Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum: Tensions Rise Ahead of Celtics-76ers

Brown and Tatum won an NBA championship together, but their relationship appears to be anything but friendly these days. The former Celtics star opens up ahead of their first matchup.

Nine seasons together, an NBA championship and countless battles wearing the Boston Celtics jersey. Yet today, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum seem to have very little left to share, at least off the court.

Philadelphia and Boston will face each other on Tuesday for the first time since Brown was traded to the 76ers. It’s bound to be a special night for the former Celtics No. 7, but he doesn’t seem interested in using the opportunity to clear the air with his former teammate.

Following the Sixers’ 127-121 win over the Chicago Bulls, in which he scored 29 points, Brown revealed that he hasn’t seen or spoken to Tatum since the summer trade. And for now, he has no plans to change that.

We don’t have anything to talk about. He’s on his side, I’m on mine. We just have to play basketball. We both want to win, so there’s nothing to discuss. Let’s throw the ball up and play

Jaylen Brown

Brown and Tatum: From NBA Champions to a Growing Rift

For years, Brown and Tatum were the faces of the Celtics.

Both selected with the third overall pick in the NBA Draft, in 2016 and 2017 respectively, they led Boston to five Eastern Conference Finals appearances, two NBA Finals and the 2024 championship.

Their partnership was often questioned, particularly over whether two stars with similar playing styles could truly coexist.

But both players consistently defended their relationship in public, eventually silencing the doubters by winning a championship together.

Then came the summer of 2026, when everything changed.

Brown was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks. Since then, judging by their recent comments, the relationship between the two former teammates appears to have grown increasingly strained.

The first public signs of tension emerged when Tatum revealed on his YouTube channel that he had been just as surprised by Brown’s trade as the rest of the NBA world.

Brown responded with a simple blue cap emoji, commonly used on social media to suggest that someone isn’t telling the truth.

Tatum later tried to downplay the situation, insisting there was no personal issue between them.

There’s no personal beef. That’s not what this is about. We should be talking more about the positive things. I understand that drama gets clicks and views, but that’s not something I’m interested in

Jayson Tatum

Brown, however, responded with a sarcastic joke.

There’s no beef between us. Maybe just some lamb chops with a little sauce

Jaylen Brown

A playful reference to the word beef, commonly used to describe a feud or personal conflict.

Brown also took a shot at Tatum’s public relations team, joking about how well they were doing their job and suggesting that his former teammate should always be ready for whatever comes his way.

Celtics vs. 76ers: The First Face-Off

Now, after weeks of comments and subtle shots from a distance, the two former teammates are finally set to share the court again, this time wearing different jerseys.

We’ll see how I feel when we get out there on the court. Right now, I don’t really have any particular emotions about it. I’m just ready to play

Jaylen Brown

Nine years together, an NBA championship and now not even a phone call.

Brown and Tatum certainly have plenty of shared history to talk about, but for now, the Sixers star seems perfectly happy to leave it all behind.

Back in Boston.