Celtics' Tatum and ex-teammate Jaylen Brown trade 'no beef' remarks
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The gist
Celtics' Jayson Tatum said he has no ill will toward Jaylen Brown, now with Philadelphia, after Brown's jabs.
The decade-long relationship stays under scrutiny as the two meet again Nov. 11.
Background
Jayson Tatum is a Celtics player who tore his Achilles 17 months ago, and Jaylen Brown is a former Celtics player now with Philadelphia whose relationship with Tatum has been scrutinized for much of the past decade. The tension intensified recently after Brown left a "cap" emoji on a behind-the-scenes Tatum YouTube video about his reaction to the trade. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla addressed the exchange at practice, saying the two were together 10 years and "nobody is perfect."
How it unfolded
- Oct 23, 2026The Celtics played the Knicks at TD Garden in Boston.
- Oct 25, 2026Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacted at practice to the latest Tatum-Brown comments.
- Oct 26, 2026The Celtics beat the Bulls 134-99 at TD Garden; Payton Pritchard scored 28 points in 21 minutes and Tatum added 23 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
- Oct 27, 2026The Celtics' injury report for the Nets game listed only Devin Carter (out, illness) and Derrick White (probable, right hip synovitis); the teams tipped off at 7:30pm ET in Brooklyn.
Who’s saying what
- Player
- Tatum said he has "no animosity or beef or ill will" toward Brown, that he called and texted him the day he was traded, and that "we're too old to be having our relationship discussed on the internet."
- Player
- Brown said "there's no beef, but it might be a little lamb chops and some gravy," adding that Tatum "has a great PR team."
- Official
- Mazzulla said the two were together 10 years and "nobody is perfect," adding "We're focused on Jayson because he's with us."
- Expert
- Former Celtics player Brian Scalabrine accused Brown of "living in his own reality" and described alleged trade demands.
Still unverified
Brian Scalabrine, on "The Starting Lineup" podcast, said Brown gave the organization a list of ultimatum demands, requested a trade behind closed doors, was rooting to be dealt to the Milwaukee Bucks and recruited teammates to join him there; Brown's camp denied the report as "10000% a lie." A rumored rift between Tatum and Brown was addressed by both players as "no beef."