The Boston Celtics had a busy offseason, overhauling their roster and looking at Jaylen Brown to lead the franchise amid Jayson Tatum‘s injury recovery. Brown has broken his silence regarding what the franchise did a year after winning an NBA championship.
After appearing on a live stream with IShowSpeed on September 5, Brown created his Twitch account to begin a new hobby. The 2024 NBA Finals MVP hosted his first live stream on Saturday, which lasted for around four hours. He reflected on entering a “new era” of Celtics basketball while also sending a message to his former teammates.
“Half the team is gone. I wish them the best. I appreciate them. They were great teammates… it’s a new era, everything has kind of changed and shifted,” Brown said, as per Noa Dalzell of CLNS.
The Celtics had to make changes due to the financial restraints of the second apron, trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. They also allowed Luke Kornet to leave via free agency, while Al Horford remains unsigned but is linked to the Golden State Warriors.
Jayson Tatum’s injury also played a part in the Celtics‘ decision since he’s likely out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Some new faces in Boston include Anfernee Simons, Chris Boucher, Luka Garza and Josh Minott.
Jaylen Brown Underwent Knee Surgery This Offseason
In addition to streaming, Jaylen Brown’s offseason also included rehabbing his surgically repaired knee. ESPN reported that Brown underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. The procedure came after reports of him playing with a partially torn right meniscus since the last month of the regular season and into the playoffs.
Speaking to Celtics Blog’s Noa Dalzell a month after his surgery, Brown opened up about their season. He was expecting another championship, but things didn’t go their way. Nevertheless, the extra few weeks after the Eastern Conference semifinals allowed him to undergo surgery.
“I was expecting to go back-to-back and win a championship, but that didn’t happen,” Brown said on July 13. “So, we had a little extra time. I had surgery, which I wasn’t expecting either. That kind of became a reality toward the end of the season, so rehab and stuff kept me here.”
According to ESPN, Brown is expected to get cleared before training camp starts at the end of September. The Celtics begin the preseason on October 8 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Paul Pierce on Jaylen Brown’s Role Next Season
With Jayson Tatum likely out for the entire 2025-26 season, Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce is expecting big things from Jaylen Brown. Pierce told Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett in an exclusive interview last week what Brown has to do for the team next season.
“I think he’s going to get an opportunity to show more of his versatility,” Pierce said. “Because, you know, he handles the ball, but he doesn’t get the same responsibility that Tatum gets. Tatum had the ball more for handling and making plays, and now that’s on Jaylen. How much better can he be in a pick-and-roll situation making decisions? He didn’t really have that responsibility as much as Jayson did. That’s what I’m going to be looking at, how he’s going to be responsible when he’s shouldering the offensive load.”
Brown is going to be the primary option for the Celtics in the absence of Jayson Tatum, with Derrick White and Anfernee Simons providing more firepower.
Jaylen Brown Reflects on Celtics’ Offseason Overhaul