the group and his own place on the roster: Embiid as a “Beast,” Maxey as “Lightning,” VJ as a “Star,” and himself as a “Swiss Army knife.”
Brown’s situation makes James’ read stand out even more. The former Celtics wing is coming off the strongest season of his career, putting up career-best averages of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while operating as the No. 1 option on a Boston team that won 56 games. He made his fifth All-Star team, earned his second All-NBA selection and finished sixth in MVP voting.
Then came the offseason twist. Boston dealt Brown to Philadelphia for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
Brown has also had to absorb criticism along the way, including being labeled the seventh-best player on a team by an “analytics guy” and called a “ disease” by two people in the league.
James had already pushed back on that kind of talk before media day, saying on his podcast that he believes Brown is “ misunderstood”.
The two haven’t spent much time together yet, but James already seems convinced Brown is arriving with a chip on his shoulder.
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Celtics Preseason Will Be The First Test Of Bostons New Core
The Celtics are headed into preseason with a roster that already looks and feels different, and that alone makes October worth watching in Boston. After the trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, the team is set to open camp with Paul George, Mike Conley Jr. and Mitchell Robinson among the new faces trying to fit quickly into a group that will be judged almost immediately on how well the pieces come together.
Preseason games will air on NBC Sports Boston and stream on DIRECTV, giving fans an early look at how the new core functions before the real games start to count. The schedule also offers a first glimpse at the Celtics' opening run of regular season games, and with the training camp roster now set for 2026-27, this stretch should tell a lot about which roles are already taking shape and which ones are still very much up for grabs. [Read more 🡒]
Mitchell Robinson Is Already Stirring Emotions Beyond Boston
Mitchell Robinsons move to Boston has already sent a ripple through the rest of the East, especially in New York, where the Celtics latest big-man addition now has to be processed as both a loss and a new challenge. Boston brought Robinson in on a three-year, $47.4 million deal after his role in helping the Knicks win the NBA Championship, making him one of the more notable changes to a roster that keeps trying to stay in the title mix.
The Knicks answered by bringing in veteran Andre Drummond on a one-year deal, a move aimed at filling the gap while keeping the frontcourt steady. Former Knicks teammates have sounded split on Robinsons exit, with some still feeling the sting of losing him and others taking a hopeful view of Drummonds arrival, which only adds another layer to a transaction that already carries more emotion than a typical free-agent signing. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Just Became A Real Celtics Decision Point
Paul George has become one of those names that can linger around a roster long after the obvious offseason chatter has moved on. An Eastern Conference executive recently suggested the Celtics could still find real trade value in him if he is healthy, which is notable given the contract and the long view Boston has to take with every major move. His deal still carries two years of salary commitment, so any discussion around him is as much about flexibility and timing as it is about talent.
The health piece is where the conversation gets complicated. George has played limited games in recent seasons, and Boston has not signaled any desire to move him, but that kind of uncertainty always changes how teams evaluate a players market. If he can stay on the floor, the Celtics may at least have a meaningful decision to make, especially if the return resembles the kind of protected first-round pick an executive believes is still possible. [Read more 🡒]