Jayson Tatum Has One Jaylen Brown Regret After 76ers Trade
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Jayson Tatum Has One Jaylen Brown Regret After 76ers Trade
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 13: (L-R) Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics celebrate after Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round Playoffs at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on May 13, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) Getty
Justin Grasso·HEAVY
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4 min read
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 29: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown #7 look on in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden on April 29, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) Getty
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0 high fives Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics after a play against the Dallas Mavericks during the second quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) Getty
The Boston Celtics broke up the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown duo during the 2026 NBA offseason by sending the latter player to the Philadelphia 76ers.
It wasn't the first time that Brown was in trade rumors with the Celtics. It wasn't a long and drawn-out process. Once it became clear that Brown was on the block in 2026, the Celtics struck a deal to move him. The only shock was where he went.
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Jayson Tatum didn't have much to say about Brown publicly amid trade rumors in 2026. That was the case in past years as well. According to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, that's something that Tatum regrets.
Jayson Tatum Has One Jaylen Brown Regret After 76ers Trade
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 29: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics and Jaylen Brown #7 look on in Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Orlando Magic at TD Garden on April 29, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
"He said that to me in 2024 after they won a championship. I was talking to him in depth about the relationship with Brown, and he did say to me that he wished that he had been more publicly vocal about supporting Jaylen during the trade talks over the years,"Mannix said on SI Open Floor.
"Like maybe he supported behind the scenes, and people close to Tatum have insisted that behind the scenes he has told the Celtics over the years that this team was better with Jaylen Brown on it. But publicly, he hasn't been as vocal. He did tell me he regretted that back in 2024."
GettyBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JUNE 17: Jayson Tatum #0 high fives Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics after a play against theDallas Mavericksduring the second quarter of Game Five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden on June 17, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Obviously, that's a different timeline, but there's no telling where Brown would be at right now if Tatum took a different approach back then.
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The NBA world assumed that Tatum and Brown fell out, and their cryptic comments through the media since the trade went down don't do much to change anybody's mind.
Tatum can't do anything at this point to change the situation. The saga will get talked about until they face each other a few times. The hype around the upcoming Sixers-Celtics battles due to Brown and Tatum will remain strong until the 2026-2027 season concludes for both teams.
