Boston Celtics: Latest Claims Back Up Previous Report About Jaylen Brown

On Monday, Boston Celtics reporter Jay King of "The Athletic" reported what Jaylen Brown wanted from the organization before he was traded in early July.

That was the backdrop when, in the aftermath of Boston’s playoff exit, Brown made it clear to the front office that he wanted to be treated more like a franchise player on and off the court, according to league sources. When asked to sacrifice parts of his game over the years, he had been willing to do so. But after averaging 28.7 points per game and landing on the second team All-NBA, he had reached a place in his career where he believed he deserved the preferential treatment reserved for the game’s premier players, including Tatum.

This seems to validate what Celtics' television analyst Brian Scalabrine said earlier this season, even though his words were a bit clunky. Scalabrine said that Brown went to the organization this summer with things that he wanted. Though he never explicitly asked for a trade, he made it clear what his desires were. The Celtics traded him to the 76ers. Is it because of his demands? I don't think so. I think it's because of the salary cap issues, but I also think the Celtics preferred Tatum all along, and this decision validated that.

Brown is a complex person, so trying to figure out exactly what he wants or means is a rather futile exercise, but I do think I've got an educated guess on what's at play here, and it goes back a decade.

1) I think it's very clear that Brown built up some resentment early in his career. I don't believe he was resentful of Tatum personally, but I do believe he was resentful of the situation the two were in.

For years, Brown had to listen to fans and media members call for him to be traded and Tatum to be retained, and Brown had to come to terms with Tatum being the preferred member of the organization.

Again, I don't think Brown was resentful at Tatum personally, but I do think he was upset at the layout around the two.

2) When Brown was given a supermax contract before Tatum, I think things probably got better for him, and winning MVP of the NBA Finals in 2024 probably helped too. That helped Brown feel like he was on an equal footing with Tatum and that the two were able to co-exist well going into 2024-25. 

And that seems to have worked, as the Celtics went 61-21 and earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs before Tatum got hurt with his torn Achilles.

3) But in 2025-26, everything changed again. Brown finally got a chance to be the No. 1 option on the team with Tatum sidelined. And he averaged 28.7 ppg. He was an All-NBA selection and finished sixth in the MVP voting. And he saw how high he could lift the organization on his own.

But clearly, with Tatum coming back, Brown saw the writing on the wall. He was going to be pushed down the hierarchy again, and that's something he didn't want and didn't think he deserved. So, he went to the organization with his thoughts.

Again, I believe he was traded over financial reasons, but it's evident: The organization always valued Tatum more, and this was proof. So, I get why Brown is mad at the organization, and though petty, I get why some of his resentment has turned on Tatum too. He's the reason that Brown doesn't have his fairy tale ending in Boston.

The two teams will play each other on Tuesday night in one of the most anticipated matchups of the early NBA season.