NBA 2026–2027: Celtics get a new look around Tatum
Paul George has taken Jaylen Brown's place, while Mike Conley and Mitchell Robinson bolster the squad. After a first-round exit, Joe Mazzulla's Celtics must rediscover a balance between their core players and the new arrivals.
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Boston won 56 games in 2025–2026 and finished second in the Eastern Conference. That record still did not prevent a first-round playoff exit against Philadelphia, in seven games. For a team used to chasing the title, the season ended far too soon.
The major change came in July: Jaylen Brown left the Celtics for the Sixers, and Paul George made the journey in the opposite direction. Jayson Tatum remains Joe Mazzulla's focal point. But the coach must now build his combinations around a different pair of wings, with Derrick White and Payton Pritchard running the perimeter play.
George arrives, the bench gains experience
George is not the only reinforcement. Mike Conley adds an experienced point guard, useful for running the stretches when the main creators rest. Mitchell Robinson brings an extra option at centre. Brown and Nikola Vucevic are no longer in the group for this new season.
The first glimpse of George in his new colours was encouraging: 13 points and five steals on his preseason debut against Philadelphia. That exhibition game does not yet say what his partnership with Tatum will produce over a full season. It does at least show that the newcomer can contribute without his impact being limited to the number of shots he takes.
The core players and Mazzulla's first options
Tatum must become the offensive reference point again after his late return from injury in 2025–2026. With George, Boston can spread responsibilities more widely across the wings. White and Pritchard remain essential: they have to keep the ball moving and stop the attack from being reduced to a string of one-on-one duels.
A starting five of Pritchard, White, George, Tatum and Neemias Queta looks coherent on paper. That is an SNA projection, not a line-up announced by Mazzulla. Robinson can offer a different set-up inside; the choice will depend on the combinations sought and on availability.
The second unit is not short of solutions. Conley can steer the game, Sam Hauser can supply shooting, while Jordan Walsh, Hugo González and Baylor Scheierman have to find their place on the wings. Chris Cenac Jr. is among the young players to watch. Luka Garza and Amari Williams complete the options in the frontcourt: not all of them will get the same minutes.
The preseason roster as of 14 October 2026
The official list contains 21 players as of that date. It shows the preseason group, not a final rotation. Versatile players are grouped by broad position families.
| Positions | Players |
|---|---|
| Guards | Devin Carter, Mike Conley, Hugo González, Hayden Gray, Ron Harper Jr., Payton Pritchard, Baylor Scheierman, Milos Uzan, Jordan Walsh, Derrick White |
| Forwards | Chris Cenac Jr., Tucker DeVries, Paul George, Sam Hauser, Gabe McGlothan, Dillon Mitchell, Jayson Tatum |
| Centres and bigs | Luka Garza, Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson, Amari Williams |
An ambitious contender with a balance to rediscover
Boston retains what it takes to aim for the top places in the East: creators on the wings, guards able to take responsibility and several options at centre. The question will be bringing those qualities together in the same stretches of play. George's arrival does not automatically replace the habits built up with Brown.
The Celtics attempted 42.1 three-pointers per game in 2025–2026. They need to keep a threat from the perimeter, while still getting shots after moving the defence. The bigs must also make their weight felt near the rim so that every difficult possession does not end with a forced long-range shot.
For SNA, this team has the means to aim for direct playoff qualification and a deeper run than last spring's. The first marker will come in Detroit, on Tuesday 20 October at 20:00 Brazzaville time. Find Boston's roster, statistics and schedule on SNA.
Sources
NBA, official Boston Celtics roster, accessed on 14 October 2026.
Basket USA, Thibault Mairesse, Boston preview, 12 October 2026 ; Boston.com, Colin McCarthy, Paul George's debut, 10 October 2026 ; Boston Celtics, acquisition of Paul George, 6 July 2026 ; ESPN, Boston–Detroit schedule. SNA roster, 2025–2026 record and schedule checked on 14 October 2026. Preseason data are not regular-season results.
NBA, official moves of summer 2026, verified on 14 October.
Original SNA illustration for the series “NBA — the keys to the season”, featuring the official Boston Celtics emblem from the ESPN NBA reference database. Editorial use, no affiliation with the franchise declared.