The Boston Celtics are still seen as title contenders entering the 2026-27 NBA season. Ahead of the NBA preseason, ESPN broke down the biggest under-the-radar concern for the teams with the best chances of winning the championship this season. Payton Pritchard could be the biggest winner of the Brown trade for the Celtics. With Jayson Tatum sidelined, Brown averaged a career-best 28.7 points to go along with 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game. "Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla is one of the brightest minds in the game and certainly will be looking forward to the challenge of keeping the Celtics in contention in the East," wrote Youngmisuk.