Celtics Trade Jaylen Brown to 76ers; Tatum, Stevens React

The Boston Celtics have traded star wing Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in a blockbuster deal sending Paul George and two first-round picks to Boston, a move that has drawn emotional reactions from teammate Jayson Tatum and a pragmatic defense from team president Brad Stevens.

What happened

Brown, a five-time All-Star and key part of Boston's 2024 NBA championship, was dealt to divisional rival Philadelphia last week. The Celtics receive Paul George, who will earn $54 million next season, and future draft capital. The trade ends a nine-year partnership between Tatum and Brown that included two Finals appearances.

Reactions

Tatum, speaking publicly for the first time at a book event, called the split "hard" and "abrupt." He said, "It's tough. But that makes you value the moments and the time we shared. Obviously everything ended abruptly, but that doesn't mean it wasn't an extremely successful stretch." Source: eldiado He added that he is ready to welcome new teammates George, Mike Conley, and Mitchell Robinson. Source: eldiado

Stevens acknowledged the difficulty but insisted the trade was necessary for salary flexibility. With Brown owed $185 million remaining on his supermax contract and Tatum nearly $190 million on his, the combined salaries would have consumed about 70% of the cap. "The path seemed a little more complicated with 70% of our cap tied to two players," Stevens said. Source: clarin He noted that letting Brown walk would have been tougher than trading him for assets. Source: clarin

Looking ahead

The Celtics now have a more flexible roster, with George's expiring contract and draft picks to retool. However, the move risks weakening their immediate title chances in a competitive Eastern Conference.