Overview
- The Celtics retooled in July by trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in a deal that brought Paul George and draft assets and shifted the roster around Jayson Tatum.
- At Monday’s Media Day Tatum rejected calling the team “his team,” saying he will lean on 14 teammates while also stressing personal responsibility and readiness after his Achilles recovery.
- Training camp that opened this week has shown a more vocal, hands-on Tatum who has organized post-practice huddles, led offseason workouts in Los Angeles and started calling out teammates during sessions.
- New veterans Paul George and Mike Conley have publicly accepted supporting roles and are acting as on- and off-court mentors while the club watches questions about George’s durability and how Mitchell Robinson fits in the frontcourt.
- The key things to watch this season are how Mazzulla blends veteran mentorship with Tatum’s expanded role, whether early camp chemistry holds up in regular-season rotations, and how Tatum’s health and leadership affect Boston’s ceiling.