Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum spoke publicly for the first time about the trade that sent his longtime co-star Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The blockbuster deal, completed this week, moved the former Finals MVP to a division rival in exchange for veteran forward Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round selections.
During a promotional Q&A session for an upcoming book on Tuesday night, Tatum reflected on the nine seasons he and Brown spent together in Boston.
"You play on a team with a guy for nine years," Tatum said.
"I was fortunate enough to go to the [NBA] Finals with him twice, and win a championship, and push each other to be the players that we are today."
The duo helped secure the franchise's historic 18th championship in 2024, with Brown earning NBA Finals MVP honors after the Celtics defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games.
"It's tough. But it just makes you appreciate the moments and time that we had," Tatum added.
"Obviously, it came to an abrupt ending, but it doesn't mean that it wasn't super successful.
Great years, obviously, that he gave to the city and to the organization."
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens explained the front office's rationale on Monday, citing the need for financial flexibility and roster optionality given the massive combined salaries of Tatum and Brown.
"The NBA is an incredible business; it's an incredible job, but there are some downsides to the business and moments like this, where you just kind of feel like you're going to be on the team with somebody, because that's all you know," Tatum said.
"And then it's just like, one day you find out that they're no longer on your team anymore.
And, we're all humans. We feel all those emotions."
Media narratives quickly shifted after the transaction, with some outlets using analytical metrics like on/off splits to criticize Brown's efficiency last season, according to libertyballers.
com.
Analytics from Cleaning the Glass showed Brown's on/off splits were in the 24th percentile in the 2025-26 season, a year where his usage rate swelled to 36.2% while Tatum missed significant time recovering from a torn Achilles.
The Philadelphia 76ers chose to prioritize the 29-year-old Brown over the 36-year-old George, while the Celtics added George alongside incoming veteran acquisitions Mike Conley and Mitchell Robinson.
