The Boston Celtics traded five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this month and Jayson Tatum commented on the move during the ESPYs on Wednesday.
"If I'm being transparent, it's weird," Tatum said on the red carpet. "I've been on the Celtics for nine years and he was my teammate every single one of those."
"It's weird."
— ESPN (@espn) July 15, 2026
Jayson Tatum describes how it feels to see Jaylen Brown leave the Celtics. pic.twitter.com/Bv9Qbh88qW
Brown was rumored to be made available as the Celtics made attempts to acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks. After the Bucks wound up trading the two-time MVP to the Miami Heat, the Celtics continued shopping Brown, eventually trading the former Finals MVP to Philadelphia for Paul George and picks.
"You understand throughout the course of a career that the NBA is a business and people change teams and change coaches and front offices but it doesn't make it any easier," Tatum continued. "There's still the human element of it that you feel those emotions. The city feels those emotions. But there's also the side, we have to welcome our new teammates with open arms and we have to attack the new season. So there's a balance but it's weird."
Tatum appeared in 16 games this past season after returning from an Achilles injury. The six-time All-Star averaged 21.8 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.3 assists over 32.6 minutes per game.
