Jayson Tatum had no input on the Boston Celtics trade that sent Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia, Brad Stevens confirmed on Monday, even as he praised the two stars’ partnership and friendship.
Stevens’ answer closes the loop on one of the offseason’s most burning Celtics questions, but it opens a new one about how the front office weighed loyalty against flexibility.
A reporter asked Stevens directly whether Tatum had any say in trading his longtime co-star, given their history together, including the 2024 championship run that made “the Jays” a fixture of Boston contention.
“What, if any, input did Jason have on this decision? None,” Stevens said, according to a transcript of his press conference. “I have a real hard-and-fast rule that I don’t ask other guys about other guys because I don’t want to put them in that position. So he had none.”
Tatum’s Bond With Brown, According to Stevens
Stevens said he deliberately kept Tatum out of the trade process entirely.
“I didn’t keep him in the loop. I didn’t talk to him the next day. I didn’t want to put that on him or anyone else that’s in the playing group,” Stevens said.
He described the bond between the two stars warmly when asked separately about their partnership.
“Jason and Jaylen have had a remarkable partnership where they complemented each other great and have played with other great teammates both that are here and not here,” Stevens said. “What they did together was awfully impressive.”
Stevens also pointed to the personal relationship behind the on-court chemistry.
“Jason is a friend of Jaylen,” he said, adding that “when you put in the work and the sweat with somebody for nine years, there’s obviously going to be a great appreciation for that person.”
Asked how the trade affects Tatum specifically, Stevens turned the focus toward what comes next rather than what was lost.
“It’ll just be on Jason to continue to grow individually and accentuate the people that are around him now,” the Celtics president of basketball operations said.
Celtics Chose ‘Optionality’ Over Tatum-Brown Partnership
Stevens made clear the Celtics believed they could have kept both stars and remained a contender. He said the decision came down to a preference for future flexibility over continuity.
“With regard to coming back and being really good, I think we could come back and be really good, you know, but I chose still being good with more optionality,” Stevens said.
The trade sent Brown, the 2024 NBA Finals MVP and five-time All-Star, to the 76ers in exchange for Paul George and four draft picks, according to ESPN’s Zach Kram. The return includes two first-round picks and two second-rounders.
Stevens said roughly 70% of Boston’s cap and a high share of its offensive usage had been tied up in Brown and Tatum together, a structure he viewed as harder to sustain as the league trends toward deeper rosters, according to Bleacher Report‘s Andrew Peters.
He stressed the move was not primarily financial, framing it instead as a bet that George’s shorter contract and the incoming picks would let Boston stay competitive while building depth around Tatum.
Owner Bill Chisholm, who also took questions Monday, backed the front office’s call but acknowledged the emotional impact on Celtics fans. He said there was no mandate from ownership to make the trade for financial reasons, insisting the sole intention remained building a championship roster.
Stevens said he understood why the move looks jarring given how connected Tatum and Brown became to Boston fans. He added he expects his relationship with Brown to stay meaningful after the trade.
Brad Stevens Reveals the Truth About Jayson Tatum’s Role in Jaylen Brown Trade