Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla believes the team’s identity in 2026-27 will be shaped not only by its revamped roster but also by the different experiences each player brings to the group.
Mazzulla spoke Tuesday, September 15, during the Celtics’ introductory press conference for Paul George and Mike Conley. The two veterans joined Brad Stevens and Mazzulla as Boston officially began a new chapter following a major offseason roster overhaul.
“I mean I think there’s an on-court an identity and then an identity that the season creates based on the challenges that are presented to you,” Mazzulla said.
The Celtics went 56-26 during the 2025-26 regular season but were eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games in the first round after taking a 3-1 lead in the series.
The offseason then brought significant changes. Boston traded Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia in the deal that brought George to the Celtics, while Conley signed with the team in free agency. Mitchell Robinson was also added, giving Mazzulla a roster with several new veteran voices.
Mazzulla believes those different backgrounds can become an important part of Boston’s development.
“I think heading in it’s building an awareness to the perspectives that we have,” he said. “We have the group of us who have been here for a few years who have experienced both winning and losing.”
The Celtics’ returning players have experienced both a championship and the disappointment of falling short, according to Mazzulla. Meanwhile, Robinson arrives after winning with the New York Knicks, while George and Conley enter Boston still searching for their first NBA championship.
“And then we have Mitch who’s coming off a win,” Mazzulla said. “And then Mike alluded to it, Mike and Paul have a different perspective of not getting there yet in that desperation and we need to be able to leverage that as a team.”
George has played 16 NBA seasons without winning a championship, while Conley is entering his 20th season and also has yet to win a title. Both players emphasized the urgency they feel entering their first season in Boston.
Mazzulla said that urgency can complement the experience of the players who have already reached the top of the league.
“That combination of, you know, a couple different perspectives that the league has given us, we got to be able to take advantage of that,” Mazzulla said.
Rather than immediately imposing a fixed identity, Mazzulla expects the Celtics to develop one through their experiences throughout the season.
“And then along the way, we develop one together,” he said. “Wins will do that, losses will do that, practices will do that, travel will do that. And we just keep, you know, keep working at it.”
Mazzulla also addressed how the Celtics should learn from last season’s playoff loss to Philadelphia. Rather than focusing exclusively on that series, he said Boston must use every previous experience as information for the future.
“Every time you win you learn something. Every time you lose you do,” Mazzulla said.
With Jayson Tatum expected to return fully healthy, George and Conley joining the veteran core, and several young players remaining on the roster, Mazzulla will have to establish how the pieces fit together. For him, that process starts with understanding what each player’s past experiences can contribute to the new Celtics team.
