Brown Says He Won't Talk to Tatum Before Celtics Game
Philadelphia 76ers forward Jaylen Brown said he has no plans to speak with former Boston Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum ahead of their first matchup since Brown's trade.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Basketball
Philadelphia 76ers forward Jaylen Brown said he has not spoken to or seen Jayson Tatum since the Celtics traded him in the offseason. The Sixers and Celtics face each other Tuesday for the first time since the trade.
Why it matters
Brown and Tatum spent nine seasons together in Boston and led the Celtics to five Eastern Conference Finals appearances, two NBA Finals trips, and a 2024 championship. The trade ended one of the most decorated partnerships in recent Celtics history.
Brown scored 29 points in Sunday's 127-121 win over the Bulls, and the Sixers enter the matchup at 9-2 against the Celtics' 7-2 record.
The players
Jaylen Brown
A two-time NBA All-Star guard-forward and 2024 NBA Finals MVP who spent nine seasons with the Boston Celtics before being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Jayson Tatum
A multiple-time NBA All-Star forward who won the 2024 NBA championship with the Boston Celtics and was drafted third overall in 2017.
The details
Brown made his comments after the Sixers' 127-121 win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. Last month, Brown posted a blue hat emoji on Instagram in response to a Tatum video on his YouTube channel.
Timeline
2016: Brown drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics.
2017: Tatum drafted third overall by the Boston Celtics.
2024: Celtics win the championship over the Dallas Mavericks.
Offseason 2025-26: Celtics trade Brown to the Sixers for Paul George and draft picks.
Tuesday: Sixers and Celtics meet for the first time since the trade.
Season Trajectory
The trade reshapes the Eastern Conference picture, with the Sixers off to a 9-2 start and the Celtics at 7-2 after losing Brown from a Finals-tested core. The matchup marks the first direct meeting between the former partners since the 2024 Celtics championship run.
Fantasy managers tracking Brown and Tatum will see how their production holds up in the first head-to-head meeting since the trade. Sixers and Celtics fans can expect the matchup to shape the early Eastern Conference standings.
The takeaway
The Brown-Tatum split shows how quickly a championship partnership can change once a trade reshapes a roster. Readers following the Eastern Conference can watch how both teams adjust over the coming weeks.
What happens next
The Sixers and Celtics meet Tuesday night, the first game between the teams since Brown's trade.
Further reading
For more Sixers context, see Philadelphia Basketball coverage.
