Brown challenges Tatum’s account of trade surprise

Jayson Tatum said he learned in Las Vegas that the Boston Celtics had traded Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, describing himself as caught off guard. Brown appeared to challenge that account with a blue cap emoji in a social media comment on a video of Tatum’s remarks, leaving their differing views on what Tatum knew beforehand unresolved. Tatum recounted the episode in a video posted to his YouTube channel. He said he had just finished playing pickup basketball when ESPN reporter Shams Charania approached him with a towel and told him to cover his face and not react because Brown had been traded. Tatum said he asked where Brown was going and was told Philadelphia. Brown’s response was an emoji associated with calling something a lie or exaggeration. He did not add an explanation in the comment, so the reaction signals disagreement with Tatum’s account but does not establish what Brown believes Tatum knew or when he knew it. The Celtics traded Brown to Philadelphia over the summer. One report said Boston received Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. The deal ended a nine-year partnership between Brown and Tatum in Boston, where they won an NBA...