DeMarcus Cousins is absolutely ripping Jayson Tatum, openly calling him out for not doing enough to support Jaylen Brown during the 2026 offseason trade drama. This isn’t just some casual observation either; Cousins is clearly disappointed that Tatum let his co-star, Brown, get shipped off to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Harsh Truth: Why Cousins Is So Disappointed With Tatum
Brown was the primary asset the Boston Celtics were ready to send to the Milwaukee Bucks in a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo. That move didn’t happen, but Brown still ended up with the Sixers. The wild part? It really seemed like Brown wanted to stay in Boston, to “run it back” with Tatum. But Tatum took a “hands-off” approach, letting team president Brad Stevens do his thing, and just like that, Brown was gone. For Cousins, that’s just not how you treat a teammate, especially one you’ve been with for so long. He felt Tatum absolutely could have stepped in.
Think about it: nine years, a championship, multiple Conference championships. Cousins pointed out on Gil’s Arena that Brown said he hadn’t even talked to Tatum during one of the “lowest points” of his career. “That says a lot,” Cousins stressed. “Especially for a guy you spent 9 years with, won a championship with, went to multiple Conference championships, all of these things he mentioned, and then I’m at one of the lowest points of my career, and I don’t hear from the guy who supposedly had love for,” Cousins said about the whole situation. He’s genuinely gutted that the NBA just lost one of its best duos, and he’s not holding back on Tatum.
Rivals Now: The Celtics and a Motivated Jaylen Brown
Now, it’s not like Tatum has stayed silent. He’s actually tried to shoot down some of these narratives surrounding his friendship with Brown. The Celtics also had to make some tough decisions because of the finances heading into the 2026-27 season, and it looks like they’ve tried to make their books make more sense. Brad Stevens even admitted making the trade was hard. But even with all that, Cousins is sticking to his disappointment, and frankly, who can blame him?
The stakes are huge now. Tatum and Brown are rivals, and that’s going to be one heck of a storyline for the NBA. The Celtics are still expected to perform well, but many think they don’t have the same immense ceiling as the 76ers do, especially with a super motivated Brown facing off against his former team. Get ready, because those Celtics versus 76ers matchups are going to be must-watch TV!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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