Apr 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) returns up court against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
Apr 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) returns up court against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images
The Boston Celtics’ superstar Jayson Tatum recently appeared on the Dan Patrick Show and discussed his reaction to LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2026 NBA free agency, among other things.
“I just was kind of excited for the NBA. I think the buzz and the excitement level around this season is higher than in recent years. I think, you know, there’s a bunch of different guys on new and different teams.”
“There are so many storylines that people love to talk about. I think the NBA is going to be super competitive this year and extremely entertaining,” Tatum said.
LeBron James has returned to the Eastern Conference after eight seasons. Tatum believes his return adds to the multiple storylines the Eastern Conference could build on in the coming 2026-27 season.
From Giannis Antetokounmpo joining the Heat and Jaylen Brown leaving the Celtics for the first time in a trade with a direct rival (the 76ers), to Kawhi Leonard’s return to the Raptors, the Eastern Conference has a multitude of superstars’ storylines to follow this season, beyond just the Knicks and the Celtics being the conventional teams people watch out for.
But Tatum’s response already suggests he believes things are out of his hands, and the only thing he can control is his preparation for the upcoming season. This also showed in Tatum’s responses to Dan Patrick’s follow-up questions about the 76ers.
“I would say I’m more concerned about the Celtics. You know, I respect, I respect everyone in the league. Obviously, great players and great teams.”
“But from my experience throughout, you know, this is going to be my 10th season. We’ve got to worry about us first. That’s first and foremost,” Tatum said when Patrick asked him if he was concerned about either the Knicks or the 76ers.
A lot of expectations are riding on Tatum’s shoulders to be the franchise player in Boston and have an MVP-caliber season despite recovering from an Achilles injury.
Dan Patrick also asked him who he would guard when facing the 76ers: Jaylen Brown or LeBron James? Jayson Tatum once again took the safer route.
“I mean, I can’t give away our game plan… I’ll probably guard everybody at some point. The way that we play and the way that the game is played today, you know, you switch and play different matchups. So, the fans will get what they want to see,” Tatum said.
Jayson Tatum knows the Celtics will face many challenges in 2026–2027 now that LeBron James is back in the Eastern Conference. But Tatum is still dedicated to his own team rather than Boston’s rivals. His performance and leadership could be vital to Boston’s season given the high expectations.
Do you think Jayson Tatum will have an MVP-caliber season and can lead their current team to beat a star-studded roster like the 76ers in the playoffs? Let us know what you think in the comments section.