Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum had some thoughts to share about 2024 NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown’s unexpected move to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Earlier this month, the Celtics shipped Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, 2031), and two second-round selections (2028, 2030). For Tatum, his longtime co-star being traded left him feeling a bit “weird.”
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Shares Thoughts on Jaylen Brown Trade
Tatum appeared at Wednesday night’s ESPY Awards and was asked to elaborate on his feelings about the Brown deal.
“If I’m being transparent, it’s weird,” Tatum told ESPN. “I’ve been on the Celtics for nine years, and he was my teammate every single one of those … The NBA is a business, and people change teams and change coaches and front offices, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
“There’s still a human element of it that you feel those emotions … but there’s also a side of like we have to welcome our new teammates with open arms and we still have to attack the new season. So, there’s a balance, but it’s weird.”
“It’s weird.”
Jayson Tatum describes how it feels to see Jaylen Brown leave the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/Bv9Qbh88qW
— ESPN (@espn) July 15, 2026
Brown started 71 games for the Celtics in the 2025-26 regular season, while Tatum only played and started in 16 regular-season games. Brown averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game, leading Boston in scoring.
In their nine seasons together as Celtics teammates, Tatum and Brown reached the playoffs every year. They captured an NBA championship in the 2023-24 campaign in head coach Joe Mazzulla’s second year coaching Boston.
Before getting over the hump in 2024, Brown and Tatum fell short in the 2022 NBA Finals.
Brown now heads to the 76ers, joining stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, in the hopes of helping the franchise end its 43-year title drought.
As for Tatum, he will need to avoid the injury bug and step up into a larger leadership role for Boston and show Celtics fans that they can trust him to carry the team back to the promised land.
