Jayson Tatum is entering a new chapter with the Boston Celtics after spending nearly a decade alongside Jaylen Brown, with the franchise now relying on its six-time All-Star to lead a reshaped roster.
Key Takeaways
- Jaylen Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason in a move that broke up Boston’s championship-winning duo.
- Tatum reflected on their nine years together, focusing on what they accomplished and learned as teammates.
- The Celtics star says he is ready to take on greater leadership responsibilities in his 10th NBA season.
- Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley Jr. are among the new faces joining Tatum in Boston.
Tatum Reflects on Nine Years With Brown
For much of Tatum's development into an NBA superstar, Brown was the constant beside him in Boston. That partnership ended this offseason when the Celtics traded Brown — the 2024 NBA Finals MVP — to the Philadelphia 76ers in a move largely driven by cost-cutting considerations.
Tatum acknowledged that the business side of the NBA eventually affects even its longest-running partnerships, but he chose to focus on what he and Brown accomplished together.
“The business of the NBA comes and plays a part at some point. And I’ve seen it in my almost 10 years in this league,” Tatum said during Celtics media day.
“For me it’s more so being grateful for what we accomplished and what he means for this city and to this organization. Just the ups and downs in our career that we were able to grow and learn from and made us the players that we are today. So really just being thankful for those nine years.”
The move puts an even greater spotlight on Tatum, who is now the clear focal point of a Celtics team entering a new era.
A New-Look Celtics Team Awaits
Boston's decision to keep Tatum has placed him at the centre of its next phase. The forward enters his 10th NBA season as a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection, while also returning from the Achilles injury that ended his 2025 playoff campaign.
Tatum said he feels comfortable taking on the leadership challenge, pointing to awareness and understanding each player's role as key elements of leading the revamped Celtics.
“Leadership is about a lot of different things. Awareness is the biggest one. Self-awareness, awareness of the group,” Tatum said. “And just understanding we all have roles and we’re just kind of simply in this together. So it looks different from person to person.”
Boston's new-look roster includes Paul George, Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley Jr., giving Tatum a different supporting cast as the Celtics move forward without Brown.
Mazzulla: Celtics Will Build Around New Roster
Head coach Joe Mazzulla does not view the team's identity simply through the lens of Brown's departure. Instead, he expects the returning players to expand their games while the new additions bring different strengths to the roster.
“I don’t think that it’s necessarily the phrase ‘without Jaylen,’” Mazzulla said. “Every year you’re getting new players, old players, the same players that you have coming back expand their games and they look different.”
For Mazzulla, the focus is therefore on maximising the strengths of the group rather than trying to replicate what the Celtics had with Brown.
Tatum Provides Positive Achilles Update
Tatum also offered an encouraging update on his health as he approaches 16 months since undergoing surgery on his Achilles tendon. The injury forced him to miss Game 7 of Boston's first-round playoff series against Philadelphia last season, but Tatum said his offseason work has left him feeling significantly better.
“I feel great having this offseason to get stronger,” he said. “Get more explosive and just work on my body in totality.” He added that he feels “much better than I did this time last year” and is excited about the progress he has made.
George Ready to Back Tatum
One of Tatum's most notable new teammates, Paul George, understands the challenge of returning from a major injury. George missed nearly the entire 2014-15 season after suffering a compound fracture in his right leg during a Team USA scrimmage. Now, he sees his role in Boston as filling whatever the team needs around Tatum.
“Obviously, JT is the guy,” George said. “I’m there to support him in all facets.”
George also highlighted his willingness to take on different responsibilities while continuing to produce at a high level. That flexibility could become important for a Celtics roster undergoing significant change around its franchise star.
Robinson and Mazzulla Put Past Behind Them
There is also some unfinished history between Mitchell Robinson and Mazzulla. During Boston's 2024 conference semifinals loss to the New York Knicks, Mazzulla used an intentional-foul strategy against Robinson, who has historically struggled from the free-throw line.
Now teammates, the two have already joked about the incident. Robinson revealed that he initially wanted an apology from his new coach before they could properly move forward.
“At first, we had a little issue because I’m like, ‘You’ve got to say sorry for fouling me,’” Robinson joked. “He apologized, and now we’re on the same team, so it’s going to be great, just building together and stuff like that. … I feel like it’s going to be epic.”
With Brown gone, Tatum returning from injury and several new faces joining the roster, Boston is entering a significantly different era — with its franchise star now tasked with leading the way.
