The Celtics made one thing clear before agreeing to trade Jaylen Brown: Jayson Tatum wasn’t going anywhere.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Boston received trade inquiries on Tatum before ultimately agreeing to send Brown to the 76ers in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks.
“The Celtics received calls on Jayson Tatum over the last couple weeks,” Charania said on Get Up, via Hoops Rumors. “They shut those down completely, from my understanding. But when it came to Jaylen Brown, they were open to listening.”
The move caps an offseason in which Brown’s name surfaced repeatedly in trade discussions. He was previously linked to deals involving Giannis Antetokounmpo before Boston ultimately expanded its search for potential trade partners.
Charania added that Brown never requested a trade but believed he felt “a level of disrespect” after hearing his name mentioned in so many discussions.
According to Charania, the Celtics initially sought as many as four or five first-round picks in return for Brown before gradually lowering their asking price when no team met those demands.
That eventually opened the door for Philadelphia.
New Sixers president Mike Gansey continued pursuing Brown while other teams backed away, ultimately landing the five-time All-Star in exchange for George and draft compensation.
Meanwhile, Boston continues to view Tatum as the centerpiece of its future despite his injury-shortened 2025-26 season. The six-time All-Star is expected to enter next season fully healthy after returning late last year from a torn Achilles.
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