Celtics trade of Brown shocks Tatum

Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum said he was shocked by the trade of his longtime teammate Jaylen Brown and expressed gratitude for their nine seasons together, while team officials cited financial constraints as the primary reason for the blockbuster move. Tatum made the comments in an interview on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, during an appearance to promote his new children's book.

The Celtics traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers last week in exchange for veteran forward Paul George and multiple future draft picks, ending one of the NBA's most successful modern partnerships. Tatum said he learned of the deal through news reports while at a basketball camp in Las Vegas. "I was unaware," Tatum said. "I kind of just saw the news like everyone else. It was just a shock."

Reflecting on their time together, Tatum stated he has nothing but love and respect for Brown. The duo, drafted by Boston in consecutive years, led the franchise to multiple deep playoff runs, including two NBA Finals appearances and a championship in 2024, where Brown was named Finals MVP. Tatum acknowledged that external narratives often tried to pit the two stars against each other during their early years when a...