For a team that has been at or near the top of the Eastern Conference for much of the past decade, this was something of a tumultuous offseason for the Boston Celtics.
Gone is Jaylen Brown, a mainstay All-Star who spent 10 seasons with the Celtics, his most recent being one in which he recorded a career-high 28.7 points per game. And in his place is veteran Paul George, which ushers in a new era for Boston, one in which star forward Jayson Tatum becomes the unquestioned face of the franchise.
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None of this will change internal expectations for the Celtics, who always preach competition, culture and a pursuit of championships.
Here’s a breakdown of the Boston Celtics’ offseason moves and what to expect from them heading into the 2026-27 NBA season:
BOSTON CELTICS SCHEDULE: Dates, times and opponents for 2026-27 season
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Record last season: 56-26 (2nd in Eastern Conference)
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Playoff finish: Eliminated in first round (3-4, against 76ers)
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Coach: Joe Mazzulla (fifth season)
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2026-27 title odds: +1600 (per BetMGM)
Key roster additions
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F Chris Cenac Jr. (NBA draft)
Key roster losses
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C Nikola Vučević (free agency)
Biggest question entering training camp
How will Jayson Tatum handle being the unquestioned No. 1 option?
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There’s no doubt the partnership between Jayson Tatum, a six-time All-Star, and Jaylen Brown (five-time All-Star) was exceptional. The pair won the 2024 NBA Finals; and Brown, the Finals Most Valuable Player that year, was a reliable scoring threat. In the trade that shipped Brown to the 76ers, the most valuable asset returned was forward Paul George. There’s no way to spin this other than a downgrade for Boston; George is 36 and on the decline of his career and has seen his scoring production dip considerably.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) and guard Jaylen Brown (7) look for the rebound against Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) in a 2026 NBA playoffs game.
Projected starting lineup and rotation
Starters
Rotation players
What to expect in 2026-27 season
The starting lineup may be in flux, with the two-guard and center positions up for grabs. Baylor Scheierman emerged late in the season. Payton Pritchard has been a steady contributor for Boston, although he has shined coming off the bench. Mitchell Robinson was the big addition in the frontcourt, but Neemias Queta was a solid rim protecting option last season. Either way, the Celtics will need Tatum to take another massive step forward, as he becomes the clear-cut primary option. Teams will undoubtedly devote even more defensive attention to him, so George will need to do his part. Boston should give him free rein to shoot plenty of 3s, but, with a franchise cornerstone now gone, the Celtics may take a step back in an Eastern Conference that is suddenly deep. Boston, nonetheless, should remain a consistent threat to make a playoff push.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Boston Celtics season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction
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