Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum spent nearly a decade as teammates on the Boston Celtics, and the team's trade of Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason sparked questions about the duo's relationship.
Brown's recent response to Tatum's trade reaction video has added further to that speculation. In a new video posted to his YouTube channel, Tatum said he was "just as much caught off guard as the rest of the world" by the trade news.
In the video, Tatum discusses first hearing about the deal while in Las Vegas and learning that Brown was getting traded to a nearby rival team.
"I'm like, 'Oh [expletive]. I said, 'Where?' He said, 'Philly." I said, 'You traded him down the street?'" Tatum said, recalling his shocked reaction after learning of the trade details.
Brown clearly wasn't buying Tatum's reaction that he presented in the video, commenting on a social media post of the video with a cap emoji, commonly used online to express someone isn't telling the truth.
More news: LeBron James’ 76ers Debut vs Knicks Sets Viewership Record
...
Brown famously teamed up with Tatum in Boston and the duo won the 2024 NBA Finals. However, Brown received the NBA Finals MVP award for leading the Celtics throughout the series.
The team failed to advance past the first round of the NBA Playoffs earlier this year, falling to the Philadelphia 76ers, 4-3. The deciding seventh game occurred in Boston, but Tatum watched from the bench as the team didn't want to risk injury.
Brown did his best to try to lead the team to victory, but the Celtics struggled to find shots, losing 109-100. Brown, a five-time NBA All-Star, still finished with 33 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three blocks in the game.
Speculation kicked up in the offseason about Brown getting traded to another team, with uncertainty over which team. It was eventually the Philadelphia 76ers, with Brown expressing in a social media statement that he was "excited and disappointed" with how the trade.
The Celtics received nine-time All-Star Paul George in the trade, along with future first- and second-round draft picks. George had a strong debut for the Celtics earlier this week, finishing with 38 points, five rebounds, three assists, and five steals in a loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Brown has since suited up for a 76ers team that looks like a strong contender. It's still early, but they bested the New York Knicks, 106-100, on opening night after a championship ring and banner-raising ceremony at Madison Square Garden. They followed that up by fighting back on Thursday night from a 29-point deficit at home to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 114-106.
Brown finished last night's game with 21 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while teammate Tyrese Maxey had 32 points, six assists, and three rebounds. Joel Embiid added 24 points, and LeBron James finished with 17 in an impressive comeback win.
While speculation remains about behind-the-scenes drama or a feud between the two All-Stars, Tatum praised Brown in the video and reiterated he was "thankful" for their relationship and what they accomplished together "over nine years."
"We pushed each other. I definitely made him better, and he made me better. And we made our team better. We made this organization better," Tatum said, also acknowledging that they grew up together as Celtics teammates, facing ups and downs along the way.
The first matchup featuring Brown and the 76ers against Tatum and the Celtics occurs on Tuesday, Nov. 10, in Philadelphia, and is likely to be a major draw for NBA fans interested in seeing who gets the best of the battle.
More news: NBA Legend Raises Concerns About Victor Wembanyama After Spurs’ Loss to OKC
For more about the Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA, visit Newsweek Sports.