The Boston Celtics’ 2026-27 season officially begins Tuesday afternoon as they’ll take on the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena.
These C’s will take some getting used to. That’s because Jaylen Brown, a franchise cornerstone since 2016, was shipped to the rival Philadelphia 76ers in a shocking offseason trade. Boston acquired Paul George in the deal, hoping the veteran will fit seamlessly in the starting lineup alongside superstar Jayson Tatum.
The Celtics also upgraded their frontcourt by signing ex-New York Knicks big man Mitchell Robinson. In addition, they inked widely respected veteran guard Mike Conley to a one-year contract.
Will that be enough for them to maintain their reputation as a threat to win the Eastern Conference? Better yet, should they still be considered NBA championship contenders?
Here’s how the Celtics stack up against their competition heading into the new campaign, according to NBA experts’ power rankings:
“The Celtics made a carefully considered decision to trade All-Star forward (Jaylen) Brown to the 76ers, but the potential for that to backfire is still enormous. Just imagine the anger and outrage in Boston if the 2024 Finals MVP helps the 76ers win their first championship since 1983.
“While that worst-case scenario became more plausible when LeBron James joined Philadelphia on a veterans minimum contract, Boston should remain one of the East’s top contenders after adding Paul George and Mitchell Robinson this summer. Jayson Tatum should be back to his All-NBA level form now that he’s 18 months removed from his Achilles tear, and coach Joe Mazzulla has established a winning, high-effort culture that has delivered at least 56 wins in each of his four seasons.”
“This ranking feels a little low for a Boston team that is going to win a lot of regular season games, but this first ranking is focused on title contention, and I don’t believe these Celtics, as constructed, are as serious a postseason threat (I am higher on the potential of the Pacers and Rockets).
“That said, just having Jayson Tatum back on the court will be welcome, he is a joy to watch. Plus, this team will defend, has depth and athleticism, and will be disciplined under reigning Coach of the Year Joe Mazzulla.”
“This offseason was about the shocking Jaylen Brown trade. But now that real games are about to be underway, the focus needs to be on who is here, and that’s Jayson Tatum, who Boston decided was the star worth keeping. Joe Mazzulla showed that he is going to get his team to win in the regular season. Everyone focuses on the high volume of 3s, but the focus should be on how Boston dominates the possession battle and makes things hard on opposing offenses consistently. This can be a special season for Tatum individually, and Boston should assume its customary spot near the top of the East standings even if Paul George takes another step further from his prime.
“The question for Boston is what it will do when the jump shots go cold in the playoffs. But even in a tough conference, the Celtics shouldn’t be doubted when it comes to hosting a game on the opening weekend of the playoffs.”
Jaylen Brown reflects on playing the Celtics for the first time since being traded to the 76ers over the summer.
“The Celtics shocked the world by trading Jaylen Brown during the offseason. They shouldn’t experience much of a decline. Jayson Tatum’s return should fill the void left by Brown. Paul George is a perfect fit in Joe Mazzulla’s system, where he can capably switch on defense and shoot a high percentage from 3 on offense. Mitchell Robinson might be the most underrated addition of the offseason, both weakening the Knicks and adding to an already-elite offensive rebounding team.”
“Microscopic sample size be damned, Jayson Tatum and new pick-and-roll partner Mitchell Robinson formed a lethal pairing in the preseason that opposition defenses can’t decipher. Robinson’s rim-rolling repertoire will create countless corner threes for the trigger-happy Celtics.”
“Could this be the best version of Jayson Tatum we’ve ever seen? There’s no ambiguity that it’s his team now, so it’ll be fascinating to see how he handles that responsibility. But it’s also possible that Tatum’s usage stays close to the same and it’s a committee of players that fill what’s lost from Brown.
“Will Derrick White have a bounceback year? He forgot how to shoot last year, but he could have refound it this summer. Could Payton Pritchard take a leap? Last season, Pritchard averaged 26.7 points and 7.6 assists per 75 possessions without Brown on the floor. What will Baylor Scheierman or Hugo González look like with more chances? And could George end up having a healthy season that builds on his strong finish in Philadelphia? There are a lot of paths for the Celtics to end up even better.”
