Despite having a relationship that goes back nine seasons as teammates on the Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown says he and Jayson Tatum have not communicated since Brown was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers in a stunning July 1 trade.
Brown made that revelation during his introductory news conference with the 76ers on Thursday, after a reporter asked if the two had talked since the trade.
“Not really,” Brown responded.
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The former Celtics star said he doesn’t dislike Tatum, with whom he won a championship in 2024. The two just haven’t spoken.
“On my end, there’s nothing but respect for Jayson and the time we played together in Boston,” Brown said. “I’m going to root for him, except for when he’s playing against the Sixers.”
Brown and Tatum were pillars of the Celtics for a decade — bookend small forwards who constituted one of the best duos in basketball.
Finances — specifically, the fear of exceeding the NBA’s second apron — ultimately made it difficult for the Celtics to keep them together their entire careers. But, without question, they created one of the best teams of their era, with the Celtics able to compete for championships year in and year out, due in large part to their excellence.
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Last season, Brown broke out individually with Tatum unavailable most of the regular season due to an Achilles injury. Brown averaged more than 28 points per game and led the Celtics to a 56-win season and the second seed in the Eastern Conference. He was named second-team All-NBA and finished sixth in the MVP voting.
But, as Brown’s disclosure Thursday showed, they aren’t the best of friends off the court.
Games this season between the Sixers and Celtics will hold peak interest, especially since Brown and Tatum are likely to spend a lot of time guarding each other. The two teams are natural rivals, and Brown will play this season with a proverbial chip on his shoulder after being the one who was dealt away from Boston — not Tatum.