Celtics projected lineup with Paul George: How former 76er fits in with Jayson Tatum, others in wake of Jaylen Brown trade

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have made a blockbuster trade, swapping Jaylen Brown and Paul George in a deal that also sends draft picks to Boston.

Brown’s departure comes after the Celtics explored acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo before the Miami Heat landed the star forward. With Brown involved in those discussions, Boston ultimately moved on rather than circling back.

Instead, the two Eastern Conference rivals struck a deal, with George replacing Brown on the Celtics roster. Boston will still be a strong contender in the Eastern Conference next season, but the team will look significantly different in the process.

Here’s how the Celtics could line up to begin next season.

MORE: Full Jaylen Brown trade details

Celtics lineup projection 2026

The Celtics will look much different next year, adding three new members to its likely starting rotation. Here's a look at who could start for Boston:

• Mike Conley
• Derrick White
• Jayson Tatum
• Paul George
• Mitchell Robinson

George’s fit is the easiest, as he will simply slot into Jaylen Brown’s role next to Jayson Tatum in the lineup. Additionally, Mitchell Robinson instantly becomes the best center on the roster and should start as part of a heavy center rotation.

The question becomes who starts at point guard for the Celtics next year. Boston signed veteran Mike Conley, who is entering his 20th season in the league next year, but he won’t take on a heavy workload at his age. Boston could also choose to start Payton Pritchard, who had a career year last season while helping fill in for an injured Tatum.

Celtics roster 2026

The Celtics are turning over their roster from last year, with Paul George, Mike Conley, and Mitchell Robinson representing major additions. However, George and Conley are the two oldest players on the team at 36 and 38 years old, which is notable considering Jaylen Brown still hasn’t hit his 30th birthday yet.

Of course, Jayson Tatum remains the focal point of the team, especially as more time passes since his Achilles injury. The Brown injury also means that Derrick White should take on a bigger role next to Tatum.

Boston’s depth, on the other hand, is full of young options. Payton Pritchard was great off the bench last year, so he will be even more important next year with the team moving on from Brown. Baylor Scheierman is another young guard who had a solid season and could see his role increase next year.

The team opted to keep 20-year-old guard Hugo González instead of including him in an offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo, and he should find a role in the rotation as a defensive-minded guard.

Boston’s center rotation last year was weak, which is why Robinson is such an important addition. Robinson, Neemias Queta, and Luka Garza should all see playing time as Boston tries to solidify the center rotation.