The Boston Celtics traded 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers on July 6 for Paul George and future picks. The move followed missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo, who went to the Miami Heat. Now the Celtics are fully in the hands of Jayson Tatum, who returned late last season from a torn Achilles. Tatum will be joined by George and signings Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley.

Key additions: Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Mike Conley. Key subtractions: Jaylen Brown, Nikola Vucevic. Key retentions: Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr.

Boston responded to its first early playoff exit since 2021 by trading Brown, ending his partnership with Tatum. The move should improve long-term flexibility to build around Tatum, but next year's team will require the aging George to rediscover his form. The 36-year-old forward has played 60 games just once in the past seven seasons. Still, this shouldn't be a gap year. The Celtics return a cohesive nucleus and added Robinson's defense and rebounding. If Tatum returns to superstar form, Boston could win at least 50 games for the sixth straight year. Securing Banner 19 will likely require finding a superstar replacement for Brown down the road. -- Ben Golliver

Zach Kram's offseason grade: C-. The Celtics undercut the Knicks with Robinson and signed Neemias Queta to a great extension. But their offseason will be defined by the stunning Brown trade, which brought back a light return (George, two first-round picks, two second-round picks) for the player who finished sixth in MVP voting last season. President of basketball operations Brad Stevens might prove correct long-term, but right now it seems the Celtics reduced their 2026-27 championship equity without saving much money, earning one of my worst offseason grades. -- Kram

From Ben Golliver's offseason lessons: The second apron can break hearts. The NBA's harsh penalties caused multiple contenders to shed salary, including the 2025 champion Oklahoma City Thunder trading Luguentz Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe, and the New York Knicks watching Mitchell Robinson leave. But no apron move sparked an outcry like the Celtics' decision to trade Brown for George and picks. The 2024 Finals MVP spent 10 seasons in Boston and reached six Eastern C...