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Jayson Tatum enters his tenth NBA season without the teammate who shared nearly every step of his rise to stardom. The Boston Celtics front office traded Jaylen Brown, the 2024 Finals MVP, to the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, a cost-driven decision that dismantled the partnership responsible for Boston’s 2024 championship run.
Tatum addressed the split during Celtics media day on Monday, framing it through the lens of nearly a decade in the league. “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,” he said. “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.”
Speculation about the closeness of Tatum and Brown’s relationship off the court trailed the pair throughout their partnership. That chatter intensified once it became apparent that carrying two $300 million contracts would strain Boston’s cap flexibility. The front office chose Tatum, sending Brown to a division rival that now looks like a genuine contender after also landing LeBron James this offseason.
The trade places full leadership responsibility on Tatum, a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA selection, as he returns from an Achilles tear suffered during the 2025 playoffs. He said he’s prepared to guide a retooled roster that brought back Paul George and added center Mitchell Robinson and guard Mike Conley Jr.
“Yeah, very comfortable. This is Year 10,” Tatum said. “Leadership is about a lot of different things. Awareness is the biggest one. Self-awareness, awareness of the group. 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.”
Coach Joe Mazzulla downplayed the notion that Boston’s identity hinges on Brown’s absence.
“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. So it’s not as much what it looks like without one person or the other as much as it’s what’s our roster, how can we take advantage of the strengths and talent that we have.”
Tatum describes health as ‘great’
Sixteen months removed from Achilles surgery, Tatum said he’s cleared to play after missing Game 7 of Boston’s first-round series against the Sixers last season.
“I feel great having this offseason to get stronger,” he said. “Get more explosive and just work on my body in totality. So, obviously feel much better than I did this time last year and I’m excited and thankful for that.”
George says he’s ready to support Tatum ‘in all facets’
Paul George understands the road back from a serious injury better than most. He missed nearly the entire 2014-2015 season with the Indiana Pacers after suffering a compound fracture in his right leg during a Team USA scrimmage.
George reiterated that his job this season is to fill whatever gaps the roster presents.
“Obviously, JT is the guy,” George said. “I’m there to support him in all facets. I’ve always prided myself on being able to not just do one thing, kind of wearing whatever hat that I needed to while still producing at a high level. That’s kind of how I view being here.”
Mitchell Robinson needed an apology from Joe Mazzulla
Two years ago, during Boston’s conference semifinal loss to the New York Knicks, Mazzulla deployed an intentional foul strategy against Robinson, a notoriously poor free-throw shooter. Mazzulla joked Monday that he’ll miss fouling Robinson now that the center wears a Celtics uniform.
Robinson, who said he spent the offseason refining his career 50.8% free-throw percentage, admitted his history with Mazzulla required a direct conversation between the two.
“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.”
Read also: Knicks’ Frontcourt Depth: Why New York Might Improve Despite Losing Robinson
Boston’s roster looks different heading into this campaign, but the pressure on Tatum to carry the franchise has never been clearer. Follow TipsGG for continued coverage as the Celtics chase their next title run.