Jayson Tatum gets honest about how he feels about LeBron James joining the 76ers

May 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) talks with Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) after game seven of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

After one of the most eventful offseasons in recent memory, the Philadelphia 76ers have come away as definitive winners of the summer of 2026. They not only traded for All-NBA player Jaylen Brown, but they also signed LeBron James.

That gives them one of the most stacked rosters in recent NBA history. At the same time, it boosts the Eastern Conference even further, which is a challenge for teams like the Boston Celtics, whose star player, Jayson Tatum, seems excited for the challenge.

Jayson Tatum is ready for the battles against LeBron James' 76ers

With the 76ers seen as one of the best teams in the NBA, there is considerable hype surrounding the team. With that kind of reputation, they also have a huge target on their backs because everyone wants to prove the predictions wrong.

One of the teams that wants to do that is the Celtics, who are not being projected to be a top team. With the 76ers and the Miami Heat boosting their rosters this offseason, they are the favorites in the Eastern Conference alongside the defending champions, the New York Knicks.

MORE: Jayson Tatum puts the false narratives surrounding him and Jaylen Brown to bed

The Celtics have a high ceiling with this current team, but a lot of people are doubting them because they lost Brown in the trade with the 76ers. Paul George is an older player now, so the ceiling is questionable for Boston outside of Tatum.

Despite the lack of excitement around the Celtics at the moment, it seems Tatum is ready. He is not at all intimidated by the 76ers' roster. In fact, he is excited to play against the team that came back from 3-1 down to beat the Celtics in the 2026 Playoffs.

"I was just kinda excited for the NBA. I think the buzz and the excitement level around this season is higher than in recent years. A bunch of different guys on new teams; there are plenty of storylines people love to talk about. The NBA is going to be super competitive this year," Tatum said on The Dan Patrick Show about what he thinks about the league after James joined the 76ers.

With this kind of mentality, it seems Tatum only cares about what he and the Celtics can do. He is blocking all the outside noise, and he wants to be the catalyst for the Celtics to have another underrated season, this time with him as the star player again.

More NBA news:

• Brad Stevens gives a glimpse into why he had to make the tough decision to trade Jaylen Brown
• Dwyane Wade believes he knows the reason why LeBron James picked the 76ers over the Heat
• Anthony Edwards calls out LeBron James after snubbing the Timberwolves for the 76ers
• Brad Stevens downplays Jaylen Brown's move to the 76ers that led to them acquiring LeBron James
• Channing Frye believes that it is time to admit that LeBron James is not the top star in Philly