The Philadelphia 76ers will return to action on Wednesday night for a contest with the Indiana Pacers, but even when this team isn’t playing, it is still finding ways to make headlines. As of late, there’s been quite a bit of drama surrounding Jaylen Brown and his former Boston Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum.
After being split up over the offseason, Brown and Tatum have both publicly addressed rumors of a longstanding beef between the two that played a role in the C’s decision to send him to the Sixers. After hitting a buzzer-beater in overtime against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, Tatum was once again asked about Brown, with his answer quickly catching the attention of fans everywhere.
Jayson Tatum Attempting to Move Past Jaylen Brown Drama
Tatum and Brown spent the past nine seasons playing alongside each other in Boston. While trade rumors always surrounded this duo, they turned the Celtics into a consistent contender, which culminated in them winning the 2024 NBA Finals together. That seemingly put an end to the rumors of discontent between the two, but Tatum missing the majority of the 2025-26 campaign with an Achilles injury seemed to only exacerbate the issue.
Over the offseason, the C’s publicly pursued a trade for Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, with Brown being the crown jewel of their offer for him. Eventually, Antetokounmpo was dealt to the Miami Heat, which led Boston to pivot and send Brown to Philadelphia.
Since then, many folks have speculated that the deteriorating relationship between Tatum and Brown led the front office to essentially gift him to the Sixers. Both guys have seemingly confirmed that they aren’t on the best of terms with each other, as Tatum said he believed things could be resolved with a quick conversation. However, he refused to address the situation again when asked if he ended up getting around to talking to Brown.
“Listen, I said my piece. I’m not making any more comments on it,” Tatum said of his situation with Brown when speaking to reporters.
Sixers Focusing on Themselves Amid Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum Beef
At the end of the day, this whole situation has been totally overblown, with both Brown and Tatum being relatively cryptic when speaking to the media about their relationship with each other. This will certainly add some fuel to the fire when it comes to the first meeting between these two rivals this season, but it is taking away from what really matters, which is the basketball that both of these teams are playing.
Through four games, the Sixers have managed to overcome some early growing pains and post a 3-1 record. It’s going to take some time for everyone to get on the same page, but there’s no doubt that Philly is one of the most dangerous groups in the league. Tip-off for its upcoming contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, as the 76ers will be aiming to pick up their fourth win of the year.
Jayson Tatum Sends Strong Message on Drama With Sixers Star Jaylen Brown