The Boston Celtics entered the 2026 playoffs with championship expectations once again. After years of high expectations, the franchise, led by a resurgent Jaylen Brown and a returning Jayson Tatum, looked poised to finally take another step forward toward hanging banner 19.
Instead, the season ended in disaster after blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round. The discussion around the franchise has completely shifted, with questions about its long-term direction, especially regarding its star duo, whose tension has seemingly reached a boiling point.
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Now, Celtics legend Paul Pierce believes Boston needs to make aggressive changes this offseason. But instead of igniting the rumors of trading each one of the Jays for a star in af franchise-altering trade, he believes the C’s should instead focus on adding a different kind of frontcourt star without sacrificing much of their core.
“I like Sabonis, actually. I like somebody like that. I mean, are we trying to win it? What are we trying to do? We trying to think we can win it like Sabonis with Tatum and Brown? We can’t half-a—s,” Pierce stated.
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Interior presence
Sabonis‘ addition, or any other versatile big, can massively fill the holes left by Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, whom the Celtics both traded in separate deals this season. Nikola Vucevic was also acquired to strengthen the frontcourt. However, the team still lacks an experienced big man who can truly manage the load in the paint, as highlighted in their series against the Sixers when they failed to contain Joel Embiid.
Pierce further doubled down on the idea that Boston needs to build on its core, despite growing tensions, rather than a complete teardown, than what most fans and analysts think. One player everyone says the franchise should go after is Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose trade saga this season reached its peak without a major move.
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But for Pierce, going for Giannis means ruining the core the franchise has been building for years, one that had already won a ring together. A deal to acquire the Greek Freak will likely require Boston to give up one of either Tatum or Brown, which the Boston legend seems dead set against.
“We can win without Giannis. That’s over the top for me. And his history over the last couple of years, if he gets hurt in the playoffs. That’s over the top. I’m not trying to give up the core at all,” he said.
It’s easy to see why Pierce wants the Celtics to retain their core. Without Tatum for most of the season, the team remained one of the best teams in the league, not only because of Brown’s MVP-caliber season, but also because of the team’s stellar depth.
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Lead guards in Payton Pritchard and Derrick White consistently became reliable two-way leaders. At the same time, other role players in Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser and Luka Garza have found their place as consistent contributors within the team.
Boston’s balancing act
But as easy as staying with their championship core sounds on paper, the situation has become even more complicated with the growing speculation surrounding Brown and Tatum’s partnership.
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For years, the duo has been celebrated as one of the league’s best duos. Since their Finals appearance in 2022, Boston has consistently remained a contender. Still, after their crushing playoff exit and JB’s comments during his livestream after the loss, the tensions are becoming harder to ignore.
Despite this, however, both players remain elite talents and have still shown their pedigree this season. They are still undeniably one of the best duos in the league, and with them, the Celtics are still contenders in the East.
“I don’t want to give up Jaylen or Jayson because they’ve proven together they can win and be a contender every year,”explained Pierce. “Every year since 2022, when they played the Warriors, they’ve been knocking at the door. If I have to trade one of them, no Giannis.”
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Ultimately, Pierce is rightfully alarmed that the Celtics could overreach and suffer a devastating collapse. The offseason will be a test of whether the front office can reshape the roster around a core that has already proven it can win rings. Despite the noise surrounding their star duo, the bigger danger for the franchise might be separating them.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.