Jaylen Brown officially joined the Philadelphia 76ers, and man, he wasted no time putting his time with the Boston Celtics in the rearview mirror. It’s clear as day his relationship with his old squad is fractured, and yeah, some folks are pointing fingers right at Jayson Tatum for why things ended up so messy. It’s wild to think about, because for the longest time, these two were undeniably the NBA’s best duo, straight up.
The Championship Duo Is No More
We all remember the “Two Jays.” Brown and Tatum were a superstar duo, winning a championship together in 2024, with Brown even taking home the Finals MVP trophy. That kind of shared success, that kind of history, it sticks with a guy. Brown knows that connection, that legacy, it’s not going anywhere, even if he is in Philly now. It’s normal for duos to part ways in the NBA, but for these two? Many thought they were gonna be Boston lifers. Not the case, apparently. The Celtics had to balance their books and move one of their big-money players, and it sounds like Brown was not feeling that decision. He genuinely thought he was a lifetime player in Boston. Ouch.
Brown’s Got No Hard Feelings For Tatum, But The Organization?
This whole situation boils down to the Celtics choosing Tatum over Brown. That debate about who was truly “the guy” has been going on forever, but Boston made their pick. Being passed over for someone else, especially a close friend like Tatum, has to sting. It’s tough, no doubt. But here’s the kicker: Brown says he has no hard feelings towards Tatum. He actually might have beef with other people in the Celtics organization. He spoke about it at his first press conference with the Sixers, saying, “We won a championship together. So, anybody that you win a championship with, you would think like that’s what you know, a brotherhood or lifelong legacy would entail. Obviously there’s ups and downs in any type of relationship for sure. On my end it’s nothing but respect, you know, besides when he plays the Sixers I hope he does well. But other than that, everything for me is based on respect.”
You can feel that awkward tension between them right now, but hey, it’ll probably fade with time. Brown and Tatum will always be linked, no matter what jerseys they wear. They succeeded together, they won a title, and that’s always gonna be seen as a successful partnership. But now? We’re all gonna be glued to the screen when those Sixers and Celtics matchups roll around. It’s a whole new dynamic, and you know there’s gonna be fireworks.
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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