Was Jaylen Brown’s departure from Boston more fractured than either side initially revealed? The new Philadelphia 76ers star has admitted the entire process bothered him—and confirmed he has barely spoken with Jayson Tatum since the blockbuster trade.
Brown stopped short of revealing exactly what happened behind closed doors, but his first official press conference in Philadelphia made one thing clear: his decade with the Celtics did not end the way he wanted.
Brown addresses bitter Celtics exit
The 76ers officially introduced Brown at a Philadelphia recreation centre on Thursday, giving the five-time All-Star his first opportunity to address his departure from Boston in detail.
When asked what bothered him about how the situation unfolded, Brown’s answer was concise.
“The whole process,” Brown said.
Boston reportedly explored including Brown in negotiations with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo. When that deal failed to materialise and Antetokounmpo was moved elsewhere, the Celtics still elected to trade their 2024 NBA Finals MVP.
Brown eventually landed in Philadelphia, with the Celtics receiving Paul George and four draft picks.
Although Brown acknowledged his disappointment, he resisted the temptation to publicly attack his former club or disclose the specifics of the negotiations.
He said he may explain the moving parts behind his departure one day, but his attention was now on the opportunity in Philadelphia.
Brown also described his 10 seasons with the Celtics as a complete cycle, stressing that he remained grateful to Boston despite the uncomfortable ending.
Brown and Tatum have barely spoken
Brown’s relationship with Tatum has been dissected throughout their careers, with constant speculation about whether the two stars were genuinely close away from basketball.
Together, they reached six Eastern Conference finals, made two NBA Finals appearances and delivered Boston its 18th championship in 2024.
Their on-court success frequently silenced suggestions that the partnership could not work. Their communication since Brown’s trade, however, appears limited.
Asked whether he and Tatum had spoken since the deal, Brown replied: “Not really.”
That response will inevitably fuel speculation about their relationship, but Brown was also careful to make his feelings towards Tatum clear. He said there was “nothing but respect” from his side and acknowledged the lifelong connection created by winning a championship together.
This is not confirmation of a feud. It is confirmation that two players who spent nine seasons as teammates have not maintained regular communication during one of the biggest changes of their careers.
The distinction matters.
Celtics moved Brown after career-best season
The timing of the trade remains particularly striking because Brown had just completed the finest individual season of his career.
With Tatum limited to 16 regular-season appearances while recovering from an Achilles injury, Brown became Boston’s undisputed offensive leader.
He averaged career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, earned All-NBA Second Team honours and finished sixth in MVP voting. The Celtics won 56 games before surrendering a 3-1 advantage against Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs.
Boston then made the stunning decision to trade its best healthy player to the team that had just eliminated it.
The Celtics received Paul George, two first-round selections and two second-round selections in return. Brown, meanwhile, joined a direct Eastern Conference rival already featuring Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Philadelphia later added LeBron James, turning a strong roster into one of the NBA’s most imposing collections of talent.
Brown clears air with Embiid
Brown’s arrival also created questions about his relationship with Embiid.
Following Boston’s playoff elimination, Brown publicly criticised flopping and used Embiid as a high-profile example. The remarks could have created an awkward reunion when the pair became teammates only weeks later.
Brown dismissed concerns about any lingering animosity, revealing that Embiid contacted him on the day of the trade.
He said the two had been friends for years and shared a mutual interest in football. Maxey and Edgecombe were also among the first Philadelphia players to contact him.
Brown’s comments suggest his relationship with Embiid is considerably less complicated than the rivalry between their former teams may have indicated.
Who leads Philadelphia’s superstar roster?
The 76ers will enter the 2026-27 season with several players accustomed to carrying an offence.
Embiid is a former MVP and Philadelphia’s established franchise star. James, now 41, is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer and one of the most influential players in league history. Maxey has developed into an All-Star guard, while Brown is coming off his best professional season.
Rather than competing for control, Brown rejected the suggestion that Philadelphia must belong to one player.
His message was that talent alone will not win the championship. The group will require sacrifice, trust, communication and a willingness to reduce individual workloads.
Brown may need to accept fewer shots than he received during Tatum’s absence in Boston. He could also become Philadelphia’s most important perimeter defender, particularly as the team manages the physical limitations of its older stars.
That role would require sacrifice—but it would also give Brown an opportunity to prove his value on a roster carrying genuine championship expectations.
Brown now has the perfect chance to answer Boston
Brown says he is ready to move forward, but the circumstances ensure his history with Boston will follow him into the new season.
Every meeting between the Celtics and 76ers will be viewed through the trade. Every matchup with Tatum will invite questions about their relationship. Every Philadelphia victory will place more pressure on Boston to justify moving a player who helped deliver its latest championship.
Brown did not use his introductory press conference to declare revenge or begin a war of words.
He did not need to.
“The whole process” was enough to reveal that the ending still hurts. What happens next will determine whether Boston’s decision becomes a successful reset—or one of the most damaging trades in franchise history.
